Fraudsters seem to know how to take advantage of the vulnerable consumer. For complex financial transactions, Pennsylvania residents may have few other choices than to believe what a salesperson tells them about a product. When it comes to purchasing vehicles, countless consumers fall victim to dealer fraud.
For nearly three years, thousands of unsuspecting people purchased vehicles from an alleged network of fraudsters impersonating licensed auto dealers. Only licensed dealers may purchase vehicles from auctions and sell them to the public. Nevertheless, the ring of 23 people stand accused of posting auction vehicles for sale on social media accounts and misrepresenting themselves and the cars they sold. The scheme began with three individuals who then reportedly recruited unlicensed friends and auction employees to help them sell vehicles through four fictitious dealerships.
Many of vehicles had forged bills of sale, registrations that did not match the vehicle, fake warranties and fraudulent financing. Perhaps most disturbing is that the vehicles also carried fake inspection stickers. This left many car owners with damaged or defective vehicles and no recourse for obtaining repairs they assumed were under warranty. Authorities believe the ring of fraudsters posted dozens of vehicles for sale a week to their social media pages and may have raked in millions of dollars from trusting customers.
When someone becomes the victim of dealer fraud, it can feel like there are no options for making things right. However, this is not always true. A Pennsylvania attorney who is committed to holding responsible who commit fraud will have the experience and resources to fight for the rights of consumers who are victims of deception.
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