With a population of about 65,000 people, Frederick is one of Maryland’s most populous commuter hubs and home to car dealerships selling Fords, Kias and used cars. It is quiet, relatively affordable, and close to other cities like Hagerstown, Westminster, Gaithersburg, and Rockville. Frederick has been a bustling area since the mid-19th century when it was a major hub on the Great Wagon Road linking Pennsylvania and Georgia.
If you purchased a vehicle from a dealership in Frederick, it may be wise to study your paperwork closely and pay particular attention to your finance contract. This is because the retail automobile business is extremely competitive, and dealers often advertise prices that actually lose money. Dealerships sometimes make up this shortfall by resorting to overcharging, forgery, lying and misrepresentation, and it is not uncommon for unsuspecting consumers to realize their signature was forged. If you have been the victim of auto fraud and are thinking about suing a car dealership, you should contact the experienced attorneys at Whitney, LLP.
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Changing Finance Contracts and Credit Applications in Frederick, MD
Car buyers are often most concerned about their payments, and they may not check their documents very closely as long as the amount they will be sending to the bank each month is what they agreed to or at least similar. However, if the monthly payment the buyer agreed to is different by even a few cents or a few dollars, the buyer’s signature was likely forged and key terms changed. Many car dealerships think that a difference of a small amount on the monthly payment will not be noticed, and rely on that to get away with forgeries and fraud.
Dealers sometimes take advantage of this by increasing the selling price and then reducing the interest rate. This allows them to make more money without increasing the monthly payment. The lawyers at Whitney, LLP, have handled many such cases, and they know how to spot forged initials, altered contracts and manipulated figures.
Another common dealer trick is to alter credit applications to secure loans that consumers may be unable to pay. This is done by increasing the stated monthly or annual income or reducing expenses like rent. This type of auto fraud is alarmingly common. If you were the victim of car dealer overcharging or misrepresentation, you should think about pursuing civil remedies, and contact Whitney, LLP.
Selling Rental, Damaged, Unsafe or Flood-damaged Cars in Frederick, MD
Another way dealers increase their profits at the expense of their customers is concealing the histories of the used cars they sell. Cars and SUVs on Honda, Ford, Kia, Toyota and Chevrolet lots in Frederick County often have usually been traded in or purchased at an auction. Some of them may have been written off by insurance companies following a flood or accident, or have bad histories including structural damage and rental histories that are not disclosed.
Dishonest car dealerships may keep this information from consumers and lenders by engaging in a practice known as title washing. This involves processing the vehicle’s paperwork in a state with less rigorous disclosure laws and then applying for a clean title in Maryland. Cars, trucks and SUVs that have had their titles washed often develop mechanical and electrical problems that can be difficult or impossible to repair, and vehicles that have been declared a total loss after a collision could pose a threat to their occupants and all road users. If you unwittingly bought such a vehicle, you should find a lawyer to sue the car dealership.
Attorney Representing Dealership Fraud Victims in Frederick, MD
Suing a car dealership in Hagerstown, Westminster, Gaithersburg, and Rockville for forgery, credit application fraud, or other types of fraud may seem daunting as the laws are complex, but you should not let that deter you from seeking compensation.
The experienced lawyers at Whitney, LLP, know how to detect forged initials, altered finance contracts and rewritten credit applications, and they can find out if your car was damaged in an accident or a flood. If you need a lawyer to sue a car dealership because of lying, fraud or misrepresentation, contact Whitney, LLP, today to schedule a legal consultation by calling (410) 583-8000 or using our online form.