On top of soaring used car prices, some consumers must also be concerned about the dealerships selling them their used vehicles.
On August 26, Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced that his office has filed a lawsuit against two 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. Great Auto Deals, Inc. is located in Hatboro, Pennsylvania.
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 an 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 by emailing scams@attorneygeneral.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.
