HOUSTON -- Note: The following story is a verbatim transcript of an Investigators story that aired on Friday, April 25, 2008, on KPRC Local 2 at 10 p.m.

Local 2 investigates your mounting complaints against a Sugar Land car dealership.

Our six-month investigation has covered allegations of forged contracts, customers who say they were tricked into leases when they thought they were buying and former salesmen who say the shady sales tactics are common practice.

And your complaints are still coming in. We challenge the state about why it's not doing more to help you. New tonight, identity theft.

Investigative reporter Amy Davis introduces you to one woman who bought a car, but lost a lot more -- her identity.

"It seems like to me they're doing more wrong and more breaking the law than they are good for people," said Deborah Ausmus, after she says she discovered that Bill Heard forged her name on a sales contract.

Local 2 Investigates has heard similar stories from one consumer after another who say questionable sales tactics at Bill Heard cost them a lot of money.

But the cost to Mary Coleman is immeasurable.

"I have good credit, you know," she said. "I got a good deal, so I purchased."

Coleman was a happy Bill Heard customer, but months after she bought this Chevy Silverado, she got a strange phone call.

"There was somebody on the phone about a car that I supposedly purchased," Coleman recalled.

The caller wasn't inquiring about her Silverado. They explained that someone else used Coleman's credit to buy another car, a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, also from Bill Heard Chevrolet. Then they purchased a Jaguar from a League City dealership.

"Yes, Jaguar," exclaimed Coleman. "I don't even have one of those myself."

She laughs now, but when she pulled her credit report, she was no longer amused.

"There was Bill Heard's name showing up so many times," said Coleman.

According to her credit report, someone at Bill Heard began running her credit four weeks after she bought her truck.

Coleman read off the hits from her report. "Bill Heard pulled my credit on Aug. 20. Bill Heard pulled again Aug. 22," she said.

In all, Bill Heard ran Coleman's credit five times in less than four weeks, then sold a new car to someone else claiming to be Coleman.

"That's very strange," said Missouri City Police Detective Sonny McClamrock.

McClamrock investigated the case as an identity theft, but with an odd twist.

"The lady did buy a car from the dealership in July, and that her credit is being run half a dozen times from the same place," explained McClamrock.

While leads are leading nowhere, McClamrock says all of Coleman's frustrations could have been prevented had the dealership used a little more diligence.

Detectives tell Local 2 that the customer who used Coleman's identity didn't have a driver's license with her that day, but the dealership still sold her the car.

"If the business would not go forth with it, maybe actually wait a day, let the person actually bring in a picture or their license, I don't think we'd be having the crime that we do," McClamrock said.

"We trust them with our information and if that's being misused and mishandled, you know, we need somebody to speak for us," Coleman said.

The state agency that licenses car dealerships in Texas is the Texas Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division. We sat down with chief enforcement officer Bill Harbeson.

"If that was your mother, what advice would you give your mom?" Davis asked Harbeson.

"I would tell her to file a civil suit," Harbeson replied.

"Why wouldn't you tell her to go to TxDOT and file a complaint?" Davis asked.

"Well, because the Motor Vehicle Division cannot correct her credit," Harbeson said.

"We really can't do anything for any consumer in these cases. Our authority is only to penalize the dealership."

Harbeson's office last fined Bill Heard Chevrolet in1999 $33,000. That's less than what just one consumer, J.R. Todd, has shelled out for a Chevy Tahoe. He thought he was buying the vehicle, but says Bill Heard signed him up for a lease instead.

"A fine to the state is not going to be that important to a consumer who's lost money or is in a vehicle they shouldn't be in," said Harbeson.

Consumers who contacted Local 2 Investigates disagree.

"I want them prosecuted," said Coleman.

"I think they should be accountable," agreed Ausmus.

After we contacted Bill Heard about Mary Coleman's case, its attorneys sent this statement:

"The dealership did not disclose any information that has led to Ms. Coleman's identity theft. Since it has been brought to the dealership's attention that a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt was not purchased by Ms. Coleman, but was purchased as a result of identity theft, the dealership is taking all necessary steps with the financing institution to ensure that Ms. Coleman's credit is restored."

Coleman told Local 2 that Bill Heard's operations manager contacted her back in February with the same message. As late as this week, Coleman says the inquiries by Bill Heard are still on her credit report.

How To Complain About Car Dealers:

Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner
Texas Department of Transportation
Texas Attorney General

More Information:

Better Business Bureau: Auto Dealership Complaint List