Automobile Dealer Fraud The overwhelming majority of automobile dealers are honest people, simply trying to make a living, just like you and I. It only takes a few bad apples to ruin the reputation of the whole lot. Although highly regulated in virtually every state, a few dealers attempt to bend the rules and a few others engage in downright dishonest practices to consummate a deal. We aggressively pursue the dishonest dealers on behalf of our clients and feel pleased and honored to do so. The tactics that a dishonest dealer might use to take advantage of a consumer are many and varied, sometimes sophisticated and other times obvious. A few of the more common tactics are: Swallowing down payments and trade-ins simply not accounting for the total down payment or a trade-in by not including them in the paperwork; Making promises that are not in writing with no intention of honoring them; Selling useless extended service warranties the warranties supposedly kick in sometime after the car is sold (usually two weeks), leaving the consumer with no recourse if the car breaks down before then; Violating the Truth in Lending Act by not properly disclosing the true cost of borrowing to finance the vehicle; Failing to provide titles and titling documents as required; Using terms of financing as a means of obtaining leverage for better terms later; Misrepresenting the number of miles on a vehicle (odometer fraud). This list is not all-inclusive and as we stated earlier, most dealers don’t engage in these practices. If you are the victim of a car deal gone bad, in most cases, you should seek legal advice immediately. Local bar associations are equipped and will be happy to provide you with a referral to an attorney who practices in this area.