Overview
- The FTC sent warning letters to 97 dealer groups on March 13, citing concerns over deceptive auto pricing.
- The letters list practices the agency views as illegal, including omitting mandatory fees, conditioning prices on dealer financing, and advertising unavailable vehicles.
- Recipients were told to review ads to ensure the advertised and actual prices match, with further enforcement possible after market monitoring.
- The notices are warnings rather than findings of wrongdoing, and the FTC said recipients were selected using nonpublic criteria.
- The FTC pointed to ongoing cases involving Lindsay Chevrolet, Leader Automotive Group, and Asbury Automotive Group and cited surveys showing deceptive practices in at least 75% of responses, while NADA said it will work with the agency to address concerns.