Severna Park has among the highest incomes per capita in all of Maryland. Located near Annapolis and Pasadena, this census-designated place takes its name from the nearby Severn River. The community is located close to the Chesapeake Bay shores of Arnold and Riviera Beach, making it a picturesque region that attracts affluent residents.
Car dealerships that sell new and used Mercedes, BMWs, Lexus, Toyotas and Hondas in the area are wise to the fact that Severna Park is considered a well-to-do area. Unfortunately, some sellers engage in shady tactics such as forgery, false advertising, odometer fraud, spot delivery schemes, keeping down payments when financing is not approved, and even running credit checks without permission. Keeping GAP Insurance and extended warranty payments are also common schemes. When that happens, you will probably need a lawyer to successfully fight the fraud and recover compensation. Whitney, LLP’s consumer law auto fraud attorneys have years of experience successfully suing car dealerships for car buyers
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.
Car Dealership Forgery in Severna Park, MD
Lying about the advertised, online price of a car is not the only way that a dealer could fraudulently overcharge for a vehicle. They have other tricks they use. We have had many clients inform us that the “dealership was forging my signature and initials.” While forgery and bank fraud are crimes, our attorneys have represented many clients who were victims of forgery at Maryland car dealerships.
Red flags for forgeries on sales, lease and finance contracts include monthly payment and interest rates that are different, either higher or lower, than what was agreed to at the dealership and is on the contract you should have been given. Other common signs include the amount financed, which is listed on your credit report, is higher than it should be.
Forgery is fraud, and car dealers can be on the hook for even more than the amount that they tried to take from you if they are caught in the act. Whitney, LLP’s auto fraud attorneys have recovered significant compensation from dealerships that were caught forging signatures to make an illegal profit.
Dealers also often commit fraud and forgery on credit applications, including inflating customers’ income, and giving them fake promotions, in an effort to obtain financing approval for more car than a customer can afford. When this happens, the customer often leaves with a payment they cannot afford, only to realize what happened only once the monthly bill arrives and they realize it is too much. When credit application fraud happens, Whitney, LLP’s credit application fraud attorney’s can help.
A Lawyer to Sue a Car Dealership Near Me in Severna Park
While some people just expect car dealers to have dishonest business practices, misrepresentation and auto fraud are illegal. Dealers cannot make false statements about a car during the sales process. Maryland law requires them to disclose “material facts”, which simply means important information. Dealers have to disclose if a car was a rental car or fleet vehicle, and they should disclose a history of accidents, salvage title, and hidden damage.
Some dealers may engage in false advertising online, where they advertise a low price to get you in the dealership, only to raise the price and add fees once you are there. In addition to misrepresentation, car dealers in Arnold or Riviera Beach cannot change the price of the car or interest rate after you have already agreed to pay a lower one.
In a Spot Delivery, some dealers may have you sign for the car and drive it off the lot before your loan is approved by the bank. If the bank denies financing, they may try to get you to agree to different financing terms with a different bank after you have taken the car home. They also may ty to force you to return the car while keeping your down payment. When financing is not approved, dealerships in Maryland must provide written notice within 4 days, and refund the entire down payment without charging any fees.
During the sales process, the dealership may also run hard credit checks without your permission, or, if financing is not approved, keep running your credit without your permission. Doing so is explicitly illegal and can ruin your credit score. If you have had a dealership use these tactics to defraud you, it is important to seek a lawyer who can help you get compensation.
Whitney, LLP’s consumer attorneys help car buyers who are victims of many varieties of car dealership fraud. We can help get credit inquiries removed from your credit report if they were illegally run.
Car Dealership Fraud Lawyers Near Me in Severna Park, MD
Whitney, LLP’s attorneys often sue car dealerships after customer complaints are ignored for months. We understand that many dealers do not follow the rules and that cheating customers is simply their way of business. We have experience successfully representing car buyers who have been taken advantage of and defrauded, including unwinding and returning damaged cars, and recovering compensation for damage and emotional distress suffered as the result of fraud.
Call us today at (410) 583-8000, or use our Online Quick Contact Form, to begin your Legal Consultation.