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Business Blog

Do you have a 2012, 2013, or 2014 VW Passat TDI?

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If you have a 2012, 2013, or 2014 Passat 2.0L TDI and got the approved emissions modification, Volkswagen has identified a potential problem with the “fix” it installed on your car that needs your...
Business Blog

Be discreet when you delete your fleet

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Thinking about replacing a company car or truck? Unless you take some security steps before selling the vehicle, you could be leaving behind a water bottle or two, some change under the seat – and a...
Business Blog

FTC goes used car shopping, “test drives” 2300 vehicles

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So we went used car shopping recently – the FTC and 12 other law enforcement agencies. We visited 94 dealerships in 20 cities across the country. Yes, we saw some low-mileage cream puffs, but that’s...
Business Blog

FTC staff sends warranty warnings

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When the screen goes blue And the car breaks down And the smartphone keeps rebooting eternally Consumers won’ t be afraid No, they won’ t be afraid Just as long as you stand by your warranty. With...
Business Blog

Front and center for military consumers

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Military families face all the consumer protection issues other Americans face – and then some. Frequent moves and deployments can pose additional financial challenges for servicemembers. And some of...
Business Blog

FTC staff offers perspectives on connected car workshop

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Car ads used to include shorthand like 2D, AWD, and AC. Today’s car buyer is just as likely to ask about USB, GPS, and wifi. Last June, the FTC and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration...
Business Blog

Best practices to foil gas station skimmers

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If you own or operate gas stations, chances are you know about skimmers – illegal card readers attached to payment terminals, like gas pumps, that grab data off a credit or debit card’s magnetic...
Business Blog

Edge of ‘17

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“ Just like the white winged dove sings a song,” you can count on the BCP Business Blog to celebrate the “Edge of Seventeen” – 2017, of course – with a recap of in-case-you-missed-it developments from...
Business Blog

Deal or no deal? FTC challenges yo-yo financing tactics

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Not many kids play with yo-yos these days, but an FTC complaint against nine related Los Angeles-area car dealers charges that the companies engaged in (among other things) illegal yo-yo financing...
Business Blog

Shining a light on misleading claims in auto ads

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People usually think of beacons as radiant lights that attract attention. But the FTC has charged that two Ohio auto dealers (among other things) used the word in a way that kept consumers in the dark...
Business Blog

Vegas dealers called for deceptive claims

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They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But here’s one thing that doesn’t belong in Vegas or anywhere else: ads that draw buyers in with eye-catching terms while burying the “gotchas” in fine...
Competition Matters

Direct-to-consumer auto sales: It’s not just about Tesla

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A fundamental principle of competition is that consumers – not regulation – should determine what they buy and how they buy it. Consumers may benefit from the ability to buy cars directly from...
Business Blog

Operation Ruse Control: 6 tips if cars are up your alley

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When it comes to car advertising, truth should be standard equipment. That’s the message of Operation Ruse Control, a coast-to-coast and cross-border sweep by the FTC and state, federal, and...
Business Blog

FTC to BMW: Don’t MINImize Mag-Moss warranty compliance

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If your company offers warranties, a proposed FTC settlement with BMW of North America’s MINI Division suggests that a compliance check-up could be warranted. Section 2302(c) of the Magnuson-Moss...