If you bought a Nissan Titan or Frontier factory lift kit on Facebook Marketplace for an insane deal, you may have unknowingly participated in a scam. Robert McLane worked at Barre, Vermont’s Formula Nissan as the Parts Director for years and discovered a clever way to have the dealership foot the $2,300 to $2,900 bill for the kits and resell them under the radar.

McLane had access to software that made it easy to hide his operation. McLane ordered the parts, claiming to have them installed on trucks to sell for a higher price. Instead, McLane listed the brand new kits on FB Marketplace for less than wholesale cost and kept the profit.

Automotive News reported that McLane sold over 200 factory lift kits through Facebook. He’d collect payments for the parts through his personal PayPal account. His scheme cost the dealership around $575,000.

McLane abused the dealership’s management software to order the parts in a way that bypassed record-keeping, and he used the business’s FedEx account to ship the kids nationwide.

Nissan wants their money back

McLane pleaded guilty in federal court after his scheme was revealed. He’s due to face 20 years in prison. McLane will have to pay a fine or double the amount he made, whichever is greater. His sentencing will take place on December 12.

It’s not clear how long McLane was selling the kits online. The Nissan dealership hired him in 2019 and discovered his side hustle in June.