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Show Al2_ TheSaltLake Tribune UTAH Sunday, May 30,1999 Fraud in Utah scared. These guys had a copyof Is Rising With plete credit file. They kneweverything about me.” my driver's license and my com- The investigator told her the thieves would not likely face Automobile Debt B Continued From A-i share of problems after a divorce andtrying to make it on my own. she admits. “I had credit prob- much jail time — even if caught dead to right. “I thought, ‘Then, what about me?’ A check of court records by The Tribune shows that the salesman already faces criminal charges of theft, theft by deception and wit- ness tampering in a case unrelat- ed to automobile theft. But the salesman and the general manager of the car dealership chain maintain Gibson misunderstood that the salesman was joking “We would never condone car theft,” the manager said Gibson's going undercover was the onlycost-effective wayto investigate the incident, Ingersoll says. “It appears to be an opportunistie thing,” he says of the fraud offer. “I don’t think an un- say Gibson’s experience comesas dercover investigation with our no real surprise, considering people would be successful. I'd have to assume these guys are careful in who they were dealing with” Besides, Ingersoll says, his department is swamped with straight-forward car-theft cases. “Right now we don’t have a case {with Gibson],” he says. “There's no crime.” Insurance fraud investigators crime trends ofthe last few years. While crime, including car theft, has dropped nationwide, FBI sta- tistics show cartheftis on therise in Utah and other Western states. Insurance fraudis on therise. too, and, while hard numbersare impossible to pin down, more than a third of Utah’s nearly $1 million a year of insurance fraud involves car insurance. Experts believe several factors have seesawed Utah's auto-theft numbers compared to therest of the country. After car-theftstatisties skyrocketed early in the decade, heavily populated states cracked down on the crime and targeted the professionals behind it. In somecases, this has forced criminals and entire ringsto relo- cate their activities to more hospi- See Next Page lems.” So, after looking at cars, taking Shopping Fora a test drive and playing the car- buying game, shebit herlip and waited while the salesman ran a cD check onher credit. When he came back and told me I hadgreat credit, I was sur- prised,” Gibson says Then the salesman and immedi- ate superior explainedto her that after “absorbing” into her new loan what she still owed on the Corsica, she would be facing about a $360-a-month car pay ment granthill’ THE ORIGINAL SPORTS WATCH SINCE 1850. Check These From OurCollection. Gibson was crushed. There was no wayI couldafford that. ion. She told The Sait what want to meet Tribunethey talked about blessing it would be if thieves madeoff with the car — 12 MONTHS. alongwith its debt reer At first, I laughed,” she says But whentheycarefullytold her shecouldleaveit in a bad neigh- borhoodwiththe keys in the ign- lion, Gibsonrealized theywerese- tious I'mbasically an honest person, I figured it was time to Annual Percentage Yield leave,’ she says. When she walked out of the showroom, the salesman followed her onto the lot It was there, she alleges, the salesmanoffered a buyer service ers. Gibson remembers. “He told me that some salesman, who had been on the other sideof the law. had connections that could be helpful in thesesituations. 1 was in shock. | told himthat I would think about it — just wantedto get out of there Gibsoncalled Sandy police and reported what happened. The personshe talkedto, she says, was FIRST COMMUNITY BANK First Community nd ral Bank Washington Mutu Company Artesian Spa 18 Jets, 5 Horsepower $3795 *2955° Sandy’s creative car salesman. Investigators say that with 4626 Highland Dr., Holladay, 272.0150 FDIC 2417 Grant Ave., Ogden, 394-4224 Visit our Web site at www.gwt!.com 2100-84 5:99 JEWELERS * GEMOLOGISTS Fashion Place Mall Crossroads Plaza 266.9504 534.0315 31 Jets, (2) 3 Horsepower Pumps, Lounger, Locking Cover $4995 §3995°° stolen Ultimately, Gibson connected with Utah Insurance Department 81 West 3300 South, Salt Lake City, 467-7029 Artesian Spa inal action had beenoffered. but it wasn't a crimeuntil the car was fraud investigators and Depart @ Pump, Locking Cover confounded. “He said that a crim ment of Motor Vehicle car-theft investigators. Both agencies were interested in knowing more about tagheuer. com ings. not mentioned in many used-car ads Hetold me: ‘If you really want that [her car stolen] to happen, we could arrange it. We do that for a certain number of our custom- to find out how.. Minimum opening deposit for a CD is $250. Annual Percentage Yields based on daily compounding ofinterest rate. Annual PercentageYields are accurate as of 5/23/99. Rates are subject to change without notice. A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. Fees may reduce earn- FREE! ®@ Ozone generator ® Redwood steps © Redwood toweltree @ Chemicalkit *with platinum class spas many peopledeeply miredin auto Maybethis debt, bogus car theft is common But to havetheoffer made as part of a car deal was anewfraud de. is the year you velopment. “From the way she described it, I have the impres sion that this is more a common get the pool. occurrence, rather than an isolat. ed thing,” said Department of Motor Vehicle theft investigator Kip Ingersoll Or the deck. Or the new addition Ingersoll asked Gibson to wear a “wire.” and electronically re cord the deal with the salesman If he attempted the theft as he promised. they stood a good chance of busting everyone in volved But Gibson balked “I was qq BATH A SPA E540 South State Street 288-0242 to the house, Or even consolidate your bills. 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