Auto Fraud Attorney San Francisco

Our Auto Fraud Services

Dealership Fraud Representation

Our legal team aggressively fights against dealerships that misrepresent vehicle history or condition to unsuspecting buyers. These cases often involve dealers who deliberately hide accident history, roll back odometers to show fewer miles, or conceal serious frame damage that affects safety and value. When we uncover these deceptive practices, we take immediate legal action to get your money back and hold the dealership accountable for their dishonesty.

Contract Fraud Resolution

Many San Francisco car buyers fall victim to contracts filled with hidden terms, inflated prices, or unauthorized add-ons that were never discussed during negotiations. Our attorneys carefully analyze these documents to identify discrepancies between what you were promised and what appears in the final paperwork. When we find these mismatches, we work methodically to cancel the fraudulent contract and recover every payment you’ve made under false pretenses.

Certified Pre-Owned Fraud Cases

The “Certified Pre-Owned” designation comes with specific promises about vehicle quality and thorough inspections—promises that some dealerships fail to honor. We hold these businesses accountable when they sell “certified” vehicles that clearly don’t meet the required certification standards. In cases where a CPO vehicle reveals significant defects or prior damage that should have disqualified it from certification entirely, we fight relentlessly for a full refund of your purchase price and additional compensation.

Financing and Credit Fraud Claims

Financial deception represents one of the most damaging forms of auto fraud. Our attorneys confront dealerships that manipulate financing terms or engage in various forms of credit fraud to maximize their profits at your expense. Whether dealers have charged excessive interest rates far above market value, forged information on credit applications, or engaged in payment packing with unnecessary add-ons, we work diligently to undo this financial damage and restore your credit standing.

California’s Lemon Law Claims

California’s strong lemon law provides vital protection for vehicle buyers, and we ensure you receive its full benefits. We represent buyers of defective vehicles that simply don’t perform as they should, despite repeated repair attempts. When your new or used car develops substantial defects that can’t be fixed after reasonable attempts by the manufacturer or dealer, we demand they buy back the vehicle completely, returning your investment and compensating you for the trouble you’ve experienced.

Advertising Fraud Cases

False advertising and bait-and-switch tactics remain unfortunately common in the auto industry. Our legal team challenges dealerships that advertise vehicles at attractive prices or with specific features, only to change terms or substitute different vehicles when you arrive. When the price, terms, or vehicle features aren’t as advertised in their marketing materials, we hold the dealership fully accountable for their misleading information and fight for appropriate compensation.

Common Auto Fraud Tactics We See From Car Dealerships In San Francisco

Accident History Concealment

San Francisco dealerships frequently hide vehicle accident histories from unsuspecting buyers, deliberately withholding information about prior collisions and repairs.

These dishonest sellers carefully clean up evidence of repairs, remove telltale signs of frame straightening, and even falsify vehicle history reports through various channels.

When confronted, they often claim ignorance or shift blame to previous owners, leaving you with a compromised vehicle that’s worth far less than what you paid.

This tactic is particularly prevalent with popular luxury models in the Bay Area market, where high-value vehicles with clean histories command premium prices.

Deceptive Financing Schemes

Many San Francisco dealerships employ sophisticated financing deceptions designed to extract maximum profit from each sale.

Their finance managers often present confusing paperwork rapidly, pressuring you to sign documents without adequate review time.

They might verbally promise one interest rate during negotiations, then quietly insert a much higher rate in the final contract.

Another common scheme involves “payment packing”—where they calculate your monthly payment at a higher amount than necessary, then use the difference to add unwanted products like extended warranties or gap insurance without your knowledge.

These tactics can cost you thousands over the life of your loan.

False Certification Programs

Dealerships throughout San Francisco increasingly market “certified pre-owned” vehicles that haven’t undergone the required inspection process.

The certification checklist might show all items passed when in reality, many critical components were never properly examined.

Some dealerships apply manufacturer certification labels to vehicles that explicitly fail to meet the manufacturer’s own certification requirements due to accident history or mechanical issues.

They charge substantial premiums for this supposed certification—often several thousand dollars—for what amounts to nothing more than a worthless sticker and some paperwork.

This fraud specifically targets cautious buyers willing to pay more for perceived quality and safety.

Odometer and Title Manipulation

More sophisticated than simple rollbacks, modern odometer fraud in San Francisco involves digital manipulation that’s harder to detect.

Dishonest dealerships use specialized software to alter digital odometer readings or swap instrument clusters entirely.

Similarly, title washing schemes move vehicles through different states to erase branded titles indicating salvage or flood damage.

These dealerships may also create false documentation showing clean titles for severely damaged vehicles.

This fraud dramatically inflates the vehicle’s apparent value while hiding potentially dangerous structural or mechanical problems that put you and your family at risk.

Contract Bait-and-Switch Tactics

San Francisco dealerships frequently employ the classic “four-square” worksheet during negotiations, focusing your attention on the monthly payment while obscuring the actual vehicle price, trade-in value, and financing terms.

Once you’ve invested hours in the buying process, they suddenly claim the “manager rejected” your deal and present a completely different contract with less favorable terms.

They often schedule deliveries for late evening hours when you’re tired and less likely to review documents carefully.

These dealerships count on buyer fatigue and psychological pressure to slip unfavorable terms into your final agreement that were never part of your negotiated deal.

Warranty Misrepresentation

Many San Francisco dealerships make false claims about manufacturer warranties or sell expensive extended warranties with hidden exclusions.

Their sales staff might assure you a used vehicle still has the factory warranty when it’s actually expired or voided.

Some deliberately misrepresent what’s covered under the warranty you’re purchasing, promising comprehensive protection while the actual contract contains numerous exclusions and limitations.

They frequently sell overpriced third-party warranties with high deductibles and claim requirements so complex that making successful claims becomes nearly impossible.

This tactic exploits your desire for security while providing little actual protection for your investment.