The Scourge of Fraudsters & Charlatans
Back in the early 2000s, the phrase “soft bigotry of low expectations” was leveled at the crumbling American education system, a jab at the creeping apathy toward quality that is poisoning society. Today, that same apathy has metastasized, enabling a cesspool of fraudsters and charlatans to peddle shoddy, often outright fraudulent services. These swindlers thrive on the illusion of competence, preying on trust across industries critical to survival—healthcare, legal services, financial management—and even in the escapes of pleasure we seek from a world teetering on chaos.
Take the world of classic car restoration, where passion and precision are supposed to reign. For those who’ve scrimped and saved to own a piece of automotive history, the stakes are high. Restoring a classic isn’t just about reviving faded glory; it’s a can be savvy investment with serious returns. Yet, across the United States, a wave of deceitful restoration shops is fleecing collectors, leaving them financially gutted and emotionally shattered. These scams, cloaked in slick websites and silver-tongued sales pitches, exploit the nostalgia and trust that define this community.
In Pierce County, Gig Harbor, Washington, Defenders Northwest, LLC, run by Brian and Michele Hall, is a glaring example of this betrayal of the American consumer. Once noted in local papers for Land Rover restorations, they’re now accused of defrauding clients out of over $200,000. The Halls dangled promises of a pristine 1984 Land Rover Defender 130, only to return—codified by court decree and after eight years of lies and delays—a rusted husk stripped of vital components, including its VIN tags. The customers' donor vehicle, which was supposed to be restored, had vanished.
In a brazen move, the Halls, with their alleged accomplice, attorney Shawn Harju, slapped a $68,000 lien on the vehicle in 2022, claiming unpaid fees. A 2023 court inspection exposed the vehicle’s pathetic state, torching the lien. Yet, the Halls, shielded by lawyers at Gordon, Rees, Scully, Mansukhani LLP and bolstered by the elastic resources of Liberty Mutual, keep fighting, thumbing their noses at justice.
This isn’t a one-off. In Macedon, New York, Clark P. Rittersbach of Concours Classic Motorcars LLC faces federal charges for allegedly conning clients, including international collectors, out of $1.15 million with fake restoration promises. In Lawton, Iowa, The Healey Werks Corp was hit with a $7 million judgment for welching on contracts. Down in Houston, Jessie Guadalupe Montes of American Vision Auto allegedly bilked customers out of $100,000, facing charges of theft and money laundering. These crooks are bleeding the classic car world dry.
Their playbook is as predictable as it is vile:
Empty Promises: Vowing top-tier restorations while delivering half-baked or unfinished junk.
Bogus Billing: Charging for phantom parts, fake labor, or absurd storage fees.
Legal Trickery: Slapping fraudulent liens to hijack vehicles, making recovery a nightmare.
Bankruptcy Dodges: Declaring bankruptcy to slink away from accountability.
These tactics, employed by the Halls, Rittersbach, and their ilk, don’t just rob clients; they shred the trust that holds the restoration industry together.
Hard numbers on restoration fraud are scarce, but auto repair fraud stats paint a grim picture. The Federal Trade Commission pegs auto repair as a top consumer complaint, with ConsumerAffairs.com reporting 35% of car owners scammed by mechanics, losing $975 on average. In 2020, the US saw an estimated 2.67 million auto-related fraud cases, including restoration rip-offs. This isn’t a glitch; it’s an epidemic.
And it’s not just cars. These predatory tactics fester in the health, auto, and home insurance industries and include nefarious acts perpetrated by some in the housing improvement industry. Fraudsters hunt the vulnerable, banking on society’s growing tolerance for mediocrity.
To dodge these vultures, classic car collectors—and anyone navigating the service industries—must protect themselves:
Dig Deep: Vet shops thoroughly—check credentials, reviews, and past work.
Lock It in Writing: Demand detailed contracts spelling out work, timelines, and payments.
Pay Smart: Avoid big upfront deposits; tie payments to project milestones.
Stay Nosy: Insist on regular updates and photographic proof of progress.
Lawyer Up: Get legal advice before signing or when trouble brews.
The rot of low expectations has infected every corner of the service industry, making mediocrity the default and opening the floodgates for con artists. Classic car restoration is just one battlefield in this broader war, where fraud and deceit expose a desperate need for oversight and accountability. The days of assuming integrity are dead. Whether you’re chasing a vintage dream or just trying to get through daily life, a hands-on, eyes-wide-open approach is the only way to survive.
Collectors—and all Americans—must stay sharp and proactive. Only through relentless vigilance can we reclaim not just our cars and our money, but the trust that fraudsters have spent decades dismantling. It’s time we stop letting these charlatans run the show.
It truly is a shame that our society has become a big cesspool of lying, cheating and in general, people trying to make a quick buck out of scamming good trusting people. You're right Frank, if you don't cover your ass at EVERY turn, there is some to take advantage of most peoples good heart.
I'm glad you point out some of these clowns and too bad it isn't on a bigger platform!