Allegations Of Auto Lot Rip Offs

Car buyers in Nowata are crying foul after their experiences with a dealership.  Police are investigating at least a dozen fraud claims, and vehicles at the dealership have been seized.  News On 6 anchor Latoya Silmon reports many people believe they got a raw deal.

Police say it's one of the biggest fraud cases they've ever seen.  Nowata Ford is accused of taking trade-ins and not paying the notes off, and some say they've bought new cars that they can't even drive.

Nowata Ford advertises a good deal, but some say after doing business with this dealership they got duped.

"I feel like I've been violated and everything else.  I put my trust in them," said Sherry Dickson.

Sherry Dickson and her common law husband bought a 2008 Ford Focus three months ago.  She says despite forking over $600, she has no title and only a temporary tag.  It expires in two weeks.

"I was trying to find out anything.  Who to contact? What do I do cause now I have a car that I can't drive?" said Sherry Dickson.

Dickson says the dealership was full of empty promises.  And now, it has a very empty lot.  Ford Credit recently seized all its vehicles.  And, police impounded the cars that didn't belong to the creditor.

Nowata Police say since the seizure, at least 12 customers have filed complaints against Nowata Ford.  Like Sherry some of them don't have tags, while others say they're stuck paying two car notes.

"We're just now scratching the surface on this case.  The actual loans and everything are legit.  Everything they've got, it's legit on that part.  It's just keeping their word on existing loans on the vehicles that people traded in. We've got people paying two car loans and they only have one vehicle," said Nowata Police Chief Richard Miller.

The News On 6 tried to track down the owners for answers, but the business office looked a lot like the dealership's lot.  Police believe one of the owners, Thomas Plummer, of Broken Arrow has skipped town.

"I'm just devastated.  This is, me and my husband have worked very hard. We saved up for over a year to get the down payment," said Sherry Dickson.

Anyone who bought a car from Nowata Ford or anyone who knows where Thomas Plummer is urged to call Nowata Police at 918-273-3531.     

Plummer has had run ins with the law before.  He was accused of trying to pass off a fake social security card to obtain an Oklahoma Driver's license, he pleaded to a misdemeanor.