NY car dealers told to stop misleading Cash For Clunker ads

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has issued cease-and-desist orders to nearly 40 auto dealerships in his state, accusing them of misleading and deceptive advertising practices in their advertisements about the Cash For Clunkers program.

What? Car dealers misleading people? What's next? Baseball players using steroids?

Cuomo's office claims that the ads mislead consumers by failing to mention all the specific requirements and complexities of the Cash For Clunkers program.

"This new federal program not only allows consumers to buy new vehicles that they otherwise might not be able to afford, but creates an enormous incentive for people to choose environmentally-sound, fuel-efficient cars," said Cumo in a statement.

"This program could be a boon for both our economy and our environment, as well as provide much-needed financial assistance to consumers. Businesses that fail to advertise honestly and try to take advantage of this federal program will face legal action by my office."

We've seen similar tactics from real estate agents advertising the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit in their listings.

With the Cash for Clunkers program and the First-Time buyer program, here's the thing to remember: It's not the car dealership or agent helping you out. It's the government. Pretty much every new car dealership is participating in the Cash For Clunkers program, so you shouldn't let any dealership convince you to buy from it because of the deal.

And if you want to learn about the Cash For Clunkers program, you should go straight to the source: the Car Allowance Rebates System's Frequently Asked Questions page.