Honest Abe Auto Sales agrees to payout over ‘dishonest and deceitful conduct’

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A used-car dealer with four Indianapolis locations has agreed to pay out $470,646 in settlements with 250 customers over what the Indiana Attorney General’s Office called “dishonest and deceitful conduct.”

The office and Indianapolis-based Sycamore Cos., doing business as Honest Abe Auto Sales, on July 7 signed a consent judgment in a civil case filed in Marion Superior Court 5. The attorney general’s office shared the information Tuesday.

The attorney general’s office alleged the dealer used bait-and-switch sales tactics, falsely advertised prices, and preyed on Hoosiers with subprime credit. The conduct was recorded as starting in February 2021.

A news release from the attorney general’s office said, “Honest Abe Auto Sales advertised specific prices on vehicles, but when consumers with subprime credit attempted to buy the vehicles, Honest Abe raised the prices by thousands of dollars. Honest Abe then failed to disclose the price increase as a cost of credit.”

The consent judgment also prevents Honest Abe Auto Sales from engaging in similar deceptive conduct in future advertising and sales. The dealer has locations at 3201 W. 16th St., 4401 N. Keystone Ave., 5520 W. Washington St., and 5433 Madison Ave.

The consent judgment also noted that the state government will cooperate with any IRS investigation of Sycamore Cos.

Statement

“We won’t tolerate businesses breaking the law and duping Hoosiers into paying higher prices than advertised. Regardless of their credit scores, consumers should never encounter bait-and-switch tactics in which prices change the second customers arrive in person.”

“Here we have a business that allegedly hid extra finance fees, staggering service charges, document costs and outright price markups. The fact they call themselves ‘Honest Abe’ just makes the facts of this case especially rich.”

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita