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The state Division of Consumers had accused Bridge Auto Group in Hasbrouck Heights with:
- failing to include the mandatory disclosure language in advertisements;
- misrepresenting its Better Business Bureau and Yelp ratings on the company’s website;
- failing to disclose prior damage to its used vehicles when such information was known our should have been known by the dealership;
- charging consumers for pre-delivery services, including dealer preparation fees, without itemizing on the sales document the cost of each specific service;
- failing to provide consumers with a written warranty, as required by the Used Car Lemon Law.
Bridge Auto, which has a location just off Route 17 and another in Camden County, “agreed to change [its] business practices, pay civil penalties, and enter binding arbitration to resolve consumer complaints,” Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said.
“Buying a car is one of the biggest purchases most consumers make in their lifetimes,” the attorney general said. “Buyers shouldn’t have to worry about being misled by deceptive practices.”
The settlement resolves violations of the state Consumer Fraud Act and Used Car Lemon Law, as well as other regulations governing the sale and advertising of motor vehicles, Grewal said.
As part of the deal, Bridge Dealer Services also agreed to enter binding arbitration to resolve any additional consumer complaints received by state authorities over the next year.
The state, in turn, agreed to suspend $25,000 in civil penalties if the company “complies with the terms of the consent order and does not engage in any acts or practices in violation of the CFA” over the next two years, the attorney general said.
Investigator Kelly Fennell of the state Division of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Consumer Protection, and Deputy Attorney General Robert N. Holup of the Consumer Fraud Prosecution Section handled the case for the state.
Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of consumer abuse, can file an online complaint with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting njconsumeraffairs.gov or by calling 1-800-242-5846 to receive a complaint form by mail.
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ALSO SEE: A used car dealer with locations in Morris and Union counties is paying $105,000 to resolve alleged violations of state consumer protection laws, authorities said.
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