As widely reported in the media, Target Department stores was recently a victim of a massive security breach. Credit and debit card information belonging to consumers who made purchases between Black Friday and mid-December has been obtained by hackers and may be...
Month: December 2013
Attorney Dan Blinn will be a guest on December 28 “Law Talk”
On Saturday, December 28 attorney Dan Blinn will be a guest on WTIC 1080 AM's "Law Talk." Dan will be discussing consumer credit and the implications of the Target security breach. Tune in for tips on improving your credit score and protecting your identity. The...
Know Before You Go: Preparing to Buy a Car
Purchasing a car can be a difficult river to navigate for many consumers. Here are two things every consumer should do before they visit a car dealership. 1) Check your credit score Many consumers don’t learn their credit scores before they start to negotiate...
Announcement: Credit Report Webinar Rescheduled
The Understanding Credit Reports Webinar that was scheduled for Monday, December 9, 2013 at 6:00 PM EST has been rescheduled to Monday, January 13, 2014 at 6:00 PM EST. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience. To register for the January 13, 2014 webinar,...
Auto dealer fraudster sentenced to prison for 60 months
Used car dealers and salesman are some of the most hated individuals in the U.S. This is mostly due to a pervasive idea that they are fraudsters, and this is why every state has laws against auto dealer fraud. Though, what some may not realize is that federal law also...
Avoiding online car buying scams
Readers of our blog are no stranger to car buying scams. Indeed, many of our blogs are devoted to auto dealer fraud, like last week’s blog. In that blog post, we described how some online “internet prices” were actually after an undisclosed down payment. And, after...
Be careful when shopping for a car online
When a Connecticut resident needs a new car chances are they will search the internet first before heading into the dealership. This can be a good way of checking prices, models, features, etc., but a recent article in PC Magazine highlights the deceptive nature of...
Don’t get burned by these three common types of auto fraud
Studies show that around 1 in 10 property/casualty insurance claims are fraudulent. In fact, insurance fraud is close behind tax evasion amongst some of the most pervasive white-collar crimes. This means that the likelihood of experiencing the outcome of such fraud is...
Understanding title types to make an informed purchase
When a person purchases a used vehicle, it can sometimes be difficult to know the vehicle’s full history. The vehicle may have been in accident, may have flood damage or may have been owned by several different people. Buyers may not be aware that there are several...
What if I buy a car that’s been in an undisclosed accident?
Buying a used car always is a little bit of a gamble. You may choose to buy a car from an auto dealer because you feel better about that than buying one from a private party. However, auto dealers sometimes are sneaky and may try to sell you a car without disclosing...
Don’t be afraid to fight against auto fraud
If you believe that you have become a victim of auto fraud, it's likely that you have had some unpleasant interactions with your dealer. You'll likely be left with a bitter taste in your mouth and feeling that you have been short-changed in some way, but you may be a...
Review of Connecticut’s repossession laws
Most people in Connecticut realize that those who provide automobile loans have the right to repossess the vehicle if the borrower does not make timely payments. However, what they might not realize is that borrowers have rights during the repossession process, and...
Vehicle disclosure requirements and what if they are unmet
Buying a vehicle is exciting and a big step for many people. For that reason, car buyers and consumers should be familiar with vehicle history disclosure requirements and auto dealer fraud and how they can protect themselves. Vehicle disclosure requirements Vehicle...
What can you learn from a VIN search?
Every vehicle is a unique machine that comes with a unique identifier – a vehicle identification number. Known as a “VIN” number, this identifier is an alphanumeric code that provides important information about the vehicle's history. There are ways for...