Responding to Illinois Attorney General Consumer Fraud Investigations for Auto Dealers

A letter, subpoena, or Civil Investigative Demand from the Illinois Attorney General can be as threatening to a dealership as a lawsuit—or more so. The Attorney General can seek broad injunctive relief, civil penalties, restitution, and changes to your business practices, often with significant publicity.

DiTommaso Lubin, P.C. defends businesses in consumer-fraud investigations by the Illinois Attorney General and other regulators, with a particular focus on auto, RV, motorcycle, boat, and airplane dealers.

Why Attorney General Investigations Are Different

Unlike private plaintiffs, the Attorney General has statutory authority to request documents and testimony even before filing a lawsuit, can seek penalties and injunctive relief designed to change your business practices going forward, and may coordinate with other regulators or attorneys general, creating multi-state exposure.

How a dealership responds at the very beginning of an investigation can influence whether the matter resolves quietly, results in a negotiated assurance of voluntary compliance, or escalates into a public enforcement action or class-action lawsuits.

Our Approach for Dealers and Dealer Groups

When a dealership receives an inquiry, subpoena, or draft complaint from the Illinois Attorney General, our Automotive Dealer Law Practice Group typically stabilizes the situation by identifying immediate deadlines and preservation obligations, advising on internal communications and messaging, and coordinating with your in-house team and outside advisors.

We then conduct a targeted internal review, analyzing the Attorney General’s theories and the statutes at issue, reviewing relevant sales, F&I, and advertising practices, and assessing potential exposure, including the risk of follow-on private litigation or class actions. Based on that assessment, we develop a response strategy, craft written responses and productions, identify remedial measures that may help resolve the matter, and negotiate with the Attorney General’s office to seek outcomes that protect your reputation and ability to operate.

Where appropriate, we coordinate with insurers to maximize defense-cost coverage and with any pending civil litigation to keep your overall strategy consistent.

Industry-Specific Knowledge for Dealerships

Because we routinely prosecute and defend auto-fraud, lemon-law, and warranty cases, we understand the kinds of practices that attract regulatory scrutiny—such as misleading certified-used-car programs; flood-vehicle and rebuilt-wreck issues; add-on products and F&I practices; and advertising and internet-sales representations. We use that knowledge to help dealers adjust policies where necessary while preserving legitimate, compliant business models.

Talk With Our Illinois Attorney General Investigation Defense Team

If your dealership or dealer group has received a subpoena, letter, or complaint from the Illinois Attorney General or another regulator, do not wait to get experienced counsel.

Call 630-333-0333 or contact attorney Peter S. Lubin or attorney James V. DiTommaso through our online contact form to arrange a free consultation with our Automotive Dealer Law Practice Group.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Contacting us does not create an attorney–client relationship. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.