FTC Returns Additional $857K to Those Harmed by Junk Auto Fee Practices
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced it is disbursing more than $857,000 cumulatively in its second round of compensatory payments to customers harmed by Napleton Automotive Group's illegal junk fees and discriminatory practices.
Napleton Automotive Group, which is based in Illinois, is the thirteenth largest dealership group in the United States based on revenue in 2020. The FTC and State of Illinois sued Napleton in March 2022 for sneaking unwanted "ad-ons" onto vehicle purchases and discriminating against black customers by charging them more for ad-ons and financing. In the settlement, Napleton agreed to pay nearly $10 million in monetary relief to customers, the highest settled amount ever in an auto finance case.
The FTC is sending 37,034 checks in this second round of payments. After the first round of payments, 88% of recipients cashed checks with an aggregate worth of $8.8 million.