Massachusetts Lawyer Normal Maura Healey warned automobile consumers Wednesday to concentrate on sellers who might not precisely promote automobile costs or honor these costs.

Healey’s workplace issued an advisory in response to an uptick in shopper complaints that allege misleading pricing practices by sellers. About 74 such complaints have been filed previously 12 months.

The workplace stated it acquired studies of some dealerships promoting particular costs on-line however denying them as soon as automobile consumers obtained to the shop. In some instances, sellers had confirmed the marketed worth in an e mail, the complaints stated. Different automobile consumers reported sellers not honoring buyout provisions in lease agreements.

“Buying a automobile is a big monetary funding for a lot of people and households,” Healey stated in a press release. “After a surge in complaints to my workplace, we’re ensuring shoppers are conscious of their rights underneath the legislation, and that auto dealerships know our workplace will take motion in opposition to these misleading gross sales ways.”

A provide scarcity of recent and used automobiles paired with excessive demand has pushed up costs over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Healey’s workplace stated this has created an surroundings ripe for auto promoting and pricing violations.

Dealerships cannot refuse to promote a automobile for the worth marketed and so they “should clearly and conspicuously disclose all included and excluded fees” in marketed costs, plus expiration dates of these costs, the lawyer common’s workplace stated in a launch.

Automotive consumers who assume a dealership has violated auto promoting, pricing and leasing legal guidelines can file a criticism with the state lawyer common’s Client Advocacy and Response Division. A assist hotline can be accessible at 617-727-8400.