--- title: "Ford Dealer Sued for Allegedly Sneaking $43,000 Into Super Duty Sale, Forging Signatures" description: "A Ford dealer in South Carolina allegedly added $43,000 to the final price of an F-250, after the customers took delivery." date: "2023-03-14" modified: "2023-03-14" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/ford-dealer-sued-for-allegedly-sneaking-43000-into-super-duty-sale-forging-signatures" categories: - "Ford News" - "News" - "News by Brand" --- # Ford Dealer Sued for Allegedly Sneaking $43,000 Into Super Duty Sale, Forging Signatures ![]() *\Ford\* A [Ford]() dealer in Charlotte, North Carolina, is facing a lawsuit after one customer alleges it used falsified signatures to increase the financed amount of their vehicle by nearly $43,000. Alex Gallardo claims Mark Ficken Ford didn't provide him or his wife with copies of the relevant paperwork until days after driving home a new [Super Duty]() pickup. Upon receiving them, he supposedly spotted a drastically spiked interest rate that, along with other add-ons, would result in paying $117,000 for the truck over the course of the loan term. The Gallardos say they originally agreed to a total purchase price of $74,155.42 that included taxes, tags, and fees. They then paid $5,000 down, thus lowering the amount financed to $69,155.42. After signing on a 72-month term at a claimed 4.69% APR, their expected monthly payment was $1,100. They reportedly left the dealer in the Super Duty without copies of signed documents, but after receiving a packet days later, they spotted a retail installment sales contract they say they'd never seen before. It specified an 11.68% APR and, to Gallardo's alleged surprise, he says his name was forged to approve it all. Not only that, but it allegedly listed additional services that the Gallardos didn't sign for such as gap insurance, a vehicle service contract, and an "ultimate titanium" plan. The Gallardos explain they did verbally agree to a maintenance plan but didn't sign any paperwork for it. According to the lawsuit, on the day of signing the initial documents, the salesperson said they were closing for the day and that any additional maintenance plan documents would be prepared at a later date. ![]() The Gallardos were more than frustrated with the unexpected price increase, so they took their complaints to the dealer, who allegedly offered to buy the truck back. However, the Gallardos weren't interested. “All that time would’ve just been wasted. All that time invested into looking for a vehicle, going to the dealership, taking time off work; so, what they were offering wasn’t a real solution for both parties involved,” Alex Gallardo told *[WSOCTV]()*. The Gallardos' next step was taking legal action. The lawsuit alleges that the dealership intentionally misled the family to trick them into paying for unwanted services. In the lawsuit, the Gallardos are looking to have the loan balance and any installments to the dealership canceled, as well as damages and attorney fees paid. Mark Ficken Ford did not respond to *The Drive* when contacted for comment. *Got a tip? Send it in to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()