Car Dealer Kickback Legal News Articles & Interviews

Los Angeles, CA While investigations and allegations continue over whether or not online automotive referral service TrueCar accepted illegal car dealer kickbacks from their participating dealers, the online company has taken steps to re-invent itself. Pundits are dubbing the transformation “TrueCar 2.0.”

Los Angeles, CA Attorneys and various state regulators have begun investigations into TrueCar, an online car referral website. Investigations revolve around whether TrueCar violated the law by accepting payment for referring customers to specific car dealers. If TrueCar did receive car dealer kickbacks, it may have violated consumer protection laws in California and other states.

Los Angeles, CA If you’re like most computer savvy people today, you’ll go online to research your purchases. Whether you intend to buy online or retail, the draw of the Internet translates to increased awareness and information for the consumer that can be brought to the fore when it comes time to make an educated purchase. As the late advertising guru David Ogilvy famously espoused, “an educated consumer is the best customer.” However, when it comes to car dealer kickbacks, that educated consumer suddenly becomes an unwitting victim.

Anaheim, CA For the average person who conducts online research to determine which car to buy, car dealer kickbacks are likely not high on the list of concerns. They are more worried about the price of the car, how reliable it is and any safety concerns related to the car, not worried about whether the online car referral site will receive a kickback if they buy a certain car. But allegations have been made about car dealer fraud, in which online referral companies reportedly received compensation for recommending specific dealerships to online automobile browsers.

Sacramento, CA The internet has changed the way we shop, for everything from clothes, to appliances, to cars. But there are, at the same time, countless examples of car dealer fraud that encompass both the bonefide dealer looking to increase his sales through unsavory means, or individuals taking advantage of the convenience and technology offered by sites such as Craigslist and eBay, to dupe well-meaning consumers.

Los Angeles, CA An online car referral company is alleged to have received illegal kickbacks from new and used car dealerships in exchange for referring customers to those automobile dealerships. These kickbacks would amount to several hundred dollars per vehicle if the customer purchased the car. Regulators in several states sent letters to car dealers stating that legal problems exist with this business model, and car dealer associations in other states, including California, say the practice may violate their state law.