Automotive fraud scams drivers out of their hard-earned money and makes our roadways less safe. Nationwide, odometer rollbacks alone are responsible for an estimated $1 billion in lost value annually. These illegal rollbacks also prevent drivers from pursuing important maintenance and service work necessary to keep vehicles running safely.

To curb automotive fraud in Florida, this week, I partnered with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to launch #SteerClearofFraudOAG. This week-long awareness campaign is designed to provide Florida drivers information and resources to help them avoid becoming a victim of automotive fraud.

We launched the statewide campaign in Jacksonville, announcing more than $1.2 million in restitution to Florida drivers whose liens were not paid off on vehicles traded into a local dealership.

The million dollars in restitution is a result of our Consumer Protection investigation into Riverside Chevrolet. During the course of our investigation, the dealership was sold to new owners who worked with investigators and customers to resolve these matters. The previous owners are now permanently barred from owning, operating or managing an automobile dealership in Florida.

Our office also enforces Florida’s Lemon Law. Since the program’s inception in 1989, we have recovered more than $476 million in value for Florida drivers through Lemon Law arbitration.

These are just a few examples of the great work our attorneys and investigators are doing every day to protect drivers. Please check out the #SteerClearofFraudOAG campaign on Twitter by clicking here.

Working together, we will build a stronger, safer Florida.