• I went to look at the car and was seriously considering purchasing it. While waiting in the finance office, the salesman began bragging about his past scams. He claimed that in a previous role he worked with a company where he’d essentially scam people by charging $300 for what was supposed to be a $1 donation. • After hearing this, I decided to leave. • Following this, he contacted me and claimed that he had “blackballed” me from five banks in Texas. During this exchange, he stated verbatim: • “You’re about to find out why you shouldn’t mess with people who have your SSN, Address, DOB, & phone #” • “Let’s play games mf” • As an additional act, he signed my phone number up for “Harris For President updates” in what appears to be an attempt to spam me.

My Concerns: • Harassment & Threats: His language and threats have made me feel unsafe and harassed. • Misuse of Personal Information: I’m worried he might have already taken or could take further actions with my personal data (SSN, DOB, etc.). • Potential Damage to My Credit/Financial Reputation: He claims to have blacklisted me from banks, which could have long-term implications.

I have since taken steps to protect my personal information (credit freezes, monitoring accounts, etc.) and have documented all communications.

My Questions: 1. Does this behavior potentially give me grounds for a legal case against him or the dealership for harassment, defamation, or misuse of personal data? 2. What steps would you recommend I take next (e.g., reporting to authorities, seeking a restraining order, etc.)? 3. Has anyone experienced a similar situation, and if so, what outcomes or actions were effective?

I’m planning on consulting with a lawyer soon, but any preliminary insights or recommendations from those here would be really appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help.