FTC and Maryland announce settlement with Lindsay Auto Group: over $75 million in charges may be eligible for refunds

What this means for you

The complaint describes a pattern many car buyers report: an advertised price that grows once the deal moves to the finance office — through rebates most buyers don't qualify for, financing conditions, and add-on products. Add-ons like service plans, tire-and-rim protection, and GAP coverage are frequent flashpoints in auto disputes because they often surface in the final paperwork rather than the advertised deal. Enforcement cases like this one also show what regulators treat as the evidence: the ad, the buyer's order, and the finance contract, side by side.

The facts

• Consumers who were charged a total of more than $75 million between April 1, 2020 and December 31, 2025 may be eligible for redress under the settlement.per the FTC's April 2, 2026 announcement · as of April 2, 2026
• Lindsay will pay a $3.1 million civil penalty to the Maryland Attorney General's office.per the FTC's announcement · as of April 2, 2026
• The agencies' complaint alleged Lindsay told consumers they had to finance through the dealership to get the advertised price — including military buyers who already had financing from their military branch's credit union.per the FTC and Maryland AG complaint, as described by the FTC · as of April 2, 2026
• The proposed order requires Lindsay to provide the total price of the car, including all mandatory fees, to consumers looking to buy or lease a vehicle.per the FTC's announcement · as of April 2, 2026

What you can do

Comparing an advertised price against the final buyer's order line by line — and keeping dated copies of both — is what makes a pricing dispute concrete. Reading the itemized add-on lines on a finance contract before signing helps surface charges that were never discussed. For settlements like this one, the agencies administer any refund process, and the FTC posts claim information on its refunds page as it becomes available.