Jiffy Lube Scam

Undercover investigating something really that affects All of us at one time or another Getting your car reparied. This time investigator Joel Grober has uncovered A new scheme that's never before been caught on tape until now. Joel is here tonight with the latest on his three month investigation, Joel. Well, Paul, imagine going to get your car repaired Paying for it, and then finding out the work was never even done. With the help of insiders We have uncovered an apparent scheme At some repair shops that are part of a nationwide chain With 30 million customers a year. Twenty, forty, sixty, eighty, a hundred. We shelled out alot of cash. 300 bucks. At repairshop across town. Twenty, forty, and five. But were the repairs we paid for really done? Listen to this former insider: Does this happen to customers alot? (caption posted) Customers of America's biggest lube and tune chain Jiffy Lube. To conduct our investigation, We wired two test cars with hidden cameras. In places we'd never put them before. To watch mechanics from every angle. Then we drove one of those cars to this Encino Jiffy Lube To get an oil change. A service advisor named Leo recommends more repairs Like changing the fuel filter. (caption posted) We tell them go ahead and do it $240, and then we pay up. But they didn't change the fuel filter. We know that becaues before taking our car in, We lowered the gas tank So I could get to the fuel filter And mark it with a big 4. After leaving that Encino Jiffy Lube We checked the fuel filter And the original one with the 4 was still in the car. Why didn't they change the fuel filter? (caption posted) You charged us hard earned money for a repair that you never did. We'll come back to Leo in just a minute. But first watch what happens when we take Our other test car to this Jiffy Lube in Kenoga Park. (caption posted) A manager named Anthony recommends a top of the line transmission flush. When you do the transmission, how does that work? (caption posted) A machine called T-Tech. Which they are supposed to hook up To the transmission lines under the car To suck out all the dirty fluid. But the entire time our car was being serviced We noticed no one ever touched that machine. And our hidden camera shows no one ever touched The transmission lines underneath. But they charged us for the T-Tech service anyway. It happened to us again at Jiffy Lube in Glendale. (caption posted) And in Sherman Oaks. (caption posted) And in Berbank. And you guys did this T-Tech thing too Yeah cool. We got stiffed at 5 out of 9 Jiffy Lubes we tested. And no one would explain why. Hi Leo, I'm Joel Grober. Like Leo at the Encino store. You charged us for a new fuel filter But you never put it in this car. Why? I don't remember, to be honest. Can I show you yourself on video tape? Yeah. But he remembered (Inaudible) When he saw himself on tape. How do you explain this? I don't know to be honest. And he rushed away Were you trying to make an easy buck off us? No To call his district manager. (caption posted) (caption posted) And what would Anthony say at the Kenoga Park Jiffy Lube? There was a camera in here watching you the whole time. You charged us for a transmission service you never did. Why? Sir, sir, like I said, you'd have to talk to my district manager. So we tracked down the district manager, Steven Aeu. Yeah, are you Steve Aeu? No, I'm not. Who denied his identity. Are you the distric manager? No, I'm not. He tells us he's just a customer. My names Alex. Alex, which is your car? That one. Which one? The red one. But that red car That's your red Camero back there? Yeah what's going on with it? Belonged to another customer. And the district manager was lying to us. I think your district manager. I'd like for you to turn off the camera and I'd appreciate it. Well Jiffy Lube confirmed to us in this email That was the district manager. Now they wouldn't speak with us on camera, But in a statment they told us (Reading posted statement) And they promised to refund us all the money For all those repairs that were never done. More of our investigation tomorrow. But 5 out of 9 places stiffed you? Stiffed us. Charged us for repairs they did not do. Anybody in upper management talk to you at all? They will not speak to us on camera, They say it wasn't to their benefit. Ok. (Squeal) We drilled holes in the underside of this car So we could hide tiny cameras To watch Jiffy Lube technicians at work. $240. What we found is that they didn't always do The repairs they charged us for. (caption posted) Like at this Jiffy Lube in Glendale Where they sell us a $100 transmission flush. (caption posted) But that device just sat in the corner And our cameras show it was never hooked up To the transmission lines as promised. They still charged us for the work. Twenty, forty, and five. This footage you've shown me makes me furious. That was Jiffy Lube spokesperson 3 years ago. This is wrong and it needs addressed. It looks like it needs an engine flush. When we caught employees Selling us unnecessary repairs. A violation of company policy. Jiffy Lube promised to conduct additional training To prevent more violations of their policy. (caption posted) This insider says part of that training Was how to spot a Channel 4 undercover customer. (caption posted) But we caught them just last month At a Jiffy Lube in Encino. Before taking our car here We marked the oil filter with a happy face. A technician there tells us there going to change The fuel filter and oil filter. So that's $207 for what now? The oil change? (caption posted) But watch this. They bring over a new oil filter, Set it down on our car, But then a few minutes later they take it away Without ever putting it in. After our visit, I found the old filter was still in there, Even though we'd been charged for a new one. (caption posted) Our insider says management, Like the district manager Steven Aeu, Pushes employees to meet these internal quotas. To sell at least $66 of services per car. These targets are known as budgets. (caption posted) He says the only way to meet your quota Is to sell as many services as possible. (caption posted) Which could be why they Jiffy Lube employees Who we caught undercover. I don't know. Wouldn't talk to us. Can I set up an appointment to talk to you? No. Even the district manager tried to duck our questions. Your not Steven Aeu? No. By pretending to be someone else. I think your Steven Aeu, the district manager. I'm not Steven Aeu, but I'm not a district manager. Could I see some ID? No. Tonight we have learned that America's biggest Name in car repair is making sweeping changes And that it's in direct response to Joel Grober's investigation, Is your mechanic cheating? Joel is here right now with some new developments, Joel? Well, Colleen it was just 3 weeks ago That we uncovered a scheme at local Jiffy Lube stores Where customers were charged for repairs That were never even done. Now in this email Jiffy Lube tells me its taking aggressive steps To stop the fraud that we uncovered. This Sherman Oaks Jiffy Lube is closed today and tomorrow Because the company is retraining all the employees. For other LA areas, stores are also closed. All stores that we caught on tape Charging for services. Twenty, forty, and five. Like a transmission flush (caption posted) That were never done. After our investigation aired, Dozens of customers Like Dory Rodene of Kenoga Park, Wondered if the same thing had happened to them. Do you think Jiffy Lube ever charged you For repairs they didn't do? I've very concerned about that. To ease those concerns Jiffy Lube says its installing video cameras In 31 LA area stores So customers can make sure the repairs are really getting done. Jiffy Lube has also fired 6 employees who we caught on tape Like this one at the Encino store Who sold us a new fuel filter (caption posted) But later admitted to the district manager They didn't do the work. (caption posted) Also gone is the district manager, Steven Aeu. Are you the district manager? No, I'm not. Who denied his identity to me 3 weeks ago When I tried to question him. I'm not Steven Aeu, but I'm not a district manager. Could I see some ID? No. This is now the third time since 2003 That Jiffy Lube told us it was cleaning up its act. This is wrong and it needs addressed. With these latest changes Jiffy Lube hopes that customers like Dory Rodene will give it one more chance. Are these steps enought to get you Back as a customer? That's difficult to say, Joel. I'm really not sure. Now you might wonder why someone From Jiffy Lube didn't appear in this report? Well the company still won't sit down and talk with us About our investigation, Or even about the steps they're taking to clean up. And these are pretty comprehensive steps. But you're going to keep trying, aren't ya? We are. Joel, thanks alot.