PITTSBURGH – In lieu of commencing legal proceedings, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office has come to terms with a used vehicle dealership which it says violated the state’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
On April 7, AG Josh Shapiro filed an assurance of voluntary compliance against United Nation Auto Finance, LLC and respondents Shorif K. Rahman and Hamza K. Altrawi, of McKees Rocks.
According to the petition, the respondents operated their business illegally by selling used vehicles without warranties and misrepresenting the condition of the vehicle to consumers.
“Respondents, by offering said motor vehicles for sale, represented the motor vehicles to be roadworthy and failed to disclose prior to sale certain conditions required by Section 301.2(5) of the Automotive Industry Trade Practices, to be disclosed when Respondents should have known that the conditions existed in the vehicle,” the petition read, in part.
“Respondents sold used vehicles with no express warranty and attempted to exclude the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose in the sale of motor vehicles purchased primarily for personal, family or household purposes.”
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the respondents did not include the address of the dealer, the buyer’s right to cancel the contract until it is signed by an authorized dealer representative and a brief statement of the place where a full-copy of a written express warranty may be obtained in their contract agreements.
However, the Office said Rahman and Altrawi have pledged they have resolved any legal proceedings connected to their alleged actions and will not violate the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
“Respondents have represented to petitioner that respondents have either paid or appealed all civil judgments awarded to consumers who have filed civil actions against respondents for harm allegedly caused by respondents’ above-referenced conduct – and respondents agree to cease and desist from violating the Consumer Protection Law and the Auto Regulations and desire to comply with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” according to the Office.
As a result, the respondents have agreed to pay $9,365 in damages, comprised of $5,365 in restitution to consumers harmed by their conduct and $4,000 in costs and civil penalties to the Commonwealth.
“$3,000 shall be paid upon signing of this assurance of voluntary compliance and the remaining amount of the total payment shall be paid to the Commonwealth in increments of $1,000 due on the 15th calendar day of each month commencing the first month after the effective date until the amount is paid in full,” according to the agreement.
The petitioner is represented by Senior Deputy Attorney General Jill T. Ambrose of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
The respondents are represented by Brian P. Benestad of HKM Employment Attorneys, also in Pittsburgh.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas case GD-20-004993
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com