Latest news with #CBSNewsNewYorkInvestigates
CBS News
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Fraudulent auto loan reports to Federal Trade Commission on record pace in 2025
Americans are on pace to file the most fraudulent auto loan claims ever Americans are on pace to file the most fraudulent auto loan claims ever Americans are on pace to file the most fraudulent auto loan claims ever Americans are on pace to break an unfortunate record in 2025: the most complaints ever filed to the Federal Trade Commission in a single year about what they believe are fraudulent auto loans. The 21,000-plus reports so far this year are a continuation of a troubling increase. Data analyzed by CBS News New York shows the FTC fielded more than 60,000 complaints of allegedly fraudulent auto loans last year. The complaints steadily climbed each quarter of 2024, resulting in a 16% year-end increase over 2023. And it's still climbing: the 21,400 complaints from the first quarter of this year put 2025 on pace for the highest yearly total on record. One Brooklyn man shared his story with CBS News New York Investigates. Steve Simon's problem with a Queens dealership Brooklyn resident Steven Simon said he hopes his hard work as a delivery truck driver can lead to a ride for himself. He's looking to buy a used vehicle, which is why he visited Northstar Mitsubishi in Queens last fall. He said he gave the dealership permission to run his credit to see if he could lease an Outlander Sport. "I didn't like the interest rate on it, so I denied it, left, went home," Simon said. However, Simon said he kept getting notifications over the next four days about hard inquiries on his credit. Then, nearly three weeks after his trip to Northstar, which sells preowned cars from all makers, he got a letter from Ally Bank, saying he was listed and denied as the co-applicant for the lease of a Ford Expedition Max at Northstar with an applicant named Michelle. "I don't know no Michelle, no person like that, and if I'm not able to get a vehicle, I damn sure not gonna co-sign for someone else to get a vehicle," Simon said. He filed a report with the Queens district attorney because he says the dealership hasn't explained what happened. "I was kind of mad and trying to figure out, who can I call and who can I talk to try to investigate these people? Because, you know, I didn't give permission for that and that was like ruining my credit score," Simon said. "It was crazy for me." Some of the dealership's employees couldn't explain it to CBS News New York Investigates, either. "I'm not gonna talk publicly about somebody's credit. if there's a mistake or something we're willing to fix it," one employee said. Reporter Tim McNicholas attempted to hand that employee a business card so his boss could get back to CBS News New York Investigates, but the employee just walked away. McNicholas never heard from Northstar Mitsubishi's owner. Contact the FTC and consider involving police, consumer advocate says Lucas Gutterman is a consumer advocate with the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, or PIRG. "That's pretty surprising to me," Gutterman said of Simon's situation. "If it had been accepted and someone who is a criminal had gotten access to that line of credit, that could cause some serious damage by affecting the credit score or just affecting the debts that this person owed. "It's important that this person that experienced that, they should file a complaint with the FTC and consider calling the cops as well," Gutterman added. As for credit inquiries, it's not uncommon for dealerships to run your credit with multiple lenders if you're doing the financing through the dealership. Most credit bureaus have rules that will bundle hard inquiries within 14 days into one inquiry, so it won't hurt your credit score as much. Still, a hard inquiry will likely affect your credit score for about a year.
CBS News
27-01-2025
- CBS News
Loophole in New York drugged driving law remains open, frustrating police and victims
NEW YORK -- For months, CBS News New York Investigates has shared stories of New Yorkers whose lives were altered by impaired drivers that, at times, the state won't prosecute. The push for action to close a dangerous loophole continues. Drugged driver ended an NYPD officer's career Back in October 2021, an officer was investigating a crash between a car and a truck in Brooklyn when he was hit by a truck. His legs were crushed and he was heard on video requesting help. "Call me a bus. I'm all right. Call me a bus," he said, adding later, "Somebody help me sit up." "God, I thought he moved his car," the visibly alarmed truck driver said. As the injured officer was rushed to the hospital, police administered a field sobriety test. The truck driver was instructed what to do, but had trouble keeping his balance. The loophole in New York To charge an impaired driver in New York, police must name the exact drug ingested, and confirm it's on a pre-existing list, created by lawmakers. If they can't, law enforcement says alleged drugged drivers are off the hook. Last year, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board told CBS News New York Investigates that only four states have that loophole. The chair, the victims of drugged drivers, and law enforcement all say New York must close it. "If you see impairment roadside, and you can't name that drug, the current law wants you to let that person go," said NYPD Det. Timothy Kessler, the department's citywide DWI coordinator. Kessler has trained tens of thousands to detect drugged drivers. He says after the officer was hit by the truck driver in Brooklyn he had to retire. "It was very difficult. I mean, this was a young officer, started his career. Just to see somebody so reckless, somebody that's done it before," Kessler said. Back in 2015, that same truck driver got a field sobriety test after a crash in Queens. Kessler said the driver hit and killed a bicyclist while high. "An experienced drug user knows these issues and these problems that law enforcement faces, so they lie to us," Kessler said. To pin down the drug the driver allegedly took in the 2021 incident, Kessler said police conducted additional tests and were only able to charge the driver by chance. "He was only admitting to his prescription medications, leaving out the illicit drugs that he was taking," Kessler said. "Since one of those drugs was on the list, we were able to ultimately charge him." That truck driver was eventually convicted of driving while impaired by drugs, second offense. Currently, he's serving his sentence in Brooklyn, and he could be released by the end of the year. The driver was also sentenced to 1 1/2 to 3 years in the 2015 case, where the bicyclist was killed. Investigates has been after top N.Y. lawmakers for months CBS News New York Investigates repeatedly asked Gov. Kathy Hochul's office if she wanted to revise the law, but it would only say public safety was her top concern, "...which is why she's taken action to stop car thefts and crack down on 'ghost vehicles.'" To get a clarification on her stance, CBS News New York Investigates caught up with the governor after an unrelated press conference earlier this month. "Do you want to close this loophole? Is this a priority for you? Or is there a reason to leave the loophole open?" reporter Mahsa Saeidi asked. "No, I don't think we should have a loophole that allows people who are under the influence to get behind the wheel. Do not believe that," Hochul said. "But the governor needs the Legislature to act as well. "Sometimes, it takes a few times to get it right, but we've not ignored that issue because it's critically important," she added. "This loophole has been in place for 20 years. Is this a priority for you this upcoming legislative session?," Saeidi asked. "I'll continue to focus on it. We'll work the hardest we can with the Legislature to get it finished," Hochul said. Many drugs aren't being tested for, Kessler says Two weeks later, in her State of the State address, the governor made no mention of strengthening drugged driving laws. However, in the corresponding book, on page 45, it states the governor "will propose legislation to close critical loopholes, such as expanding the universe of prosecutable substances." "There's a large amount of drugs that, one, aren't being tested for, that aren't on that list, that people are taking commonly every single day, that's impairing them to the extent that they're unable to operate that vehicle safely and they're on the roadways next to us," Kessler said. The governor has prioritized the issue for a legislative fix by putting it in the budget bill. The next question is: what do lawmakers want to do? For weeks, CBS News New York has reached out to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. We've called, emailed, and sent messages to both leaders, their office, and staff, but the lawmakers have not responded. People who've lost loved ones to drugged drivers want answers, and so far these lawmakers have had no comment.
