A New Zealand collision repair part supplier has been caught red handed after a former employee blew the whistle and exposed a wide-ranging parts ‘rebirthing’ operation.
The employee claims the supplier sold collision parts like bonnets, fenders and bumpers to smash repairer companies. He claims his ex-employer purchased the parts from an Australian supplier, ground off aftermarket labelling and applied counterfeit brand stickers.
The intent of the scam was to make non-genuine parts appear genuine so the supplier could charge genuine parts prices for a substantial profit. In the process, smash repair companies were duped into completing sub-standard repairs that the repairer, and the vehicle owner, may never know about until it was too late.
Australian motoring brands are concerned this criminal conduct is not isolated to New Zealand, particularly given the parts were supplied by to the NZ firm by an Australian company.
The amount of car owners who have been ripped off, and the number of vehicles which will require rectification or are at risk from the use of non-genuine parts, is still unknown.
In order to prevent the illegal process, the New Zealand insurance industry has committed to review its supply chain management practices.
Presently, it is not known if any suppliers in Australia are undertaking the same criminal behaviour.
But if your car has been repaired recently and you aren’t sure if it was repaired with genuine parts, make sure you complete a Genuine is Best check today.