PA Attorney General Files Suit Against Used Car Dealers
FILE PHOTO OF JOSH SHAPIRO ALEX LLOYD GROSS PHOTO/DELAWARE VALLEY NEWS.COM
HARRISBURG – Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced today that his office has filed a lawsuit against Philadelphia-area used car dealerships, A Impuls Auto Inc. and Great Auto Deals Inc., for allegedly violating Pennsylvania consumer protection laws. Owners and operators Yudik Aysenshteyn and Yuriy Klimin are also named in the suit. A Impuls Auto, Inc. is located in Philadelphia and Great Auto Deals Inc. is located in Hatboro, Pennsylvania.
“We’ve seen an ongoing demand for used cars here in Pennsylvania,” said AG Shapiro. “And with that comes an increase in scammers. Pennsylvanians are paying thousands of dollars of their hard earned money for cars that break down the same day they buy them. That’s not something my office will stand by and let happen. We are putting these dealerships on notice: shift gears, follow the law, or my office will see you in court.”
An American consumer purchasing a used car today is paying 42% more than they would have in 2019, according to Kelley Blue Book.
The lawsuit alleges that Aysenshteyn and Klimin sold cars to consumers that were not fit to be on the road, intentionally misled consumers about the safety and status of the vehicles, operated an unlicensed dealership, and made unauthorized sales. In complaints reported to the Office of the Attorney General, consumers alleged that vehicles that were sold either broke down or were found to be unsafe to drive the same day they were purchased or a few days later. One consumer paid over five thousand dollars for a used car only to discover during inspection that the entire bottom of the car was damaged by rust. The damage had been spray painted over as a method of concealment. On top of the vehicle’s frame being rusted, the brakes were rusted and the emergency brake was unusable.
The lawsuit calls on the court to order Yudik Aysenshteyn and Yuriy Klimin, owners and operators of the car dealerships, to:
- Pay compensation to all people who have suffered losses as a result of the Defendants’ conduct.
- Be permanently prohibited from 1) doing business as a seller of motor vehicles in Pennsylvania or to Pennsylvania consumers, and 2) any practices that violate the Consumer Protection Law, Auto Regulations, the Vehicle Code, and/or the Board of Vehicles Act.
- Pay civil penalties of $1,000 for each violation of the Consumer Protection Law and $3,000 for each violation involving a consumer 60 or older.
Consumers who believe they or someone they know may have been a victim of A Impuls Auto, Inc. or Great Auto Deals Inc. should file a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection online, by calling 800-441-2555 or emailing
sc***@at*************.gov
. Repair facilities, dealers, or anyone else who may have information regarding the alleged business practices of A Impuls Auto Inc., Great Auto Deals Inc., Yudik Aysenshteyn or Yuriy Klimin should also contact the Bureau.
The lawsuit was filed in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas.