Slander at the Auto Dealer?

[itisso30]

I am in Colorado and I would like to know if this qualifies as slander. and if so what can I do aside from contacting the Better Business Bureau.

March 25th 2005 I went to a Kia Dealer and during the financial portion of purchacing a car my salesman asked if I wanted to try and do the loan alone without my Husband. I am a partime self employed woman, and like all self employed people claim as little as I can. I am in a cash business after all. So the salesman took my self employment Profit/loss statment, tax forms and bank statments to the Financer. She looked over my income and stated infront of 4 sales people, Myself and My Husband, I quote, " this is what she makes?, In a year?, I don't even want to see this, She qualifies for FOOD STAMPS." I was appauled, humiliated, and embarassed. She made me feel as though I had to explain why I work part time. Why I chose my line of work, and why I make what looks to be so little. I let her know even if I did quailify for food stamps which I don't, that I would still need a car. I told her she should have asked if my Husband would be on the loan with me which he would have done had I not been asked if I wanted the loan in just my name. I recieved a phone call as soon as I got home letting me know from the salesman that he would do what ever it took to get my business back, and that he could have got me the loan alone and he that he has even gotten loans for people with no Social Security card. I let Him know I was to upset to think about working with their dealer ship again. I spoke to a man who says he is the owner of this Dealer ship. He said that The financer was just trying to tell the salesmen not to bring these types of incomes to the table as they just had a meeting that morning about it. Saying I qualify for food stamps was her way of reminding Sales of the meeting. The Owner says Financer made a mistake, a slip of the tongue. Owner asked me if I have ever said something I shouldn't and I replied no never at my Job to a client or potential customer. Owner proceeded to ask me just what would I like him to do about it? He asked if I would like Financer fired? Owner did not take any responcibility or action against Financers comment. Owner and Salesman continued to try and lure me into buying the car with multiple phone calls to my home and the home of one of the family contacts I put on my application. What she said to the 4 sales people including mine where I could hear her was appauling. Now granted my stated income is low However I am married and my husband makes a substantial amount more than I so therefore I do not qualify for food stamps. What she said hurt not only my person. But my family and the way the sales staff looked and talked to me. What she said was so UNTRUE that I need to know where to go from here. The owner said I could write the BBB he could care less and for that fact I could write whoever I like as he was the owner and he wasnt going to make this outcome satisfactory. Not that this part matters but about the Social Security comment salesman made I would like to state that I am an American born and Raised coloradoan with a SS card and his statement makes me seem as an illegal which I am not.
Thanks for any andvice. Itisso Colorado

 

[itisso30]

I would also like to know if this does qualify as slander how do I go about a suit. would I go to small claims or would this be something bigger.

 

[absconder]

I dont know about slander but its bad business. Contact the owner or the general manager and get her ass fired. I would.

 

[itisso30]

I did contact the owner. The man who says he is the owner anyway. He said do what I want. Write letters call the BBB as he is the Owner and I should just give up trying to win the War. He stands behind the worker and explains it away as a minor mistake. From what I have read this comment fits the description of slander but I need more advice. She will not be fired and the owner takes no responcibility and thinks I am making to big a deal out of this.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

You have absolutely no case for anything. In fact, the financial worker was RIGHT, you do qualify for FOOD Stamps. And, a statment of fact is not actionable.

Grow up and move on.

 

[itisso30]

Wow are you crazy?
A married woman cannot qualify for food stamps if the combined household income is greater than a certain amount. My husbands income is 5 times that of mine. I was hoping to purchace my first car without his help. AND You cannot qualify for food stamps if you own assets such as more than one vehicle a home recreation vehicles etc.. These Items minuse one vehicle would have to be sold and you would need to have nothing. No life insurance, no savings, NOTHING........................ I am a home owner, Business woman, Mother and Wife and I do not QUALIFY FOR FOOD STAMPS or any other form of welfare.If I did qualify for them I should not be made to feel bad about it. Not only that but If I DID QUALIFY FOR THEM and IF SHE WERE RIGHT THEN I WOULD NOT FIT THE DEFINITION OF SLANDER AND WOULD NOT BE HERE ASKING FOR ADVICE.... Perhaps check your facts first.
Mean spirited people need not reply. Scanning through the forums I see Belize has been terribly rude annoying and flat out obnoxious in more posts than I care to look at.

 

[meganproser]

There is no slander case here.

She made this statement only in front of the sales staff at least one of whom was an interested party. You refuted her statement immediately, so even if not for the "privilege" factor, I presume that everyone who heard her false allegation, also heard the correction.

You had a chance to be compensated for the rudeness when the Dealer called you. You probably could have bought the car at an extra discount after such an incident.

You were only insulted, there was no damage to your reputation. You had a chance to enjoy some compensation for the incident and you passed it up.

BTW, small claims court will not hear a defamation case.

This woman really should have been fired or at the very least, sent on an extended "vacation"...what an ass.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Wow are you crazy?
A married woman cannot qualify for food stamps if the combined household income is greater than a certain amount.

And while that is true, you were NOT purchasing the car as a "Married" woman as your own post explains. You were purchasing it as a single woman with three kids and an income of only $12,000, which DOES qualify you for food stamps.

Mean spirited people need not reply. Scanning through the forums I see Belize has been terribly rude annoying and flat out obnoxious in more posts than I care to look at.

Listen lady, if you don't want the RIGHT answer then go to DrPhil.com. He'll pat you on the head. But you played a game with financing, expecting to get a great deal 'without your husband's financial information or help' as you said twice now, and expect to be treated like a princess?

Who's NOT living in reality.

 

[itisso30]

Belize you need to read correctly dear. I never said I had 3 kids. You are making things up now.
And I am so over your Advice. You are not helpful & you just come here to argue and I am so not into that. I will NOT justify or explain why I claim the income I do, to YOU or anyone else. I am proud to be bringing any money to the home.

meganproser, Thanks for the comment. Based on your information and I understand what you say completely and have aquired information else where as to options that suit me better for this situation.
As for her being fired or possibly an unpaid vacation, That would have been fine and just in my eyes.
It seems her only crime was being judgmental and utterly unprofessional.

 

[stephenk]

explain how your reputation was damaged in front of strangers. what damages have your suffered?

since you only presented your "low income", she made a statement of opinion not fact.

now you know your income alone is not enough to buy a Kia.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Belize you need to read correctly dear. I never said I had 3 kids. You are making things up now.
And I am so over your Advice. You are not helpful & you just come here to argue and I am so not into that. I will NOT justify or explain why I claim the income I do, to YOU or anyone else. I am proud to be bringing any money to the home.
QUOTE]
And you are also a liar.

Last edited by itisso30 : 04-12-2005 at 09:17 PM.

Now would you like to see the ORIGINAL version of your post?

 

[alexandria1957]

response

Everybody has a boss and I would go above all that contacted you. Her statement had nothing to do with buying a vehicle. I find it was more of a slam on people who DO qualify for food stamps. She was out of line. I wouldn't take it personal, but advocate for the population she slammed. Should people who need assistance such as food stamps be ashamed or used as a class of people below others, as this financer has done? Time for her to be knocked from her self appointed pedastal. And people who's income do fall in that category shouldn't be used as an insult. Shame on her.

 

[alexandria1957]

rude responses

You have to kind of wonder what makes people (Belize) so angry that they need to be rude to people in a forum that otherwise is social. Is there a psychology site that would be more appropriate for the anger issues presented? I think people who need to put people down as consistently as the postings from this person have a real low self esteem and need to put people down to feel better. Sad ain't it? Get some help Belize and you will be able to grow up and move on.

 

[itisso30]

Belize Good lord your a MORON,
I edit my original post to remove my income as I didnt need anymore comments like yours. I never edited whether I was a mother or how many kids I have. And if you need to know I have ONE, NOT THREE. you make it look as though I edited out that I had too many kids and am a single mom. I am married with ONE child and my income is extra.

As far as stephenk I did present my "low stated income" to the salesman who then asked me if I would like to be on the loan alone. I did not go in with the intention of purchasing without my husband. Had the salesman not asked I would not have suggested it my self and a purchase would have been made jointly. I understand that my reputation may not have been hurt as you see it but, in my eyes infront of the sales staff she demeaned, humiliated and insulted me, ( she did not mean for me to hear her) which in turn made them look at me differently. They dont see someone who can buy a car now they see a welfare case.
That I know is not a crime, and in situations of anger where taking action seems logical I came here to find out what I could do. I see that legal action is not an option. But I do have alternatives. The BBB has a complaint now which is good and letters of treatment and customer service will be sent out to Kia motors of America, and the Zone Manager for this area. If nothing else it will let the upper workings of Kia know who represents them.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

You have to kind of wonder what makes people (Belize) so angry that they need to be rude to people in a forum that otherwise is social. Is there a psychology site that would be more appropriate for the anger issues presented? I think people who need to put people down as consistently as the postings from this person have a real low self esteem and need to put people down to feel better. Sad ain't it? Get some help Belize and you will be able to grow up and move on.

How about this help? SCREW YOU!

I have no compassion for someone who lies and then gets caught ...or for someone who lies to a business THEN gets uppity when that lie causes others to have a different perception of them.

You make your own bed but no one else has to lay in it.