Helping Protect Car Buyers From Consumer Fraud
When consumers buy a car, most consider a plethora of factors, such as cost, resale value, safety, functionality and maintenance. However, it becomes difficult to adequately assess these factors if the car dealer is dishonest, which is, unfortunately, quite common in the auto industry.
The Law Offices of Geoffrey D. Ittleman has been handling consumer rights legal issues for more than 16 years. When purchasing a new or used vehicle, consumers have the right to know what they are buying. If a dealer makes false statements, lies about a loan application or commits odometer fraud and you suffer financial harm, you may have a cause of action to help recover your damages. An experienced Fort Lauderdale automotive fraud attorney can help hold automobile dealers accountable for their fraudulent practices and pursue your case to help you receive damages, credit relief or even possession of your vehicle.
What Is Odometer Fraud?
The mileage of a vehicle dramatically affects its value. If a car dealer rolls the odometer back, they can easily attempt to negotiate a higher price. In fact, it isn’t very easy to tell if an odometer has been reset, especially if a vehicle has an excellent aesthetic condition. However, if the odometer is rolled back, a car is worth less money and may even require more maintenance since it has increased wear and tear. As consumer advocates, our team can help you investigate whether an automotive dealer did indeed tamper with an odometer, and we can hold these perpetrators accountable for this type of fraudulent practice.
Fraudulent Statements
While car salespeople are often considered fast talkers, they cross the line when they intentionally lie and are deceitful. Federal and state statutes regulate automobile dealer advertising, which includes television ads, printed materials, billboards, banners and even stickers. These laws state that the automobile dealer may not misstate any facts about the vehicle to induce a consumer to buy or enter into a car lease agreement. Contracts must be in writing and contain clear, conspicuous language. Our experienced attorneys work to hold automobile dealers to their legal duty of honesty.
Subprime Automobile Loans
When the subprime home mortgage market collapsed in 2007, many homeowners faced substantial debts and even foreclosure. To help prevent this from happening again, lawmakers passed stringent regulations to help protect borrowers. Now, the fraudulent subprime loan market has shifted to vehicles. Automobile dealers know that people need cars, so they may attempt to lure unsuspecting customers into excessive interest rates or poor term loans to appeal to consumers with low credit scores. If an automobile dealer falsifies a credit application or engages in other deceptive tactics to induce sales, our team can help victims recover damages, while simultaneously protecting their credit and property.
Protecting South Floridians Rights
The Law Offices of Geoffrey D. Ittleman strives to protect consumers’ rights and represents victims that have been scammed by Florida car dealers through misleading contracts, false statements, loan fraud, odometer rollback or other types of deceptive practices. Schedule a free consultation with an experienced Fort Lauderdale automotive fraud attorney at 954-546-7441 or contact us online to learn more about your rights and remedies.