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Auto Fraud Attorney in Sunnyvale, California, Serving Clients Statewide

Buying a car is a complicated process, even for the savviest and experienced purchasers. There are lots of details, lots of paperwork, and lots of opportunities for dealers to take advantage of you. If you think that there was something wrong with your last purchase, please contact us. We are always glad to give you a listening ear.

The most basic of problems is when the dealer lies, as Mike T. experienced:

Mike T. says:

Dealer Misrepresentations

I was buying a fifth wheel from [Dealer] and was not happy with being deceived by the salesperson in this transaction when I called Kevin. [Dealer] acted as if I had no say in this matter because the loan company had already paid. But Kevin, within a few phone calls and two or three emails, got me a full refund, my trade-in back, and the satisfaction that, just because I am the little guy, [Dealer] could not cheat me. Thanks, Kevin, I hope to never have need for a lawyer again in my life but if I do you will get my first call.

In Mike T.’s case, he saw an ad posted by the dealership that gave a price and features of the fifth wheel he was buying. After he bought it, he found out that it didn’t have those features and they had raised the price.
Dealers do this frequently. Most of the time, salesmen just make these misrepresentations verbally, so it is harder to pursue the claim. But don’t worry! Even if you don’t have their statements in writing, we can help you. Just give us a call. And remember to take someone with you the next time that you go buy a car so that they hear everything said as well.


Another problem that you might run into is a dealer who tries to force you to renegotiate the deal after purchase. A few days (or even a few weeks) after the sale, you might get a call telling you that they couldn’t finance you. Then, the dealer will try to leverage you into signing a new contract; maybe the dealer will try to get a bigger down payment or force you to buy a service or GAP (Guaranteed Auto Protection) contract. You don’t have to agree to these new contracts or additional terms. You can fight to stick with your original terms or to step away from the deal altogether.

When a car dealer takes advantage you during a transaction, you deserve the chance to seek reparations.

Other forms of dealer auto fraud include:

  • They will intentionally undervalue trade-ins.

  • They will misstate government charges on your contract.

  • They will sell you products or services which you didn’t intend to purchase.

  • They will change the contract terms between verbal negotiation and the written contract.

  • They will often try to charge you the highest interest rate they can.

California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA), one of the most important state statutes designed to protect consumers purchasing vehicles and other products, lists and prohibits a large number of dishonest sales practices.

If you suspect that you’ve experienced a dealer scam, or if you’re not sure whether the lies told to you are covered by the CLRA, send us a message or call us to talk to us about it for free.