Huntington Beach Ford in Huntington Beach, CA, and its parent company, Bakhtiari Automotive Group, are under legal scrutiny following multiple allegations of misconduct, including fraudulent rebate schemes, deceptive sales tactics and abusive behavior.
Coercion for Five-Star Reviews
Multiple customers have alleged sales representatives and the manager at Huntington Beach Ford pressured them into submitting positive five-star reviews in exchange for receiving manufacturer rebates and incentives. Customers report being told they must provide proof of a five-star review to access advertised discounts. The allegations could potentially violate California law.
Retaliation and Abusive Behavior
Further allegations have come from a former service manager at Huntington Beach Ford, who claims to have experienced workplace harassment, retaliation and a pattern of abusive behavior by the dealership's manager. The former employee alleges the manager yelled and screamed at the former service manager in front of both customers and employees; publicly humiliated and belittled the former service manager; and prevented the former service manager from accepting customer coupons without proof of a five-star review, allegedly as a form of punishment for raising concerns about the manager's behavior.
Years of Documented Abuse
These recent allegations are not isolated incidents. Reports indicate the HR department at Huntington Beach Ford has received years of documented complaints from multiple employees regarding management abuse.
"The pattern of deceptive practices, retaliatory behavior, and abusive conduct alleged at Huntington Beach Ford are deeply concerning," said Attorney Serena D. Shahidi. "We urge anyone who has experienced similar issues at this dealership to come forward and share their story."
Consumers, former employees and vendors who have experienced any of the following at Huntington Beach Ford are encouraged to contact Shahidi: conditional rebates tied to positive reviews; deceptive sales practices; pressure to leave five-star reviews; workplace harassment or retaliation; or abusive behavior by management.
For more information, contact the Consumer Attorney Law Firm at help@autofraud.com.
