Download the Press Release

- New Report - 
Rip-Off Nation:
Auto Dealers' Swindling of America

Car-dealer fraud is plaguing our country.  Auto buyers are being taken to the bank to fill the pockets of unscrupulous dealers.  The tactics used are so sly that even informed consumers who did their homework are being taken for hundreds, and often thousands, of dollars. Evidence from recent litigation and an industry insiders shows that it is very likely that this rot is not restricted to a few areas or dealerships.  Customers have been robbed on both coasts and everywhere in between:  Dateline recently reported that an investigation revealed that car dealerships have been charged with fraud and deception in 39 states. Our report gives more detail on some of these cases, and shows how consumers are getting ripped off, in painful detail.  It is intended as a manual for law enforcement, and to inform consumers of some of the tricks of the trade. While many consumers may suspect that auto dealerships do not always operate on the up-and-up, the size of the purchase, the flurry of paperwork, and the complicated financial relationships make them particularly vulnerable to the schemes developed by dealerships to squeeze the maximum profit from every deal.  Public Citizen does not believe that graft is necessary for auto dealers, as an industry, to remain economically viable.  Our report also suggests legislative remedies that would greatly enhance the transparency and accountability of auto dealerships to consumers and financial institutions.   Click here to view the whole story Note: this is a 65 page document and should be viewed over broadband (High speed Internet connections only)

Don't allow automotive dealers to continue their unscrupulous and fraudulent acts against consumers.  Get the free Car Buyer's Primer™ today and help to identity dealerships performing these deceptive sales practices and arm yourself with the information that can protect you from falling victim.

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Duane Overholt

Consumer Fraud Consultants, Inc.

Deceptive Sales Tactics and Predatory Lending Practices.

Mr. Overholt has worked with the U.S. Secret Service, Florida Attorney General’s Office, Dept. of Insurance & Banking, and Attorneys to help consumers victimized by automotive dealerships with their deceptive and illegal sales practices.

Mr. Overholt is a former Whistleblower and one of the leading authorities on consumer fraud issues. He worked in the automotive sales industry for over 24 years in various staff and management positions.  He is an industry expert on the internal and external flow of paperwork associated with automotive sales. He specializes in analyzing documents and related paper trails to uncover evidence of deceptive sales tactics and predatory lending practices.  He has an in-depth understanding of where to look for evidence of fraudulent activity and he delivers where other consultants fall short. 

Mr. Overholt has worked as a Salesmen, Wholesaler, Used Car Manager, Sales Manager, Finance and Insurance Manager and has owned and operated his own car business.

As an Employee, he was financially rewarded to use unethical and sometimes illegal practices to scam consumers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

As a former Whistleblower, he passed those unethical practices and other dealer trade secrets on to various Federal and State law enforcement agencies.

As a Consultant, he can now educate the automotive sales industry watchdogs and consumers in identifying fraudulent sale practices.

As a Consumer Advocate, he helps consumers fight for what’s rightfully theirs and to identify avenues of relief when they have fallen victim to deceptive sales tactics and predatory lending practices.

Current and past litigation experience,  Duane Overholt is currently acting as an automotive sales industry Consultant and Expert in 14 class action law suits involving numerous legal issues. The law suits are in various stages of litigation from settlement to certification.  He is also involved in numerous law suits involving individual consumer actions and former/current automotive sales industry employees.  These suits vary from Truth in Lending violations to wrongful termination under whistleblower statutes. 

Mr. Overholt is also involved in hundreds of other potential law suits across the country, in different stages of development. These issues range from pulling credit reports without permission to various type of fraudulent actions. 

Mr. Overholt's areas of expertise are:

- Accounting	- Aftermarket Products and Services
- Auto Auctions/Whole selling	- Auto Financing
- Auto Leasing	- Document Trail
- Closing	- Credit Procedures
- Fleet Sales	- Lender Fraud
- Minority Fraud Issues	- Manufacturer and Extended Warranties
- New & Used Car Sales	- Public Record Research
- Rebates	- Sales Policies & Procedures
- Sales Training	- Secondary Financing
- Service Contracts	- Special Financing
- Sub Prime Lending	-Truth in Lending Institutions
- Unethical/Illegal Sales Tactics	-

Mr. Overholt works with and identifies potential whistleblowers and examines the paper trail from the dealer to the lender to warranty companies.

Mr. Overholt is not an attorney and does not provide legal advice or opinions.