WASHINGTON, D.C. NEWS – Local car dealership faces lawsuit for overcharging and deceptive practices

Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer

The Virginia-based Lindsay Automotive Group is facing legal action for allegedly misleading consumers with false advertising and overcharging. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Maryland Attorney General filed charges against Lindsay Ford, Motors, and Chevrolet dealerships, along with part-owner and president Michael Lindsay, COO John Smallwood, and former general manager Paul Smyth.

The lawsuit accuses the dealerships of bait-and-switch advertising, unauthorized add-ons, and deceptive financing practices that cost consumers millions of dollars. Mary Weaver, a staff attorney at the FTC, stated, “The complaint reveals years of deceptive practices that tricked consumers and undermined fair competition.”