Attorney General Koons Kia to repay $1M in hidden fees, freight overcharges to buyers; Cover AG costs; No fines or penalties

[Editor]

Attorney General Frosh Announces Settlement with Koons Kia

Dealer Will Return Fees Not Included in Advertised Price and Improper Freight Charges to Consumers

BALTIMORE (April 19, 2022) – Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh announced today that his Consumer Protection Division has entered into a settlement with Koons of Reisterstown Road, Inc., the owner of the Koons Kia dealership located in Owings Mills, Maryland. The settlement addresses allegations that Koons Kia charged consumers hidden fees not included in its advertised prices, and it collected fees for shipping their vehicles (known as “freight charges”) from consumers, although the shipping cost was already included in the advertised price of the vehicle.

The settlement requires Koons Kia to stop charging car purchasers fees, other than taxes or title fees, if the fees were not included in the advertised price for a vehicle. The dealership also agreed not to charge consumers for shipping if such freight charges were already included in any advertised price for the vehicle. The company also agreed to return all fees it collected from consumers other than taxes and title fees that were not included in the advertised price of the vehicle, as well as all amounts it collected for freight charges that were already included in the advertised price of the vehicle.

The Attorney General estimates that, as a result of the settlement, more than $1 million will be returned to consumers. Koons Kia also agreed to pay the Division $100,000 for its costs incurred in investigating the matter.

“Car dealers must honor the price they advertise for their vehicles,” said Attorney General Frosh. “I am glad that Maryland consumers will receive refunds for the fees that they paid above the advertised price.”

Consumers who are owed refunds under the settlement do not need to do anything; they will be contacted directly by the Consumer Protection Division.

Consumers who experience problems with their automobile purchase, or any other consumer transaction, may contact the Attorney General’s Office by calling 410-528-8662 or 888-743-0023, email consumer@oag.state.md.us, or file a complaint online at www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov.

 

[nobody really]

Those people are in for a windfall. i got my settlement from a class action suit against wells fargo or some bank. Check was 1.38.

 

[PrchJrkr]

Those people are in for a windfall. i got my settlement from a class action suit against wells fargo or some bank. Check was 1.38.

I was caught up in something with my mortgage (maybe Countrywide?) and received 2 checks for something like $48 a piece. I was shocked. I think I got 2 because wifey was on the mortgage and now deceased. They didn't bounce. I was more shocked.

 

[David]

This father & son team is very good at providing Retail car sales insider info. "Pops" spent most of his career as a sales or general manager in dealerships across the USA. He is retired now. If you're looking to buy a car, or just want to keep up on all of the shady dealings with car dealerships, check these guys out.

 

[black dog]

When my mother sold real estate in Annapolis she sold Jimmy Coons jr a piece of property.
He asked her to work for them only as there agent. She politely turned him down.
Years later she said he was the oiliest man she had ever met.

 

[Clem72]

Those people are in for a windfall. i got my settlement from a class action suit against wells fargo or some bank. Check was 1.38.

Sony paid me like $65 because they disabled the Linux access that I never used in my PS3.

 

[David]

Those people are in for a windfall. i got my settlement from a class action suit against wells fargo or some bank. Check was 1.38.

They should get the full amount for which they were overcharged. This is not a class-action lawsuit where private attorneys will profit. The only private attorneys involved were the ones Koons had to hire to negotiate a deal with the state. As usual in these types of cases, the company admits no fault and suffers no financial or criminal penalties. Just the cost of doing business. They are part of a larger company and I'll bet the same crap is going on right now at other dealerships they own.