As a young, idealistic car salesperson, I had visions of changing the world. I thought I could change the auto industry and rehabilitate the image of car dealers. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that dream was likely what led me to start my radio show. I said from my early years that one day I would write a book and the title would be: Not All Liars Are Car Salesmen. I will continue to shine the spotlight on bad, deceptive dealerships and I will also continue to recommend the good ones, the honest ones.
Just last week I brought you the story of the Maryland car dealership group that was fined $3 million but was on the hook for as much as $75 million. The penalties are enough to shake every car dealer in America, especially the deceptive ones. Americans are predisposed to be leery of car dealer ads, but too often the public falls prey to many other industries that are just as bad. This is what I want to call your attention to today.
The Federal Trade Commission has made it clear: deceptive advertising in the auto industry is in its crosshairs. Dealers across the country are being warned—loudly—that the days of too-good-to-be-true pricing, undisclosed add-ons, and fine print gymnastics are coming to an end.
And you know what? That’s a good thing. The dealers who do things right are thrilled—the playing field is finally being leveled. But here’s the part that doesn’t sit right with me: why is the spotlight shining almost exclusively on car dealers, when this kind of behavior is happening everywhere?
I saw it myself the other night watching TV. An RV commercial came on, proudly claiming to be “the fastest growing RV company in the U.S.” flashing a monthly payment of $98. Ninety-eight bucks. For a new RV. That’ll get your attention. Sounds like a steal, right? I froze the TV and took a picture. Behind that $98-a-month graphic? An Airstream—what many consider the Rolls-Royce of travel trailers. A tandem-axle unit that looks to be around 30 feet long. According to Airstream, something like that starts around $187,000.
This is what you see on your TV:
This is the reality:
What’s actually behind that $98 payment is one very specific unit—just one—financed over 15 years, for a model that looks nothing like the shiny, decked-out Airstream shown on the screen. It’s the same playbook the FTC is now cracking down on in auto retail: lead with the dream, deliver something very different. In case your eyes didn’t catch it, here’s the fine print:
Payment based on a 2026 Forest River Aurora 13 RDX, STK#T130542 at 7.99% APR for 180-month term with $3,639 down. MSRP $21,323. Sale Price $13,995. Savings $7,328. All advertised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document processing charge, any electronic filing charge, and any emissions testing charge. Offers with approved credit for well-qualified buyers. See dealer for complete details. Pictures for illustration purposes only. Offer expires end of the month.
The disclaimer lays out a 15-year loan on a $14,000 trailer. But which month does the offer expire in? Is that stock number still available? And if it’s gone, what does the next one cost? The RV tied to that $98 payment isn’t 28 or 30 feet long like the one in the commercial—it’s 16 feet.
And it’s definitely not an Airstream. That’s not clever advertising—that’s misdirection. It’s exactly what regulators say they’re trying to stop.
So, here’s the truth: deceptive advertising isn’t a “car dealer problem.” It’s an advertising problem.
And if you think this is just happening in the car business, the Federal Trade Commission’s own actions say otherwise. Just last week, the FTC announced StubHub will refund $10 million to consumers over deceptive ticket pricing. This week, the agency is seeking public comment on new rules targeting hidden fees in online grocery and food delivery services after already taking action against companies like Grubhub and Instacart. In the housing market, the FTC recently sent out more than $47 million to consumers over undisclosed fees, and even the LASIK eye surgery industry has faced enforcement over bait-and-switch advertising. Different industries, same tactics—and consumers keep running into the same playbook.
Take airlines, for example. You see a $49 fare splashed across your screen, only to find out it applies to one flight at 5:30 a.m. on a Tuesday, doesn’t include a carry-on bag, and somehow turns into $137 by the time you check out. That’s not an accident—that’s strategy. The same thing happens in the furniture business, where “no payments for 5 years” sounds fantastic until you read the fine print and realize it’s deferred interest. Miss a payment or fail to pay it off in time, and suddenly you owe five years of back interest at a rate that would make a credit card blush.
Then there are lease offers on electronics or appliances. Ever see a $19.99-a-week deal? Do the math, and you’ll often find you’re paying double—or more—what the product is actually worth. But hey, the weekly number looks manageable, and that’s what gets people in the door. Even the cell phone companies aren’t innocent. “Free phone!” they say—until you realize you’re locked into a multi-year contract, trading in a perfectly good device, and committing to a premium plan that quietly pays for that “free” phone many times over.
Sound familiar?
It should, because this is exactly the behavior regulators are targeting in the auto industry: advertising that creates an expectation that doesn’t match reality.
Now, let me be clear—there have absolutely been bad actors in the car business. I spent decades in that world. I’ve seen it firsthand—and I still do today. Some dealers earned the scrutiny that’s coming their way. But many others have embraced transparency and are working hard to do things the right way.
Meanwhile, other industries are still running the same old shady plays, largely under the radar.
If the FTC truly wants to protect consumers—and I believe they do—then the approach needs to be broader. Because singling out one industry while ignoring identical tactics elsewhere doesn’t solve the problem. It just shifts the spotlight.
Consumers don’t care whether it’s a car, an RV, a couch, or a plane ticket. They just want the price they see to be the price they can actually get. And if the actual price isn’t appealing to the public, the seller has bigger problems that need to be addressed—so spend time on that instead of trying to deceive people.
That shouldn’t be too much to ask.
And to the Federal Trade Commission, if you’re going to demand honesty in advertising—and you should—then it ought to apply across the board. Not just to the folks selling cars, but to anyone selling anything, on any medium, at any time.
Because bait-and-switch isn’t just an auto industry issue.
It’s an American advertising issue.
