Part 3/10:
Another common form of internal fraud involves the manipulation of trade-ins. When customers bring in vehicles to trade, dealerships often offer far less than market value. To cover the discrepancy, some salespersons engage in what's known as "stealing a trade." They pocket the low-ball offer from the dealership, fraudulently claiming the trade value was applied as a down payment. This strategy has been seen repeatedly in the business, often leading to significant losses for the dealership while financially benefiting dishonest employees.