The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "car salesmen" ...
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Tricks of the Trade
This hidden camera investigation looks at the automobile industry as a whole, and finds that more than 52,246 customers in dealerships across 39 states have been ripped off. Dateline talked to Duane Overholt, who was a finance manager at Sonic Automotive, a major corporation that owns 187 dealerships across the country. With Overholt's help, Dateline was able to find an overwhelming amount of fraud and deception within the industry. Dateline also bought a car for the investigation and reported on the whole process, including fraud they encountered along the way.
Tags: Car salesmen; Finance
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Odometer Rollbacks
"KIRO TV received a tip about a used car dealer rolling back odometers. Our investigation found a note from the dealer to an employee directing him to rollback the odometers on several cars on the lot. We went undercover to shoot video of the odometers before and after the rollbacks to prove the illegal activity. Then a stakeout caught the employee on tape allegedly rolling back those odometers."
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; car salesmen; automobiles; car dealers; odometer rollbacks
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Consumer Alert: Bait and Switch
Dateline NBC reports "a hidden-camera investigation of illegal bait-and-switch advertising at new car dealerships. We found that three out of four dealerships were engaging in bait and switch. Several salesmen confessed that this was a dealership practice. One even stated, 'If you were undercover I'd be fired right now.'"
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IRE Feed 1 "New Adventures in Computer Assisted Reporting."
A compilation of 12 stories: 1.) "Stolen Dreams" News 12 Long Island, Employees and Salesmen stealing pensions and retirement money. 2.) "Felon Voters" WCCO, Minneapolis, Convicted felons voting illegally. 3,) "Where Crime Happens." WBNS, Columbus, High-crime neighborhoods. 4.) "Ride At Your Own Risk" WTVJ, Miami, Cab drivers driving without licenses because of violations. 5.) "What's in the Tank?" KNXV, Phoenix, Gas incorrectly labeled. 6.) "The Dirty Dozen" WDIV, Detroit, Unclean restaurants with health violations. 7.) "Occupational Hazards" WSMV, Nashville, Unsafe work conditions ignored. 8.) "Unlucky 13" WRAL, Raleigh, A dangerous stretch of Interstate 95. 9.) "Owning Up" WNEM, Saginaw, Unpaid property taxes. 10.) "Hot Cars" WBNS, Columbus, The most frequently stolen cars. 11.) Wheel of Government" News 12 Long Island, Government cars used for non-government business. 12.) "Nursing Home Abuses." WDIV, Detroit, Health department violations, neglect, whistle blowers, cover up, sexual assaults, inadequate care and more.
Tags: TAPE; News 12 Long Island; WCCO; WBNS; WTVJ; KNXV; WDIV; WSMV; WRAL; WNEM.
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IRE Feed 2 "Award Finalist"
A compilation of 11 stories. 1.) "Airport Security" WCPO, Cincinnati, No criminal background checks for airport workers and other violations of security rules. 2.) "Too Young to Die" KCBS, Los Angeles, The National Cancer Institute stopped recommending that women get mammograms, causing uninsured women to die early deaths. 3.) "Ford Height Four" WMAQ, Chicago, Were four black men wrongly convicted of robbery, rape, and murder, because police withheld information and a key witness lied? A killer confesses. 4.) "Sexual Predators" WLTV, Jacksonville, A law drops some sexual predators from the public list. 5.) "Shooters" WAGA, Atlanta, Convenience stores selling shooters, a brown bag full of everything you need to smoke crack, but the crack. 6.) "Cleaner Gasoline" KGO, San Francisco, The Air Resources Board threw out data that shows a news gas could make your car catch fire. 7.) "The Business of Charity" WRAL, Raleigh, Sales of donated clothes by non-profit organizations equals big money. 8.) "Stolen Dreams" News 12 Long Island, Salesmen stealing pension and retirement dreams. 9.) "Chemical Reaction" WXYZ, Detroit, Did General Motors protect it's workers from deadly and unhealthy chemicals? 10.) "Conspiracy of Silence" CBC, Alberta, Workers denied their workers compensation. 11.) "Nursing Homes: Care and Crisis" WDIV, Detroit, Bed sores, neglect and more.
Tags: TAPE; WCPO; KCBS; WMAQ; WLTV; WAGA; KGO; WRAL; News 12 Long Island; WXYZ; CBC; WDIV.
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No title (id: 13746)
KSTP goes undercover to investigate allegations of store salesmen and managers ignoring company guidelines and overcharging customers hundreds of dollars each for auto repairs at Minnesota's Firestone stores. The investigation revealed that Firestone stores were regularly cheating customers with not only unneeded work but with arbitrarily inflated prices. (November 1, 1996)
Tags: Grover Raziq Hill Paidar Firestone car repairs Contest entry Fraud 8 pgs. TAPE
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No title (id: 10633)
The Palm Beach Post examines auto lease fraud; car shoppers are often coerced into leasing a car thinking that they are actually buying it. Car salesmen have a manual that gives them tips on how to switch potential buyers, Dec. 17, 1994.