(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Attorney General Dave Yost today announced a consumer protection lawsuit against a defunct used car dealership and its owner who failed to deliver vehicle titles to customers in central Ohio.
“Bad business practices steered this dealership onto a collision course with justice,” Yost said. “Customers didn’t get their titles, but now they’ll get some answers.”
The lawsuit accuses Kimberly Godfrey of violating Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act and Certificate of Motor Vehicle Title Act. Her used car dealership, Eastpoint Car Brokers LLC, was located at 983 E. Main St. in Columbus.
Yost’s Consumer Protection Section provided a total of $17,535 to 11 customers who said they never received titles for vehicles purchased at the dealership. The payments were made from the Title Defect Recision Fund, a program that helps used car buyers resolve title problems.
The lawsuit filed in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas seeks reimbursement from Godfrey, as well as civil penalties and an order preventing her from holding a dealer or salesperson license in Ohio.
Attorney General Yost reminds consumers to take the following steps when buying a used car:
- Check for any complaints against the dealership with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and Better Business Bureau.
- Get everything in writing and read the fine print.
- Take the vehicle for an extended test drive.
- Ask about prior damage, defects and repair history. Check out the vehicle’s history through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System at nmvtis.gov.
- Ask a trustworthy mechanic to check the car for problems.
- If a dealer does not provide you a title within 30 days of the purchase date, contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
Consumers who suspect an unfair or deceptive sales practice should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at
www.OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.
An accessible version of the linked file is available by request.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dominic Binkley: 614-728-4127
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