What Is Auto Repair Fraud?
Almost everyone in California needs a car, but not all of us have the expertise and skills to know whether we’re being cheated. In fact, auto repair fraud is such a big problem in our state that we have a government agency to help: The California Bureau of Automotive Repair. This agency regulates tens of thousands of auto repair shops in our state and helps consumers get more than $5 million each year in refunds, repairs or adjustments. In California, auto repair fraud is illegal under the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, which prohibits unfair and deceptive business practices. When it comes to auto repair, you have 6 specific legal rights: Your Legal Right #1: You have the right to take your business elsewhere if you don’t like the shop’s initial estimate. You may still be charged a reasonable amount for the estimate. Your Legal Right #2: Shops may not do any work until you authorize it. If they turn up another problem, you must authorize work on the new problem before they begin. Your Le
