When you buy a new car from a dealership, you expect it to work. But what should you do if it turns out that the car dealer acted in a fraudulent manner? Well, the best way to defend yourself against auto dealer fraud is to be a well-informed consumer. You can protect yourself by test-driving the vehicle, demanding a full inspection of the car before buying it, requesting a repair history for used vehicles, and reading all documents the dealer asks you to sign.
However, if you think you might have already been a victim of car dealer fraud, contact an auto fraud attorney to discuss your legal options. Your lawyer will evaluate all aspects of your case and will closely work with you to ensure the best possible outcome for your case.
But before you do that, scroll down to learn about the most common types of auto dealer fraud.
Types of Auto Dealer Fraud
Auto dealer fraud occurs when a car dealer misrepresents or fails to disclose an important fact concerning the sale of a new or used car. Examples of auto dealer fraud include:
- Advertising a specific car at a certain price and then telling the car is no longer available, in order to sell a different vehicle at a higher price (often known as a “bait and switch” scheme);
- Representing a used vehicle as “new”;
- Representing that a new or used vehicle has features or options that it does not have;
- Failing to disclose past damage from an accident, flood, fire, and more;
- Misrepresenting the total mileage on a used vehicle through an odometer “rollback”;
- Claiming that your credit score is too low and you don’t qualify for low-interest financing in order to convince you to agree to a higher interest rate or other unfavorable terms.
Wrapping Things Up…
Today auto dealer fraud is one of the most common types of consumer fraud. As you can see, there are many types of dealer fraud that occur at almost any stage of the vehicle purchase process (from advertising to financing terms).
If you believe you have been a victim of any of the fraudulent dealership practices mentioned above, don’t hesitate to contact an auto dealer fraud attorney right away. Attorneys at the Margarian Law Firm will determine if you are a victim of auto fraud, explain the available options, help you get out of contracts, replace, repurchase, or even return your vehicle to get your money back. Call us at (818) 553-1000 today. The consultation is FREE!
