Most consumers trade-in their old vehicle when buying a new car. These deals can be complicated if there is still money owed on the trade-in, and a consumer can have real problems when the dealership does not pay off the trade-in. In a typical deal, the dealership...
Month: July 2014
Games Dealers Play: The Waiting Game
Games Dealers Play: The Waiting Game Buying a new or used car can be an exhausting process. Unfortunately, some dealers may drag the process out far longer than necessary. When consumers are tired or hungry, or when they have small children who getting cranky, they...
Dealership Admits to Auto Dealer Fraud
The Arizona Attorney General has obtained a consent judgment against a used car dealership for multiple acts of auto dealer fraud. The dealership was accused of selling cars with salvage titles without dislosing the status of the title, not properly disclosing...
Student Loan Scams
An article in Today's New York Times discusses the predatory nature of some debt settlement companies, who are increasingly targeting consumers who collectively owe more than $1 trillion dollars in student loans.
Auto Dealer Fraud Higher For Cheaper Cars
Incidents of fraud by auto dealers are higher for lower priced cars, according to a recent study. The study, which was conducted by iSeeCars.com, evaluated millions of advertised vehicles and determined that the lower the price, the greater the likelihood that there...
How to Get Free Credit Reports – No Strings Attached
We highly recommend that consumers check their credit reports before they begin shopping for a new or a used car. Finance charges are a major expense, and consumers should know where they stand before they let a car dealer talk them into paying too high an interest...
Telemarketing Scams: Rachel from Card Services
Unwanted telemarketing calls can be very annoying. The Federal Trade Commission's Do Not Call Registry helps limit calls from legitimate telemarketers. But, the registry is not much of a deterrent to scam artists.Many have received calls from "Rachel from Card...
Car Dealership Sold Unsafe Certified Pre-owned Car
A Connecticut Serviceman and his wife have sued a West Haven dealership for selling them an unsafe car even though the dealership allegedly told them that the the car was certified-preowned. Read about problems with certified pre-owned cars here. According to a...
CFPB Needs to Act on Arbitration
No one does a better job of shining a bright light on the problems caused by forced arbitration than Public Justice Executive Director Paul Bland. He really lets loose in a blog article written earlier today discussing a recent travesty of justice in North Carolina,...
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...
How to recognize vehicle warranty scams
Auto repairs are more than just an inconvenience -- they can be prohibitively expensive. For this reason, some people in Hartford feel the safe thing to do is to purchase a manufacturer’s warranty from their auto dealer. It is important to understand the difference...
Reminders for used car purchases in Connecticut
Many people consider buying used cars because they are often more affordable than brand-new cars. A used car purchase is a still a large transaction, however, and there is important information available for consumers in Connecticut to keep in mind. Connecticut law...
What are the different types of auto dealer fraud?
Buying a car can be a challenging and exciting process. To ensure they are not taken advantage of, consumers should be familiar with the different types of auto dealer fraud and the protections against auto dealer fraud. Types of auto dealer fraud There are several...
What are the possible outcomes if I have a “Lemon law” hearing?
We expect the new or used cars we buy are in good working condition, especially if they are relatively new or have a low mileage. Under Connecticut’s “Lemon Law” if you were sold a defective vehicle that is either at or under two years old or has a mileage at or under...
What can you do if you suspect auto dealer fraud?
Is your recently purchased used car already causing problems? It may have faulty components that were not disclosed at the time of purchase, the auto dealer may have failed to disclose it was involved in a prior accident or the dealer could even have been tampered...
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...
What should I know about arbitration for a Lemon Law case?
When a Connecticut resident purchases a new vehicle and it fails to live up to its expectations, it is more than a personal disappointment. It could be a financial morass in which more and more money was poured into the vehicle in addition to making the payments for...
Connecticut pre-owned vehicle warranty protections
Consumers who buy a preowned car should not purchase someone else’s problems. They should know about Connecticut’s law that helps protect them from vehicle warranty problems. Coverage Under state law, warranties are required for a used car purchased from a dealer...
Spotting odometer tampering in a used car
Until the advent of digital odometers, tampering with the analog odometers was perhaps the most common type of fraud involved in used car sales in Connecticut and elsewhere. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration once estimated that more than 450,000 used...