You have been spending days and weeks trying to find the perfect car you have been looking for so long. Alas, you find out the auto dealer has committed a fraud, which leaves you with the question “What can I do to seek redress?”. If you believe that you are a victim of auto dealer fraud, a number of options will help you enforce your legal rights. In particular, they range from contacting the dealer, contacting the state agency to seeking the advice of a consumer attorney. These are the routes to sue the auto dealer and hold him liable for the fraud in a court of law.
Contact the Dealer
If you have learned that the auto dealer has acted in a fraudulent manner, the first option is to contact the dealer right away. In other words, you should exhaust the remedy of contacting the dealer before you proceed to taking any other legal action. The auto dealer should have the opportunity to fix the problem of the defective car. In terms of the law, the vehicle must fail to meet standards of performance and quality per the contract. This means that the vehicle must have a substantial defect, which is covered by the warranty.
The dealer must make a reasonable number of repair attempts in order to fix the defect. Only after the failure of the dealer, shall you proceed to taking other legal actions towards the unscrupulous auto dealers and deceptive practices.
Contact the State Agency
If you have already exhausted the first remedy and it did not yield any results, you may contact and file a complaint with the state agency. This is the body committed to protecting consumers’ rights in case of auto dealer frauds. However, you need to check where you apply for lodging a complaint. In different states, the agency may act as a division under the Attorney General’s Office. There may be cases when this agency is a specifically structured body to handle consumer complaints, which relate to auto dealer fraud and fraudulent practices. In addition, many states have government programs, which monitor auto dealers under their jurisdiction.
If you lodge a complaint with the state agency, this may result in civil and maybe, criminal liability measures against the fraudulent dealership. In the short-run, the auto dealer may receive a government order to fix the defect. In the long-run – the state agency may revoke the dealer’s license or ban the dealer from selling cars in that state.
Contact a Consumer Attorney
Next in the pile of the remedies is the opportunity to contact and seek the advice of an experienced auto dealer fraud attorney. A seasoned firm with competent consumer attorneys will build your case checking its merits and the validity of your complaint.
The lawyers at the Margarian Law Firm will help determine if your case qualifies as a fraud and what specific remedies are available tailored to your claim. Our attorneys handle manifold successful cases in consumer rights protection and may pursue private legal action to restore justice for you.
