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Arizona Cracking Down on Car Ads

January 6, 2005
Like the rest of us, Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard has heard those annoying radio commercials with a 200-miles-per-hour announcer rattling off details of a supposed great deal on a new car or truck. Unlike the rest of us, Goddard's in a position to do something about it.

Goddard, who recently prosecuted a Tucson car dealer for false advertising, says too many commercials and newspaper ads provide too little information to would-be car and truck buyers. The result, he said, is that consumers ending up not getting the deal which they believe they were promised.

"All dealerships should be on notice that we're going to be watching advertisements," Goddard said. "We're very concerned about any misrepresentation or what we call bait and switch -- that you bring somebody into your dealership with a false expectation that they're going to get a super deal. And that deal doesn't exist."

Too many highly-hyped deals are available only on a few specific vehicles or to consumers with a specific credit score, or under any number of other very specific conditions.

Worse yet, Goddard thinks, is the universal "see dealer for details" disclaimer. That amounts to consumer fraud when those details -- available only by taking the time to go to the dealership -- materially change the offer. He said those dealers who continue to engage in what he believes are deceptive practices will find themselves in court facing charges of consumer fraud.

During a press conference where he outlined consumer protection priorities for 2005, Goddard said he's also unhappy with TV commercials that flash the terms and conditions of an offer on the screen so quickly that they are virtually unreadable. He is also annoyed by extremely fine print in newspaper ads.

Dealers who use any of these techniques would be well advised to change their ways, Goddard warned.

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