Feds' focus: Safety notice or sales pitch? Agencies crack down on dealership ads that refer to recalls, mislead consumers

摘要

The word "recall" tends to grab a car owner's attention. Some dealerships have tried to take advantage of that, sending out mailings that look like vehicle recall notifications but are really advertisements designed to drum up sales or service appointments. Federal regulators, law-enforcement agencies and consumer advocates are cracking down on such tactics, which they say are deceptive and often illegal. The use of misleading ads may also violate some automakers' franchise agreements. The Federal Trade Commission said this year that nine dealerships had agreed to settle deceptive advertising charges, and the FTC says it has more stores in its sights.