Scam Alert: 97 Car Dealers Warned By Federal Trade Commission

FTC Warns 97 Auto Dealership Groups About Deceptive Pricing

The Federal Trade Commission has sent letters to 97 auto groups nationwide, warning them that the prices they advertise must be the total price including all mandatory fees that consumers will be required to pay to purchase any vehicle.

The letters encourage dealers to review their advertising and pricing practices, including ensuring advertised prices include all fees consumers will be required to pay when buying a vehicle. At a minimum, this includes evaluating advertised prices to ensure they match actual prices charged to consumers. The FTC say they will continue to monitor the marketplace and will take additional action as warranted to ensure compliance with the FTC Act and other rules the Commission enforces.

“The Trump-Vance FTC is committed to preventing auto dealers from misleading consumers with low advertised prices and then adding on mandatory fees at the end of the purchasing process,” said Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC will remain focused on monitoring auto dealerships to ensure that the market functions efficiently and competitors are transparently competing on price.”

Who Runs The FTC?

The President appoints five FTC Commissioners. Only three can be of the same political party. Trump fired the two Democrats, and one Republican (Melissa Holyoak) left to become a U.S. Attorney, leaving two Republicans. One of the fired Democrats (Rebecca Kelly Slaughter) sued and the case remains pending for review at the Supreme Court.

The letters are part of the FTC’s ongoing work to ensure price transparency across multiple markets, including rental housing, ticketing and hotels, grocery and delivery services, and auto sales and leasing. To help support affordability in the marketplace, the agency is dedicated to ensuring that consumers only pay the advertised price for products and services, and are not subject to undisclosed fees, hidden charges or other illegal conduct.

The letters sent to the auto dealers cite several examples of illegal pricing practices in the auto industry including:

advertising a price that does not reflect all required fees,
advertising a price that reflects rebates or discounts not available to all consumers,
advertising a price that fails to take into account the amount of an additional required down payment,
conditioning the advertised price on consumers using dealer financing,
requiring consumers to buy additional items not reflected in the advertised price, and
advertising unavailable or non-existent vehicles.

The letters also note several pending actions the FTC has brought to address deceptive pricing practices in the auto industry including cases against Lindsay Chevrolet, Leader Automotive Group and Asbury Automotive Group.

Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.

Editor's Note: As this is only a warning letter from the FTC, and the makeup of the FTC Commissioner being only 2, and both Trump appointees, it is our opinion nothing will change anytime soon at auto dealerships, notwithstanding the decades long practice of advertising prices lower than consumers can actually buy the vehicle. But, it will be interesting to see which, if any dealership, will change their advertising to reflect the actual price.

Ernest Lester Munter Dies At 78

Ernest Lester Munter, Jr. age 78 passed away in Advent Health Hospital in Tampa on March 22, 2026.

A funeral service to celebrate Ernest's life will be held Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in Faith Lutheran Church in Clewiston, where a visitation will be one hour before the service. 

Ernest will be laid to rest next to his wife, in Ridgelawn Cemetery.

Scam Alert - The $300,000 Logistics Job That Doesn’t Exist

How High-Paying Transportation Offers Are Being Used to Scam Job Seekers

In recent years, a new type of employment scam has been spreading across email, LinkedIn, and job boards like Indeed advertising high-paying transportation or logistics manager positions promising salaries of $200,000 to $300,000 or more.

Indeed shows 8,974 jobs, with 118 "available" in Fort Myers, Florida for example. ZipRecruiter shows more than 60 jobs in Fort Myers with a salary of $52,000 to $142,000, a far cry below the $300,000 some ads are promising.

At first glance, these offers appear legitimate, often using real company names, professional language, and detailed job descriptions. But beneath the surface, many are carefully constructed frauds designed to exploit job seekers. Some indications show those on Indeed may be up to 90% fake.

Why Logistics Jobs Are Being Targeted In Scam Operations

Transportation and logistics roles are particularly vulnerable because:

They involve high-value goods and financial transactions
Many positions can be remote or hybrid
Job titles like “logistics manager” or “supply chain director” sound credible at high salaries

Scammers exploit this by offering unrealistic compensation for relatively vague responsibilities which is one of the most common warning signs of a job scam.
The Typical Scam Pattern

These scams tend to follow a predictable script:

1. Unsolicited Offer

Victims receive a message saying their resume was “recommended,” even if they never applied. (Penske Truck Leasing)

2. Extremely High Pay

Offers may promise: $200,000–$300,000 salaries with bonuses or commissions and minimal experience requirements, Such “too good to be true” pay is a major red flag (ricebowl.my).

3. Minimal or Fake Interview

Some victims are “hired” after: a short chat, a text-based interview, or no interview at all

What Happens Next

Once trust is established, the scam shifts into exploitation including financial theft as victims may be asked to:

pay for “training” or “equipment”
deposit fake checks and send money onward

Identity Theft

Scammers request: Social Security numbers or bank details, and copies of IDs

Criminal Involvement (Reshipping Scams)

In logistics-specific scams, victims are sometimes used as: “package managers” which are intermediaries receiving and forwarding goods that often can unknowingly involve the victim in stolen merchandise operations. The "Logistics Manager" working remotely, often from home, receives packages containing stolen or illicit goods and repackages them for shipment elsewhere.

Real-World Scale of the Problem

Employment scams are widespread: Around 14 million people are targeted yearly, with billions in losses (Simply Biotech)

Scammers frequently impersonate real logistics companies using fake websites and emails (Penske Truck Leasing)

Key Warning Signs

Be cautious if a job offer includes: Salary far above industry norms, vague or unclear job duties, and generic email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo). Other signs are requests for money or personal data, immediate hiring without proper vetting.

Why These Scams Work

These schemes succeed because they target people seeking better income, professionals transitioning careers, or retirees or part-time job seekers.

Scammers rely on urgency, excitement, and the appeal of high income with low friction.

How to Protect Yourself

Verify the company through its official website. Confirm recruiter emails match the company domain. Never send money to get a job. Be skeptical of unusually high salaries. Insist on a real interview process.

Bottom Line

The promise of a $300,000 logistics job is often not an opportunity, but a trap. Even large companies will only pay around $90,000 for such transportation logistics manager jobs.

In legitimate transportation and supply chain roles, salaries are tied to experience, responsibility, and industry standards. When an offer dramatically exceeds those norms with little scrutiny, it’s not a breakthrough, it’s a warning.

10 Wealthy Trump Officials In Multiple Government Positions

In Donald Trump’s second administration , a noticeable pattern has been officials holding multiple roles at the same time (“dual-hatting”). Here are the clearest documented examples based on reporting and how wealthy some are:

Major officials with multiple jobs

1. Marco Rubio is one of the most extreme cases who held up to four roles simultaneously. He is worth an estimated low millions or less:

Secretary of State
Acting National Security Adviser
Acting Administrator of USAID
Acting U.S. Archivist

2. Todd Blanche

Deputy Attorney General
Acting Librarian of Congress 

3. Russ Vought

Director of Office of Management and Budget
Acting head of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

4. Daniel Driscoll

Secretary of the Army
Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

5. Sean Duffy worth estimated $1–3 million range. Wealth mainly from Fox News career and real estate

Secretary of Transportation
Acting NASA Administrator

6. Jamieson Greer

U.S. Trade Representative
Acting head of Office of Special Counsel (and other oversight roles)

7. Jim O'Neill

Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services
Interim Director of the CDC

8. Scott Bessent, worth at least $521 million (official disclosure) and wealthiest by far on this list

Treasury Secretary
Acting IRS Commissioner

9. Kash Patel

FBI Director
(Previously) also acting head of ATF for a period

10. Jay Bhattacharya likely worth in $1–5 million range (estimate). Based on: Stanford professor salary, consulting and academic work.

Director of NIH
Acting Director of CDC (temporary overlap))

This practice of being appointed to multiple official positions in government is often called “dual-hatting.” It frequently involves “acting” roles, which don’t always require Senate confirmation and can be temporary but sometimes last months.

Critics argue it can lead to a concentration of power, reduced oversight, conflicts of interest, and overextension of officials

Supporters argue it speeds up staffing, keeps trusted people in key roles, and avoids bureaucratic delays.

FLHSMV Warns Motorists of New Scam Alert

TALLAHASSEE Fla. ~ The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is warning motorists of an ongoing fraudulent scheme involving counterfeit court notices that falsely claim to originate from Florida county courts and related judicial offices. These documents assert that recipients have outstanding traffic or toll violations and demand immediate payment.

The fraudulent notices closely resemble official government correspondence and may include:References to Florida Statutes and fabricated case numbers
Threats of license suspension, registration holds, or default judgment
QR codes directing recipients to unauthorized payment portals
Unsolicited “hearing dates” or instructions to remit funds immediately

These communications are not issued by any Florida court, clerk’s office, or state agency. Residents are reminded that official government entities do not request payment through QR codes, third‑party links, or unverified online platforms.

REMEMBER: FLHSMV will never contact you via text message demanding payment or threatening suspension or arrest.

If you receive a suspicious message:Do not click any links.
Do not share personal or financial information.
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission and local law enforcement immediately.