SACRAMENTO — State investigators found billing fraud in nearly half of the auto body repair jobs they inspected during a two-year study, with an average of $811 in overcharges for parts or labor not received, according to a report to be released today.
The report comes as the auto repair industry is pushing to restructure the Bureau of Automotive Repair, a move that consumer groups say would gut one of government's most effective watchdog efforts.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday September 11, 2003 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 64 words Type of Material: Correction
Body shops -- A headline in Wednesday's California section referred to "rampant" fraud in California body shops. In the state study discussed in the story, vehicles were inspected only if owners requested a check through a toll-free hotline. So, while 42% of those checks revealed fraud, the study did not contain any finding about the prevalence of fraud in the industry as a whole.
Criticizing the bureau for maintaining a poor working relationship with those it regulates, industry representatives want to turn over some of its authority to an appointed commission. Four of the nine commission members would be from the industry.
But consumers say such a move would severely weaken the state's ability to curb fraud in the sprawling collision repair industry.
"The bureau does an incredible job of cracking down on some very powerful schemers, and the industry knows it," said Rosemary Shahan, president of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, a nonprofit advocacy group best known for pushing California's "lemon law" of 1982. "They want to turn a watchdog into a little spaniel."
The investigation of auto body shops was authorized by the Legislature in 2001 in response to years of complaints about the industry. Concerns about automotive repair work rank as the No. 1 gripe received from the public by the state Department of Consumer Affairs, which oversees the bureau.
During the study, a total of 1,315 vehicles with at least $2,500 worth of repairs were inspected at no charge for consumers who requested a check through a toll-free hotline. The program received national attention, as the bureau, known as BAR, earned a reputation as the only government agency that made house calls.
Some of the cars inspected had hidden damage that required partial disassembly to determine if the repair actually took place. More than 550 vehicles, or 42%, had parts or labor listed on the invoice that were not actually supplied, the study found.
Charging customers for repairs they do not receive is illegal, and BAR referred 46 cases to district attorneys for possible civil or criminal action. In addition, 48 cases were turned over to Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer for possible suspension or revocation of a body shop's operating license.
Finally, mediation between BAR and shops identified as having defrauded consumers produced $536,000 in refunds, bill adjustments or additional work.
