FTC "Operation Ruse Control" Strikes Again At Fine Print In Auto Ads

A nationwide crackdown on fine print in auto ads continues, as the Federal Trade Commission announced settlements with a couple of Las Vegas dealerships earlier this week. In hundreds of cases across the United States and some in Canada, the FTC and other agencies have been taking auto dealerships and a few related businesses to task for failing to provide adequate disclosures. Typical ads in what the FTC calls Operation Ruse Control feature giant headlines with unbelievably low prices, followed by tiny fine print that explains why those prices are, in fact, unbelievable. That is, if the consumer can find, read, and understand the fine print – which isn't always easy, according to FTC complaints. The latest cases involve two dealerships, Planet Nissan and Planet Hyundai. According to proposed consent orders, the dealerships neither admit nor deny the allegations in separate FTC complaints against each dealership.