A Multi-State Car Dealer Agrees to a $10 Million Settlement For Overcharging Black Customers

Ed Napleton Automotive, headquartered in Illinois, has agreed to $10 million to settle a lawsuit filed against the auto dealer for charging thousands of Black consumers for add-ons without their consent.

The Federal Trade Commission and Illinois filed the consumer complaint against the dealer, eight of its dealerships in Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania and Missouri on March 31. The lawsuit alleges Black customers at the dealerships were charged about $190 more in interest and paid $99 more for similar add-ons than “similarly situated” white customers.

“Working closely with the Illinois Attorney General, we are holding these dealerships accountable for discriminating against minority consumers and sneaking junk fees onto people’s bills,” Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement. “Especially as families struggle with rising car prices, dealerships that cheat their customers can expect to hear from us.”

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