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How to File a Complaint Against a Dealership With the Attorney General’s Office

April 18, 2022
Justin Fischer
Car Buying | Dealership Operations

At CarEdge, we recently shared the steps you can take to challenge dealer add-ons, but what if it’s too late? When do misleading pricing, forced add-ons and financing games cross legal boundaries? Does the consumer have any recourse? Here’s what you need to know, and how you can file a complaint against a car dealer. 

When Can I File a Complaint Against a Dealership?

Did a dealer sneak fees or add-ons into the contract after you agreed upon the price? Were there two versions of the final paperwork, one with add-ons that you weren’t supposed to see? Did someone in the finance office tell you that you could only secure financing if you purchased a product? These are all justifiable reasons for filing a complaint. 

Where should you start? Before paperwork is signed, follow these steps to push back and demand transparency. If the car has already been bought and driven off the lot and the dealership management refuses to right their wrongs, filing a complaint with the state attorney general’s office will surely get their attention. 

Here’s how to contact your state’s attorney general to file a complaint against a car dealer in all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico:

STATEATTORNEY GENERALLINK TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICELINK TO FILE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS
AlabamaSteve Marshallhttps://www.alabamaag.gov/Divisionshttps://www.alabamaag.gov/consumercomplaint
AlaskaTreg R. Taylorhttps://law.alaska.gov/https://law.alaska.gov/department/civil/consumer/cp_complaint.html
ArizonaMark Brnovichhttps://www.azag.gov/https://www.azag.gov/complaints/consumer
ArkansasLeslie Rutledgehttps://arkansasag.gov/https://arkansasag.gov/resources/contact-us/file-a-consumer-complaint/
CaliforniaRob Bontahttps://www.oag.ca.gov/https://www.oag.ca.gov/consumers
ColoradoPhil Weiserhttps://coag.gov/https://coag.gov/file-complaint/
ConnecticutWilliam Tonghttps://portal.ct.gov/aghttps://portal.ct.gov/DCP/Complaint-Center/Consumers—Complaint-Center
DelawareKathy Jenningshttps://attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/https://attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/fraud/cmu/complaint/
District Of ColumbiaKarl A. Racinehttps://oag.dc.gov/https://oag.dc.gov/consumer-protection/submit-consumer-complaint
FloridaAshley Moodyhttp://www.myfloridalegal.com/http://www.myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/Main/E3EB45228E9229DD85257B05006E32EC
GeorgiaChris Carrhttps://law.georgia.gov/https://consumer.georgia.gov/resolve-your-dispute/how-do-i-file-complaint/consumer-complaint-form#no-back
HawaiiHolly Shikadahttps://ag.hawaii.gov/contact-us/https://web2.dcca.hawaii.gov/ocpcomplaint/
IdahoLawrence G. Wasdenhttps://www.ag.idaho.gov/index.htmlhttps://www.ag.idaho.gov/office-resources/online-forms/?form=File%20a%20Complaint&complaint=Consumer%20Complaint
IllinoisKwame Raoulhttps://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/https://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/consumers/index.html
IndianaTodd Rokitahttps://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/https://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/consumer-protection-division/
IowaTom Millerhttps://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers
KansasDerek Schmidthttps://www.ag.ks.gov/https://www.ag.ks.gov/in-your-corner-kansas/home
KentuckyDaniel Cameronhttps://www.ag.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspxhttps://www.ag.ky.gov/Resources/Consumer-Resources/Pages/default.aspx
LouisianaJeff Landryhttp://www.ag.state.la.us/http://www.ag.state.la.us/Resources
MaineArron Freyhttps://www.maine.gov/ag/https://www.maine.gov/ag/consumer/index.shtml
MarylandBrian Froshhttps://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/Pages/CPD/default.aspx
MassachusettsMaura Healeyhttps://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-attorney-general-maura-healeyhttps://www.mass.gov/how-to/file-a-consumer-complaint
MichiganDana Nesselhttps://www.michigan.gov/ag/https://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-359-82915_82919_86407—,00.html
MinnesotaKeith Ellisonhttps://www.ag.state.mn.us/https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Complaint.asp
MississippiLynn Fitchhttps://www.ago.state.ms.us/https://www.ago.state.ms.us/divisions/consumer-protection/
MissouriEric Schmitthttps://ago.mo.gov/https://ago.mo.gov/app/consumercomplaint
MontanaAustin Knudsenhttps://dojmt.gov/our-attorney-general/https://dojmt.gov/consumer/
NebraskaDoug Petersonhttps://ago.nebraska.gov/https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov/
NevadaAaron D. Fordhttps://ag.nv.gov/https://ag.nv.gov/Complaints/File_Complaint/
New HampshireJohn M. Formellahttps://www.doj.nh.gov/https://www.doj.nh.gov/consumer/index.htm
New JerseyMatthew J. Platkinhttps://www.njoag.gov/https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/
New MexicoHector Balderashttps://www.nmag.gov/https://www.nmag.gov/consumer-protection-1.aspx
New YorkLetitia Jameshttps://ag.ny.gov/https://ag.ny.gov/consumer-frauds/resource-center
North CarolinaJosh Steinhttps://ncdoj.gov/https://ncdoj.gov/protecting-consumers/
North DakotaDrew H. Wrigleyhttps://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/consumer-resources
OhioDave Yosthttps://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/
OklahomaJohn O’Connorhttps://www.oag.ok.gov//https://www.oag.ok.gov/consumer-protection
OregonEllen F. Rosenblumhttps://www.doj.state.or.us/https://www.doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection/
PennsylvaniaJosh Shapirohttps://www.attorneygeneral.gov/https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/public-protection-division/bureau-consumer-protection/
Puerto RicoFernando Figueroa Santiagohttp://www.justicia.pr.gov/http://www.justicia.pr.gov/secretarias-y-oficinas/oficina-de-ayuda-al-ciudadano/
Rhode IslandPeter F. Neronhahttps://riag.ri.gov/https://riag.ri.gov/consumerprotection
South CarolinaAlan Wilsonhttps://www.scag.gov/https://www.scag.gov/inside-the-office/legal-services-division/consumer-protection-antitrust/
South DakotaJason R.Ravnsborghttps://atg.sd.gov/https://consumer.sd.gov/
TennesseeHerbert H. Slatery Iiihttps://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral.htmlhttps://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/working-for-tennessee/protecting-consumers.html
TexasKen Paxtonhttps://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection
UtahSean D. Reyeshttps://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/https://consumerprotection.utah.gov/consumers/
VermontTj Donovanhttps://ago.vermont.gov/https://ago.vermont.gov/cap/consumer-complaint/
VirginiaJason S. Miyareshttps://www.oag.state.va.us/https://www.oag.state.va.us/consumer-protection/
WashingtonBob Fergusonhttps://www.atg.wa.gov/https://www.atg.wa.gov/file-complaint
West VirginiaPatrick Morriseyhttps://ago.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspxhttps://ago.wv.gov/consumerprotection/Pages/default.aspx
WisconsinJosh Kaulhttps://www.doj.state.wi.us/https://www.doj.state.wi.us/dls/consumer-protection
WyomingBridget Hillhttps://ag.wyo.gov/https://ag.wyo.gov/law-office-division/consumer-protection-and-antitrust-unit/consumer-complaints

Dealerships would rather not become the subject of legal action, so the mere mention of filing a complaint with the attorney general could be the motivation they need to make things right for you. If the state consumer protection agency receives too many complaints about a particular dealership or dealer group, the whole business can ultimately be at stake.


Keep your auto advocates at CarEdge in the loop if you’re thinking about filing a complaint. Don’t forget to leave a review of the dealership you worked with at CarEdge Car Dealer Reviews to let others know what you experienced.

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1 Comment

  1. S.E.L.
    S.E.L. on April 18, 2022 at 11:57 pm

    Thank you for the comprehensive article on reporting illegal and unethical dealers to the AG’s office. I wish we could report it anonymously. I worry about retaliation even though we didn’t go through with the deal. They have all of our personal identifying information, SS #, employment, email addresses, cell phone for spam texts, etc.

    Reply

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