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closeFriday, Sep. 12, 2008
AG's office settles with Eastern Washington auto firms
By Pratik Joshi, Herald staff writer
WENATCHEE --The state Attorney General's Office has signed an agreement with two Eastern Washington auto sales businesses after investigating them for unethical practices that hurt consumer interests, the AG's office announced today, Sept. 11.
Kane Automotive Group and Wenatchee Valley Truck and Auto Outlet, which operate dealerships under the names Spokane KIA, Spokane KIA on Sprague, Spokane Suzuki and Wenatchee KIA, broke consumer protection laws, claims the AG office.
Both the companies, owned by Sidney Kane of Wenatchee, sold used vehicles as new, submitted false credit applications to banks, sometimes without the customers' knowledge and routinely failed to pay off liens on customers' trade-ins within two business days.
As part of the agreement the companies are not admitting to wrongdoing, but have agreed to resolve consumer complaints and pay $20,000 in attorneys' fees and costs.
-- Pratik Joshi: 582-1541; pjoshi@tricityherald.com; Business Beat blog at www.tricityherald.com
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| Pratik Joshi covers technology, employment, transportation, economic development and industrial growth. He joined the Herald in December 2006. He likes to write stories that educate. And there's hardly a subject he's not interested in. Drop him a line at pjoshi@tricityherald.com. |
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