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,...
What are lemon laws?
Lemon laws provide many important protections for car shoppers, car purchasers and consumers. For that reason, anyone considering a car purchase or who has recently purchased a car should be familiar with lemon laws. What is a considered a lemon? What qualifies as a...
What makes a problematic vehicle a “lemon” under the law?
When we purchase a new car from a dealer, we have the right to expect the vehicle to conform and perform to the expectations advertised by the manufacturer, as well as the dealership. However, many cars do roll off the assembly line with problems that were not caught...
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...
Setting a Budget BEFORE Car Shopping
We continue our blog series on things to do before car shopping at a dealership. One important step to take before visiting a dealership is setting a budget. I bought my first car in 1982. Although I had graduated high school and had two years of college, I was...
Setting a Budget When Car Shopping
I bought my first car in 1982. Although I had graduated high school and had two years of college, I was financially naïve. I had never learned how to set a budget or how to manage credit. I was, in that sense, very much like many consumers today. Fortunately, the...
Check Your Credit Report Before You Start Car Shopping
The next article in our blog series on things that people thinking of buying a car should do before they visit a dealership addresses the importance of checking credit reports. According to a 2019 study,over 85% of new car purchases and over 55% of used car purchases...
The Way We Buy Cars
Not many people are car shopping during the COVID-19 shutdown. However, once businesses re-open and people get back to work, car dealers will be aggressively marketing to the public. In order to help our clients and friends avoid becoming a victim of the Games...
Toxic Car Dealerships
A recent lawsuit filed by employees of a New Jersey auto dealer shows the toxic atmosphere that exists in some car dealerships. While there are many car dealers that respect their employees and customers, we have heard many stories from employees and consumers about...
Avoiding Repossessions During COVID-19 Shutdown
Are you concerned about avoiding a repossession due to lack of work or reduced income because of the COVID-19 pandemic? Consumer Law Group Managing Attorney Dan Blinn offers advice on dealing with auto lenders in this new video.
Why Does the State Tolerate Auto Dealer Fraud?
The most frequently asked question that we hear from consumers who have been victimized by Auto Dealer Fraud is "How Do They Get Away With It?". We regularly see examples of auto dealers committing fraud, forgery, odometer violations, and the sale of dangerous cars....