Mike
Radford,#2Consumer Suggestion
Sat, February 28, 2004
First send a certified letter, return receipt requested to the Toyota bank stating that: --You never co-signed for this loan. --The dealer used your name fraudulently. --You have filed a police report on the matter (enclose copy of police report). --Everything related to this loan is to be deleted from your credit reports as soon as possible, but within 30 days in any case. --They are not to attempt to collect any money from you for this loan, or include your name should they transfer it to any other party for collection. Next contact all the 3 credit reporting agencies and dispute the loan as "Not Mine" because it isn't. With any luck, the loan should disappear from your credit file within a month, and you'll be qualified for your own car. Now this is very important: DO NOT GO TO STERLING TOYOTA! You have firsthand knowledge that they are CROOKED AS HELL and should be in jail by now. Since the case is 2 years old I can see why lawyers are reluctant to deal with it, but if you can find Jeff and the right lawyer you should be able to sue him and the dealer for enough to buy a nice new car (from another dealer) outright. Shop at banks and credit unions for car loans before going to any dealer. Then you will know how much car you can finance. Concentrate your negotiating efforts at the dealer on getting the lowest cash price. Refuse all extra warranties and silly added charges. Don't tell them you have a loan already, but when they try to lead you into the den of inequities that is the finance office, you just tell them "No thanks, I'll have my bank give you a check for the price we agreed." The dealer really cannot give you a better deal on financing than a bank can. They have to get it from a bank, and they expect to mark up the rate and get a profit for their efforts.