Red Rock Nissan, a dealership located in Grand Junction, Colorado, is facing increased scrutiny following allegations of fraudulent activities and questionable business practices within the broader Red Rock Auto Group. This comes after a former finance manager from Red Rock GMC, part of the same auto group, was arrested and charged with forgery, criminal impersonation, and identity theft. The charges stem from accusations of impersonating customers in phone calls and falsifying bank documents, casting a shadow over the entire Red Rock Auto Group, including its Nissan dealership.
The Grand Junction Police Department began investigating the case in September 2022 after two individuals reported being victims of fraud during their purchase of a Dodge Durango from Red Rock GMC. These customers alerted the police after being contacted by a credit union regarding inconsistencies in their loan application. The credit union revealed that they had spoken with individuals claiming to be the customers, but the phone number provided was traced back to a finance manager at Red Rock GMC.
The victims stated they were contacted by a finance manager – who has not been named as being charged – from Red Rock GMC, informing them of issues with their financing and the need to resubmit applications to different lenders. Discrepancies were found in the application details, including incorrect addresses, residency durations, primary driver information, and even inaccurate details about vehicle accessories. Recordings from the credit union’s calls allegedly revealed the finance managers impersonating the buyers.
According to police affidavits, Red Rock Auto management claimed unawareness of these practices until they were locked out of their credit union account. Subsequently, both Tiffany Miller, the charged finance manager, and another employee were terminated. However, a search warrant uncovered calls that police believe implicate Miller and the other employee in impersonating customers. In one instance, Miller is alleged to have answered the phone as “Tif” before switching to the customer’s name.
The other finance manager involved told investigators that making such calls was considered “part of the business” and was common practice, allegedly known and even encouraged by the sales and general managers at Red Rock GMC. He claimed his termination was due to being caught, not for the act of making the calls itself, and identified Miller as his accomplice in these calls.
Miller, when interviewed, initially stated she had left Red Rock due to her commute and claimed the voice on the recordings was another Tiffany hired after her departure. However, Red Rock GMC’s personnel file cited her termination was due to a company policy violation. Adding another layer of complexity, Miller also claimed to be a recruit for the Montrose Police Department, a claim contradicted by a Red Rock HR manager who stated they were pressured to falsify Miller’s departure reason to protect her future prospects. The dealership’s general manager vaguely recalled potentially instructing HR to do so.
These allegations against Red Rock GMC and its finance practices are unfolding against a backdrop of broader scrutiny for the Red Rock Auto Group, which encompasses five dealerships in the Grand Junction area, including Red Rock Nissan. The group was already under investigation by the Colorado Department of Revenue in late 2022, and Miller’s case was also forwarded to the Department of Revenue before being returned to local law enforcement due to the felony nature of the alleged crimes.
Further compounding the issues, Red Rock Auto Group has faced over a dozen complaints in the past two years, some specifically naming Red Rock Nissan along with other dealerships in the group like Kia and Hyundai. These complaints, revealed by Grand Junction blogger Anne Landman, include allegations of failure to provide vehicle titles and unfair advertising practices, where vehicles were sold at prices higher than advertised.
Notably, two complaint categories against Red Rock Auto Group are classified as felonies in Colorado: equity skimming and forgery. Equity skimming, involving the illegal sale of financed vehicles without creditor permission, and forgery, both point to serious legal and ethical breaches. While the Colorado Department of Revenue reportedly reviewed and closed these complaints with warnings issued to the group, the ongoing investigations suggest deeper, unresolved issues.
Adding to the narrative, reports from KERX News detailed further customer grievances, including allegations of forged signatures on contracts at Red Rock Hyundai and missing contract pages. Former employees corroborated these claims, stating that forgery of customer signatures on various documents was a known practice within Red Rock Auto Group dealerships and allegedly condoned by supervisors. One former employee even suggested they were terminated for refusing to participate in these unethical practices.
Red Rock Auto Group, through representatives Tyler Slade, Brian Knight, and Brantley Reade, has denied systematic wrongdoing, claiming that complaints are addressed and employees are terminated when necessary. They dismissed Anne Landman’s investigations as retaliatory, a claim Landman and her stepson refute. Red Rock maintains that they prioritize customer service, repeat business, and referrals, asserting that “shady practices are not acceptable.”
Despite Red Rock’s denials, the ongoing investigations by both state and local authorities, coupled with numerous customer complaints spanning across multiple dealerships including Red Rock Nissan, paint a concerning picture for consumers in Grand Junction. Customers like Jesus Acevedo, who alleges forgery on his Red Rock Hyundai contract, advise others to exercise caution and thoroughly review all documents before signing at Red Rock Auto Group dealerships. As investigations continue, the reputation of Red Rock Nissan and its parent group remains under a cloud of uncertainty.
For customers with unresolved issues, Red Rock Auto Group has provided contact numbers for brand managers: Bryan Knight for Red Rock GMC, Hyundai, or Honda, and Brantley for Red Rock Nissan or Kia. The unfolding situation serves as a critical reminder for consumers to remain vigilant and informed when engaging with auto dealerships.
