According to Forbes, Potomac, Maryland, is the seventh most-educated small town in the country. However, that does not stop some unscrupulous car dealers from engaging in auto fraud, forgery, odometer fraud, running credit scores and reports without permission, stealing and keeping down payments false online advertising.. Potomac car dealerships include Toyota and Cadillac, and is just a short drive away from all of the car dealerships located in Rockville Pike, Silver Spring and Gaithersburg. Even though Potomac is thought of as a wealthy area, local dealers may still engage in rampant lying and deception when selling cars to residents. Whitney LLP is your choice when you need a lawyer to sue a car dealership in Potomac.
Here are reviews from what some of our past clients have said about us, and here are some of our past settlement results in claims and lawsuits against car dealerships. We offer Legal Consultations. Call us at (410) 583-8000 or use our online form to request your free initial consultation today.
Lawyer to Sue a Car Dealership Near Me in Potomac, MD
Car dealership misrepresentation can mean that a dealer needs to pay you back for illegal fees and charges. When a dealer makes a material misrepresentation that you rely on to make your purchase, it is auto fraud. Examples of this type of behavior are “bait-and-switch” advertising practices and overcharging for the vehicle. When you as a customer think that you are paying one price, often based on the online advertised price, the dealer cannot mark up the price of the car from what you saw online and relied on. A common occurrence is dealerships, salesmen and manager running credit reports without permission. Whitney, LLP can help get the inquiry removed and recover compensation.
Whether you live in Potomac or the surrounding areas of Rockville, Silver Spring or Gaithersburg, your rights under Maryland’s consumer protection laws are the same. At Whitney, LLP, we have seen the horror stories of what dealers can do to customers. Car dealers add fraudulent “options” and warranties to mark up the price when there really are no extras in the car, or you did not want a warranty. There are numerous other ways that car dealers engage in practices that involve lying and deception. We have seen many of them in our practice and have helped out clients take action in court to force the dealer to make it right. The court can rule against the dealer who has been lying to you and trying to help themselves to your hard-earned money.
Odometer fraud is another way dishonest car dealerships make illegal profits at the expense of their customers. The dealerships change the odometer mileage from high mileage to lower mileage before selling the car. The customer usually finds out about the fraud when they look at a CarFax and see the different mileage, or when they take the car to get serviced and the service center tells the customer the true mileage that is much higher. Whitney, LLP’s odometer fraud lawyers can help when the dealership changes the mileage and commits odometer fraud.
Dishonest Car Dealership Schemes in Potomac, MD
Other common schemes involve spot delivery. Spot delivery is when a car dealership lets a customer drive the car off the lot, but financing has not been approved. If financing is not approved, the dealership has to provide written notice to the customer within 4 days and usually has to return the down payment and any other fees paid by the customer. If the dealership tries to keep or steal the down payment when financing is not approved, the dealership has violated Maryland law and the customer has legal rights to get the down payment back as well as other expenses related returning the car if financing is not approved. Whitney, LLP represents car buyers in spot delivery violation cases.
If you are wondering about suing a car dealership near me, you have grounds for a lawsuit when the car salesperson engaged in fraudulent behavior, including forgery. We have dealt with cases when a customer came to us complaining, “The dealer was forging my signature.” Rest assured that a dealer cannot simply decide to forge a signature or initials on a sales or finance contract with a higher or lower price, higher or lower monthly payments, a different interest rate, or an increased amount financed. Forged initials or any other type of forgery is fraud. Whitney, LLP has successfully represented many Maryland residents in forgery cases against car dealerships.
Even the dealer telling you that the car has not been in an accident when it really has been is an example of a material lie that it could be held responsible for in civil court. Dealers may tell you falsehoods about the features that the car has in order to inflate the sales price of the car, or hide damage and salvage history. They could also lie to you about whether the car is really new or the number of previous owners. All of these can be fraud and the grounds for a car dealership lawsuit. Dealers must tell you the truth when they sell you a car because if their falsehood forms the basis for your purchase, you may sue.
Potomac, MD, Consumer Lawyer for Car Dealer Fraud
You have recourse if you are a victim of dishonest and illegal car dealership practices such as fraud, forgery and misrepresentation. If you have been deceived by a dishonest car dealer, you can take legal action against them in court that could allow you to recover your money and undue a dishonest deal. The car dealership fraud lawyers at Whitney, LLP can fight for you as you seek to hold the car dealership accountable. To set up a legal consultation, contact us online right away or call Whitney, LLP at (410) 583-8000.