Merced auto body shop accused of fraud. Manager says he was just helping customers.
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During an investigation into
The shop would file insurance claims for parts that were never put on any car or for services it never completed, according to investigators. Additionally, the shop did not provide mandatory written estimates to customers on multiple occasions.
"A little bit of it that they're saying on these cars is our fault. Not 100 percent," Higareda said in a phone interview on Tuesday. "There's like two or three (customers) that they didn't pay the deductible. We'd tell them that some of these parts are not going to be replaced to cover for your deductible."
Higareda, who has worked at the shop for about four years, said he would not "cut corners" if leaving out parts would be a safety issue, but he did his best to help needy customers.
"As far as I know, we can help people with the deductible," he said. "If it's against the law, I didn't know it was."
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