Consumer Law Group Managing Attorney Dan Blinn was interviewed in a News 8 (WTNH) investigation on the sale of defective used cars in Connecticut. The story, which aired on January 30, 2014, focused on a woman who purchased a used car that an independent mechanic...
Month: January 2014
Setting up a Google+ for CLG’s Office Hours
If you're planning on attending our next office hours session, you will need a Google+ Account to access the hangout. Below is all the information you'll need to get started. If you already use Google+, you can add us to your circles...
Games Dealers Play: Overcharging for a Vehicle
We don’t buy cars the same way that we buy other things. For most purchases, a consumer can walk into a store, pick out an item, and reasonably expect to pay the same price that is charged to everybody. That is not true at most car dealerships, and consumers who do...
Continued Momentum to Address Forced Arbitration
SFGate.com When the little guy gets shut out of court Those who fail to read a contract's fine print - in other words, most of us - may not realize we are routinely forfeiting our right to a fair grievance process when we get a job, seek medical treatment or...
Announcing Office Hours!
CONSUMER LAW GROUP OFFICE HOURS! First Session: Friday, January 24, 4:00 - 5:30 PM(ET) with Attorney Daniel Blinn . Not our physical office - those are still M-F, 9-5. As a service to our clients and friends, we are now offering an on-line "virtual" open office...
Games Dealers Play: The Incredible Shrinking Down Payment
Most car and truck purchases are financed at a car dealership under retail installment contracts. Our attorneys have reviewed thousands of these transactions over the years, and we have learned much about the tricks that car dealerships play in order to maximize...
My personal information has been compromised– What Should I Do?
The recent theft of financial information from Target’s website is just one of many instances where consumers have been exposed to the risk of identity theft. Sensitive information such as account statements, loan or mortgage documents, or tax documents can also be...
Printing Credit/Debit Card Numbers and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act
The recent Target security breach has drawn a great deal of attention to the security measures used by retailers to protect consumers’ financial information from hackers. However, not all identity thefts involve complex hacking schemes; sometimes, all the necessary...
Odometer “rollbacks” are often part of a bigger picture
The types of fraud that an auto dealership could commit are limited only by the fraudster's imagination. Many times, a multifaceted approach is used that incorporates a variety of methods. Odometer rollbacks are a common fraud in the used car market. Manipulating the...
Are you just unlucky with your car, or were you tricked?
When you buy a car, you know that it’s going to break down at some point. It’s going to need repairs. All vehicles do. This is just a given, and many people specifically budget for these future needs. However, you also expect it to last for a certain amount of time...
Vehicle history checks should consider recent flooding
Connecticut and states across the entire U.S. were negatively impacted by the recent massive storms and tornados. Damaged property was a major problem and a significant portion of that was inflicted on vehicles because of widespread flooding. Water damage can severely...
What to do if you’re a victim of auto dealer fraud
Purchasing a car is a major deal for most Connecticut residents. Cars cost thousands of dollars and it can be nerve wracking to go to a dealership, pick out a car, negotiate a price, and obtain financing. Car dealerships are full of notoriously shady characters and a...
Can a dealership just paint over major rust damage?
Winter weather, road salt and age can all contribute to the amount of rust that develops on a vehicle. Rust is unattractive, but it is far from just a cosmetic issue. Substantial amounts of rust on a vehicle can impact its structural integrity in the event of a crash....
What’s a straw purchase dealer scam?
Imagine this: You go to a dealership to buy a vehicle. You find one you like that is around $2,000 above your limit. You can’t finance it, so you decide that you should walk away and wait to get something else. Then, the dealer stops you. What if someone they know...
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...