A CATA member dealer was featured this month on the 10 p.m. TV news for running a sale and sending a direct mail piece that allegedly violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act and the Illinois Administrative Rules on Motor Vehicle Advertising.
 
Time and time again, the Illinois attorney general’s office has expressed concern that out-of-state companies peddling their products and services to Illinois dealers are only marginally knowledgeable of — and poorly motivated to comply with — Illinois laws. Oftentimes, an ad that ultimately runs is different or less complete than what was presented to and approved by the dealer.
 
Moreover, when these companies provide their own personnel to conduct sales, there is little or no control over the representations those people make to customers. Nonetheless, the dealer is ultimately liable for any false or misleading statements they might make.
 
No dealer wants his reputation besmirched by careless statements, so the CATA urges all dealers to exercise a very high degree of caution if they choose to deal with out-of-state vendors.