Sovereign Automotive and Financial LLC and Leo Shalom Total Fraud by Used Car Dealer from Online Ad to Purchase Ft. Lauderdale Florida
Sovereign Automotive and Financial LLC formerly of Rodman Street in Hollywood, FL posted an online ad on www.cargurus.com in March 2015 for 2004 PT Cruiser GT Turbo with KBB of $5600 and only 77,000 miles. I and others incl NC Car Dealer saw the ad for $3000. It showed a silver PT Cruiser with yellow writing $500/down. I contacted them and a man named Leo Shalom responded. He sent several text messages that "car ran great, come get it" "Pay $3000 cash or $500 extra to his car dealer friend" etc. In ALL communication via Sovereign AND Leo Shalom car was said to be in great condition with no engine or transmission problems with low miles. Sovereign told me to buy the car from Leo Shalom because supposedly I wouldn't be back down there again within 30-days under Sovereign's warranty but THEY did the paperwork and it was THEIR mechanic who said it had no engine or transmission problems. They knew the true condition of the car before they advertised, they knew it had been crashed, a fleet car, and still didn't disclose it. Instead they spoke in Hebrew so I wouldn't understand. They had at every opportunity the chance to tell me prior to me flying there that this was an elaborate fraud they also were in on. I don't think I'm the only one. I think they are targeting older adults esp women, Hispanics, etc. who see their religious garb and assume as I did that they wouldn't be dishonest. But THEY posted the ad, Leo Shalom did NOT.
Nobody seeing the actual online ad thought it was a total fraud which it was from the moment they advertised it on www.cargurus.com with 77,000 miles v. 294,490 ACTUAL miles. I never would have flown to Florida for a car with 294,490 miles which is why I demanded a refund when I got the Florida Title which I hadn't seen prior to buying it. They put "EXEMPT" in the mileage area on the Bill of Sale. I didn't find out until I got to the Florida DMV what the car's ACTUAL miles on the Florida Title was 294,490, the car had been in at least one crash-possibly two, had been a fleet car, and was extremely dangerous to drive due to that. The car's engine was really damaged either from the amount of mileage it had on it (294,490 miles) or the crash. The right tierod was loose, coolant hoses and adapter leaking, power steering fluid leaking, upper and lower motor mounts loose, windshield wipers needed to be replaced, the oil dipstick jammed into oil chamber, the "check engine" light being on wasn't a sensor as Leo claimed, it was REALLY engine problems as I said.
They had me fly down there for this car represented the way they'd said and it was only when I got there after spending all this money on plane flight, motel fees, etc. that I found out they were lying. I was stuck far away from home with no way to get home. I am 61 and disabled. I was very scared. I had gone down there thinking the car only had 77,000 miles. I NEVER would have flown to Florida for a car with 294,490 miles with major mechanical problems. I was pressured to "buy" the car ALL day in their offices while they spoke in Hebrew. I was assured by Sovereign's mechanic that the car was in great shape without engine or transmission problems. I told them I wanted another mechanic to see it but they refused saying the other mechanics would just lie because they knew them, etc. I asked over and over. I finally went with what the Dealer's mechanic said. He also said he ran the codes on the car and nothing came up. That was a lie because the "check engine" light was on. I drove it to Florida DMV and called Leo Shalom. I demanded a refund within ONE hour of paying for it and doing the paperwork which was also done by Sovereign. I bought it "as is" without them disclosing any crash, that it had been fleet car, that it was dangerous to drive and didn't meet basic specs which supposedly Florida doesn't have to abide by but North Carolina does. NC will not pass a car's Vehicle Insp with a "check engine" light on. Leo claimed the "check engine" light was really a sensor that needed to be reset, take it to any Auto Zone and it would be done. I still asked for my money back. He refused. I had foolishly paid the whole price rather than finance it. They were wearing Jewish religious garb and I am half-Jewish. When selling a car "as is" that is with FULL disclosure of ALL mechanical problems, the ACTUAL miles not what they've done to the Odometer to make it appear to have 77,000 miles it really didn't, it really being worth the KBB they claimed, etc. Auto Dealer fraud is as follows:
“Auto dealer fraud” is a term that describes deceptive and unlawful practices used by automobile dealers, at almost any stage of the vehicle purchase process. In other words, it is the sale or leasing of a vehicle without proper disclosure of known defects and/or dangerous conditions. Common examples of dealer fraud include the failure to disclose the vehicle’s previous use as a rental, existing frame damage, previous involvement in a collision, accurate condition of a vehicle, “salvage” title, odometer tampering, prior “lemon law” buy-back, etc. A consumer who has been a victim of dealer fraud is entitled to remedies under State and Federal Laws. Unfortunately, most consumers are not aware of the fact that they are victims of auto dealer fraud and when they do discover the fraud, they are unaware of their rights.
TYPES OF DEALER FRAUD--See Attached CarFax with CORRECT Vin. No. which shows the following:
•Non-disclosure of previous taxi, limo, and rental (corp. fleet car)
•Non-disclosure of frame damage (oil dipstick jammed into oil chamber; right tierod; upper and lower motor mounts)
•Non-disclosure of previous damage (accident, no frame damage) (from 2009 car wreck)
•Non-disclosure of salvage title
•Non-disclosure of accurate condition of vehicle (unsafe and/or material conditions) (right tierod, leaking coolant from hoses and adapter; leaking power steering fluid; major engine damage caused overheating)
•Non-disclosure of a “lemon law” buy-back
•Mileage or Odometer Fraud (claimed 77,000 miles but really was 294,490)
•Improper Certification of Used Cars
•Advertisement of special equipment or accessories (claimed it was Turbo when that doesn't work; claimed no major mechanical problems; claimed it had KBB it didn't; claimed it had mileage it didn't)
•“Bait and Switch” advertising practices
•Warranty Fraud (Sovereign said to buy from Seller Leo Shalom because he knew the real condition of the car and said I wouldn't make it down there within 30-days under warranty period which I couldn't because of the car's condition ALL of them had misrepresented online, in person, and by text. I demanded refund within 1 hour of buying because the "check engine" light was on and I said that was engine problems. I also said Odometer said 77,000 range but Florida Title said 294,000—same as CarFax I saw later.)
They violated the following laws: FTC regulations found at 16 CFR 455 (the Used Car Rule) related to this car's auto fraud. They violated FTC 16 CFR § 455.2 Consumer sales—window form. Link to an amendment published at 77 FR 73914, Dec. 12, 2012, violated 16 CFR § 455.3 Window form and 16 CFR § 455.4 Contrary statements. Any defense available under Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C.A. § 45(a)(1)) Background Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) (15 USC 45) prohibits ‘‘unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce.’’ The prohibition applies to all persons engaged in commerce . . . is also available under the FDUTPA. This case falls under FDUTPA §§501.201-501.213 and FDUTPA §501.277: (2) Any person who is willfully using, or has willfully used, a method, act, or practice in violation of this part, which method, act, or practice victimizes or attempts to victimize senior citizens or handicapped persons, and commits such violation when she or he knew or should have known that her or his conduct was unfair or deceptive, is liable for a civil penalty of not more than $15,000 for each such violation. I am BOTH (61 AND Disabled on SSDI). I also fall under the Car Dealer Consumer Fraud law. They already violated several Florida state and federal laws prior to violating state and federal odometer tampering lawsThey violated Florida State Odometer Fraud Statute 319.35 and Federal Odometer Tampering Law: 49 U.S.C. § 32703(2), 49 U.S.C. § 32703(4), and 49 U.S.C.§ 32709(b). 2015.
After getting refused a refund within ONE hour of buying the car (found out the Bill of Sale had wrong Vin No. on it too which may have been deliberate so I couldn't check the CarFax on it) I was forced to drive it home without knowing what was really wrong with it other than odometer didn't match title and "check engine" light being on which he said was a sensor. It overheated the whole time so obviously Leo Shalom and everybody at Sovereign knew the car had major engine problems but they had lied to me. Within 2 days of buying it I took it into see (((REDACTED))) in NC (after driving it from Florida with it overheating the whole time but the odometer still showing low miles so it shouldn't have been). I needed to have in writing what was wrong with it. I didn't know it was extremely dangerous to drive and I could have been killed with the loose tierod, leaking coolant and leaking power steering fluid ALL of which by law HAD to be disclosed but wasn't deliberately. I was referred by AA to a soldier/mechanic who supposedly owned a military-owned car repair garage. He did a handwritten list of all the problems wrong with the car. Unfortunately he raped me and stole the car repair money. The estimate of repairs to be done was the same as the NC Certified Mech's Evaluation which showed the soldier had never done the reports. I was so traumatized by the rape that I didn't look into all my options at that time other than to write to Sovereign Automotive and Financial LLC about their fraud and ask for help. I sent the letter twice, once in May and once in October. I never received a response. I NEVER AGREED TO BUY A DANGEROUS CAR WITH 294,490 MILES. The soldier/mech told me to register it. He didn't understand why I wasn't driving it around. I didn't know what was wrong except it was overheating and I didn't want to damage it further. I tried to get a receipt from the soldier/mechanic but he never did one. He did do a NC Veh Insp which showed the odometer as 77,349.9 which was the miles on it in April 2015. The Certified Mech's pics showed 79,717 miles. Neither matched up with Fla Title of 294,490 Actual Miles.
I left phone messages for Leo Shalom that this was fraud. ALL were ignored. They are apparently too dishonest to realize that the criminal penalties for odometer tampering ALONE are $5000+. But they violated NUMEROUS Florida State and Federal Law. I filed with FTC and will follow up. In 2015 I filed with Florida Atty Gen online but did not hear back. I don't have a driveable car. I didn't agree to buy a car with a ruined engine and high miles. I requested refund within 1 hr. I wrote them and asked them to do repairs under 30-day warranty which was ignored. Sovereign did ALL the paperwork. It was THEIR mechanic who said it had no engine or transmission problems knowing it did. Everybody at Sovereign had the opportunity to tell me that driving this car was dangerous and I could have been killed at any time doing so. The Certified Mechanic's Evaluation SAYS the car is dangerous. I couldn't afford to pay him for a year because the soldier/mechanic and fraudulent car dealer/seller had every spare cent I had. I have no way to get out of the house and I needed to go to school, work, church, stores, etc.
Now I am dealing with a total lemon which violated numerous laws. I've just sent another demand letter from an Attorney because of this fraud but I expect that will be ignored too. I am filing with Florida DMV Odometer Fraud unit, another Atty Gen Rpt, Fla Highway Patrol, and others. However, I NEED a running car NOW which is why I bought that one after they pressured me all day. It would have cost $1000+ to get last minute planefare back home plus motel fees, gas etc. I want ALL my money for ALL of this back. I believe that if I sued with a jury trial for a great deal of money it would be granted. I never would have met a Sex Predator/mech if I hadn't been told that the "check engine" light was just a sensor and take it in to be reset. I want a full refund plus whatever I spent on repairs, motel fees, and gas.