BYD Co., the Shenzhen-based electric-car maker backed by Warren Buffett, asked the police to investigate a person who allegedly posed as an employee and signed unauthorized marketing contracts in the firm’s name.

The firm, China’s biggest maker of new energy vehicles, said the person’s actions have damaged its reputation and harmed related parties. The person isn’t an employee and never has been, and BYD has never authorized the person to conduct business in its name, the Shenzhen and Hong Kong-listed company said in a statement yesterday.

The carmaker also said it reported to the police a forged company seal, which may have been used to stamp contracts that the person awarded. The person conducted marketing activities in BYD’s name over the past three years, The Paper reported Sunday. A representative for BYD declined to comment on the report and referred to its statement.

BYD and other makers of electric cars have been accelerating marketing efforts to help attract consumers in the world’s biggest market for such vehicles.

BYD enlisted Leonardo DiCaprio to represent the company’s new energy vehicles in 2016 and became the official global car and bus partner to English soccer club Arsenal in April.

BYD informed Arsenal that it believes it is the victim of a fraud related to various advertising agreements, including the carmaker’s partnership with the soccer club, Arsenal said July 13. The club said it is investigating the situation while talking to senior management of BYD.

BYD has formed a joint venture with Generate Capital, a San Francisco investor, that will lease its buses to cities, schools and corporations in the United States, Bloomberg reported last week. (SD-Agencies)