A lawsuit has been filed against Mid-Island Hyundai, LLC, and Hyundai Capital America, alleging deceptive practices in connection with the purchase of an automobile. Plaintiff Patricia Lee McDonald claims that the defendants inflated the price of the vehicle and included additional products without her consent.
According to the complaint, McDonald purchased a 2024 Hyundai Kona from Mid-Island Hyundai in November 2024. According to the complaint, she agreed to purchase the vehicle for $35,000 under specific financing terms. Upon reviewing the Retail Installment Simple Finance Charge Agreement (RISC), she alleges she discovered discrepancies, including an inflated cash price and the inclusion of add-ons such as a service contract and GAP insurance. The complaint states that none of the documents were reviewed or explained to her prior to signing.
McDonald alleges violations of the federal Truth in Lending Act (TILA), the New York Motor Vehicle Retail Installment Sales Act (NY MVRISA), and New York General Business Law sections addressing deceptive trade practices and false advertising. She claims that the dealership’s conduct caused financial harm and was done willfully and in bad faith. The lawsuit seeks statutory and actual damages, declaratory and injunctive relief, and attorney fees.
In her TILA claim, McDonald alleges the defendants failed to provide clear disclosures of loan terms, resulting in misstated finance charges and sale prices. Under NY MVRISA, she contends that the dealership’s conduct invalidates its ability to collect any credit service charge. She further alleges deceptive trade practices under N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 349(h), asserting that the conduct affected consumers generally.
McDonald also asserts a claim under N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 350 for false advertising, alleging that the advertised vehicle prices were not honored unless customers agreed to purchase additional products. Finally, she claims that Mid-Island Hyundai committed common law fraud by misrepresenting the vehicle’s pricing and financing terms.
The plaintiff is represented by attorney Robert J. Nahoum of The Law Offices of Robert J. Nahoum P.C. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York under Case No. 2:25-cv-03683.