Residents reminded to watch for deceptive vehicle advertising

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance is reminding Tennesseans to watch for vehicle scams.

When buying a car, customers are reminded about the following:

• Advertisements for new vehicles must indicate the vehicle’s stock number.
• Keep a copy of the advertisement or take a screenshot and reference it.
• Call ahead and make sure the advertised vehicle is still on the dealerships lot and reference the stock number.
• If the vehicle is not what was advertised, steer clear.
• Beware of balloon payments, which promise a temporary low price, but the remainder of the loan is much higher.
• Ads must include all costs, charges and fees payable.
• Avoid dealers with claims of being number one in sales, naming your own price, or lowest prices. Those are unsubstantiated and misleading claims, which are prohibited.
• Advertisements must identify the dealer by business name or state issued dealer license number.
• Consumers should only buy from a licensed salesperson or vehicle dealer.
• Click here to check the license status of the salesperson or dealership you’re visiting.