Crime Bigmotor chief to resign in repair fraud scandal

Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. and other major non-life insurance firms had introduced Bigmotor repair shops to policyholders who had accidents or other vehicle issues. In addition to loaning dozens of employees to Bigmotor, it has emerged that the insurers recruited new policyholders through the dealer. This type of mutual back-scratching may have been a breeding ground for illicit acts.

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They are pursuing reports that trees and other vegetation disappeared along public roads near Bigmotor outlets. The plants either died--herbicide is suspected--or were cut down. For example, after the deaths of 17 trees lining a sidewalk in Ota, Gunma Prefecture, an investigation revealed traces of herbicide in the soil. The sidewalk ran alongside a national road--and just happened to be right in front of the big, bold signs advertising a Bigmotor outlet. A report of property destruction was filed with Gunma prefectural police. Trees also disappeared outside two Bigmotor outlets in Osaka city. Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama said on 27 July that legal action would be taken if it turned out the trees were intentionally killed.

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The man was behind the wheel during a crash around the summer of 2021. As the accident was likely to develop into a civil lawsuit over the allotment of fault, a lawyer asked him to submit the appraisal value of his car before and after the accident. The man called a Bigmotor dealership in Chiba Prefecture and explained his request in detail, to which the dealer gave a positive response. He immediately drove to the store to get his car assessed. When he arrived, however, a male staffer told him that he needed to buy a vehicle to have his car evaluated. As he'd been planning to replace his car anyway, and thought he would feel bad if he just asked for assessment, he asked for a list of used cars on offer. One vehicle that caught his eye was at a Kyushu outlet in southwest Japan. He told the staffer, "I'd like to see the car in advance," but the worker responded, "You can't see it until after it's been delivered to you." As the employee tried to move ahead without a trade-in contract, the man gave up on the appraisal and tried to leave as quickly as possible. "I'll just get a preliminary screening for a car loan," he told the Bigmotor worker, filled in a document, and left. About an hour later, a loan screening company called his mobile, and told him that he had passed the screening and the contract procedure would move forward. "I only asked for a preliminary screening, but the dealer moved on to the actual contract without my consent," he complained to Bigmotor customer service. That evening, he drove home only to find the same Bigmotor worker waiting for him. The worker leaned toward his car window and unleased a stream of abusive language, including, "You've got to be kidding me!" and, "Don't underestimate me."

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