Minnesota Used-Car Dealer Agrees to $100,000 Settlement

A Minnesota used-car dealer has agreed to pay 100-thousand dollars and change its sales practices to resolve consumer-protection allegations.

Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office accused Midwest Car Search and owner Scott Spiczka of falsely advertising vehicles as certified and adding expensive service contracts to purchases without customers’ consent.

The 2024 lawsuit also alleged the dealership withheld legally required warranties, failed to provide understandable Buyer’s Guide disclosures and operated under an unregistered trade name targeting Spanish-speaking customers.

The settlement permanently prohibits those practices. The Attorney General’s Office says financial records showed 100-thousand dollars was the maximum the defendants could pay. Minnesota Attorney General’s Office