News for the ‘red flag rules are not rocket science’ Category

rex auto man reminds all car dealers to be careful with replacement cats ( catalytic converters )

AutoZone Settlement Totals $90,000

SACRAMENTO – The California Air Resources Board reached a settlement with AutoZone West, Inc. for $90,000 in March for selling non certified aftermarket catalytic converters from AutoZone stores in California.

An ARB investigation showed that AutoZone, headquartered in Memphis, TN, sold non-certified catalytic converters from its California stores between January and March of 2009.

“Vehicle emissions are the main contributor of smog-forming pollutants in California,” said Chairman Mary D. Nichols. “Automotive retailers are required to stock products that meet California’s clean air goals.”

As of January 1, 2009, all new aftermarket catalytic converters sold or installed in California must be able to comply with certification emissions standards for five years or 50,000 miles. Manufacturers must first demonstrate through emission testing that the catalytic converters meet the required performance levels and obtain ARB approval before they can legally offer units for sale in California.

AutoZone paid $90,000 in penalties to the California Air Pollution Control Fund for funding projects and research to improve California’s air quality. In addition to the penalties, AutoZone took quick action to remove any remaining non-certified product from its California stores, and it is enhancing its restricted product system to prevent similar violations in the future.

California’s air quality measures are in place to prevent excessive emissions that can negatively affect public health. Ozone, also known as smog, can cause difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, coughs, heightened asthma rates, cardiopulmonary ailments and premature deaths.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California Environmental Protection Agency. ARB’s mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health based air quality standards.

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rex auto man reminds car dealers just what is a red flag ???

So, what is a red flag ?

A red flag is any specific activity, practice or pattern which indicates the possible existence of fraud or identity theft.

A red flag does not always indicate fraud or identity theft. In most instances a customer will have a legitimate reason for the discrepancy.

Some examples of red flags, a suspicious drivers license, an out of state address, multiple credit applications with the same address, multiple accounts opened by the same customer.

The red flag rules apply to all businesses who originate and/or maintain “covered accounts “. These covered accounts include all installment sales and lease transactions, whether they are in house or sold to an outside vendor.

By offering these “covered accounts” to your customer you are required to meet and obey the red flag rules. A procedural audit of all business procedures will determine what red flag rules you will have to address.

The red flag rules have penalties for non-compliance which are severe. Failure to build and analyze your dealer transactions with an Identity Theft Detection Program could result in a civil penalty of $ 2500. per customer.

If you are warned by the FTC and still do not comply the penalty increases to $ 11,000 per customer. This could in a very short time bankrupt any dealership.

The Identity Theft Detection Program must prevent, detect and mitigate all potential identity theft issues in regards to “ covered accounts”.

IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS HANDLING NON – PUBLIC INFORMATION

RED FLAG COMPLIANCE IS MANDATORY BEFORE JUNE 1, 2010

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rex the automated red flag man advises beware of this reno man arrested for curbstoning by the nevada dmv

Douglas man arrested,

charged with acting as

car dealer without license

( CURBSTONER IN CAR DEALER LICENSE SLANG )

November 18, 2009

  • A 54-year-old Douglas County man was arrested Wednesday on a warrant charging him with selling cars with bogus odometer readings and acting as a car dealer without a license.

    Nevada Department of Motor Vehicle’s Compliance Enforcement Division investigators said they had received several complaints alleging William Wilkins was selling cars in which odometer readings were not accurate, and that he was not a licensed car dealer.

    Investigators worked with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office which resulted in Wilkins being charged in a warrant with six counts of obtaining money under false pretenses, one count of concealment of a salvage brand on a title and one count of being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.

    No further details were known about the allegations, or the nature of how the cars were being sold.

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  • rex automated man just lovs lovs lovs electric cars

    Electric Cars Set To Tiptoe Into Showrooms
    by Karl Greenberg


    RELATED ARTICLES



    If rumors of the demise of the electric car are exaggerated, so, perhaps, are market opportunities for such cars — at least in the short term. Still, several automakers from top-tier brands to start-ups are preparing to roll them quietly into showrooms in the coming months.

    Nissan last week unveiled its first electric car, the Leaf, in Los Angeles. The company, which says Leaf will be the first mass-market electric car, plans to begin selling it next year. It will not divulge the sticker price yet, but says it will be commensurate with that of a family sedan. Nissan is beginning national promotions via a college tour and a student competition on www.Facebook.com/nissan. The tour will make stops in 22 cities, 11 states, the District of Columbia, and Vancouver, Canada.

    Among major automakers, GM’s Chevy unit will begin selling a plug-in hybrid — the Volt — next year. Toyota is looking at a plug-in Prius, and Ford a plug-in version of the Escape hybrid. And at least three of the vehicles are from start-ups: Tesla, Coda Automotive, and the high-end Fisker — all based in Southern California.

    Tesla has been selling a $100,000 electric roadster since 2008 and has dealerships in nine cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago and Miami. The automaker plans to begin selling a more affordable all-electric sedan in 2012. Coda, which plans to start selling its first car — a mass-market four-door — in 2010, recently hired automotive veteran Kerri Martin as CMO. Martin helped launch BMW’s Mini division in 2000, and was most recently director of brand innovation and marketing communications at Volkswagen.

    Kara Saltness, marketing and communications director at Coda, tells Marketing Daily that the company’s first car will also be priced in the mid-sedan range. She says the company plans to sell 1,600 of the cars in California next year, and will ramp up to build capacity for 20,000 vehicles in 2011 “if there is market demand.” She adds that California is potentially a strong market statewide because of city and county incentives and a green mindset. Portland, Ore., Seattle, and Austin, Texas, are other strong potential markets.

    Wes Brown of market consultancy Iceology, which is working on marketing strategy for Coda Automotive, says dealer revenue will be an issue with electrics because — unlike gasoline engines with their thousands of moving parts that wear out, break down and otherwise falter over time — electric motors just keep going and going.

    “Auto dealers make money at back end — in service,” he says. “It’s a bit like Lord & Taylor. You pay for the suit, but you also pay for alterations.” Brown, who says maintenance service on a car can be 20% of auto retail revenue, says higher sticker price is the only way to get dealers more money on electric-car sales.

    The other problem is finding stations to get an electric fill-up. “The problem is range, charging time and infrastructure,” he says, noting that both San Francisco and Portland, Ore. are racing to develop an electric-car infrastructure. He says that although battery technology that improves range and longevity and reduces charge time is accelerating, “we are five years, at least, from having [electric-car charging] infrastructure on the West Coast.”

    Brown says the initial market for electric cars will be affluent, highly educated early adopters. “These are people willing and able to make those sacrifices to better the world, because you are dealing with people who say climate change and the environment are leading issues. You’ll have almost every mass-carmaker looking at some vehicle like this in the next three to five years.”

    good car dealer education leads to red flag compliance + we make it simple for you

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    red flag rules compliance is mandatory in california for all car dealer license holders offering credit per this dmv red flag rules memo

    Occupational Licensing Industry News OLIN 2009–11

    Red Flags Rule Compliance

    New Information

    Effective June 1, 2010, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will begin enforcement of the Red Flags Rule, a regulation issued under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), which is a federal law designed to enhance protection against identity theft.

    Questions and Answers

    Q. What is a red flag?

    A. A red flag is a warning sign that identifies a suspicious pattern, practice, or activity that indicates the possible existence of identity theft.

    Q. Does the Red Flags Rule list the identity theft warning signs?

    A. The Red Flags Rule lists the following identity theft warning signs:

    1. Alerts and notifications received from credit reporting agencies and third-party providers.

    2. The submission of suspicious documents or suspicious identifying information.

    3. Unusual or suspicious account activity.

    4. A concern shared by a customer, identify theft victim, or law enforcement.

    Q. Who must comply with the Red Flags Rule?

    A. The FTC requires all creditors who have covered accounts to comply with the Red Flags Rule. A creditor is an entity that regularly grants loans, arranges for loans or the extension of credit, or makes credit decisions. Covered accounts are primarily personal, family, or household accounts requiring multiple payments or transactions, such as an automobile loan or an account which has a foreseeable risk of identity theft.

    Q. Does the Red Flags Rule apply to vehicle dealers?

    A. If a dealer extends auto credit to consumers or arranges auto credit for consumers, the rule will most likely apply.

    Q. What is required?

    A. The Red Flags Rule requires the development and maintenance of a written Identity Theft Prevention Program (ITPP) to detect, prevent, and reduce the possibility of identity theft. The ITPP must include the following four elements:

    1. Reasonable policies and procedures to address the “red flags” of identity theft you may encounter in the day-to-day operation of your business.

    2. A plan to detect the red flags you’ve identified. For example: if you’ve identified fake IDs as a red flag, then you must have procedures in place to detect possible fake, forged, or altered identification, such as training staff.

    3. Appropriate actions to take when red flags are detected.

    4. Identify the persons responsible for implementing and administering the program and approval of the program by your board of directors. If you don’t have a board, approval of the ITPP is up to an appropriate senior-level employee. Your ITPP must also include plans for training staff and periodic re-evaluation to reflect new identity theft risks.

    Q. Will all ITPPs be the same?

    A. While some businesses and organizations may need a comprehensive program that addresses a high risk of identity theft, others with a low risk of identity theft could create a more streamlined program.

    Q. What if our company outsources or subcontracts some of our work?

    A. If you outsource or subcontract parts of your operation that would be covered by the Red Flags Rule, your ITPP must address how you’ll monitor your contractors’ compliance.

    Q. When is the deadline for implementation of the Red Flags Rule?

    A. The implementation deadline was November 1, 2008, but the FTC is delaying enforcement of the Red Flags Rule until June 1, 2010, to give creditors and financial institutions additional time to develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs. However, this delay does not prevent other federal agencies from enforcing the Red Flags Rule after November 1, 2008, for institutions subject to their oversight.

    Q. Who enforces the Red Flags Rule?

    A. The FTC, the federal bank regulatory agencies, and the National Credit Union Administration enforce the Red Flags Rule.

    Q. Are there any non-compliance consequences?

    A. 1. Federal Administrative Action: The FTC can enact penalties up to $2,500 per violation (15 United States Code §1681 (a)(2)(A)).

    2. State Enforcement: States can impose up to $1,000 per violation, plus attorneys’ fees.

    3. Civil Liability: Customers can also file civil suits to recover actual damages sustained due to a violation.

    Q. Where can I obtain a copy of the FTC guidelines?

    A. A copy of the guidelines may be obtained at:

    http://ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/redflagsrule/more-about-red-flags.shtm

    NOTE: This is only a summary of the Red Flags Rule. Please refer to the FTC guidelines for more comprehensive information.

    Background The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA) amended the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970 to combat identity theft and requires joint federal agencies to develop and implement regulations. The regulations are intended to protect consumers by requiring businesses to develop a written ITPP plan. These businesses include those that extend credit or maintain consumer accounts allowing multiple payments or transactions or maintain accounts that have a reasonably foreseeable risk of customer identity theft.

    Distribution

    Notification that this memo is available online at:

    dmv.ca.gov/pubs/olin/olin.htm

    was made via e-mail alert in June 2009 to the following:

    • All E-mail Alert subscribers. Contact For Red Flags Rule concerns or questions contact the FTC, at:

    RedFlags@ftc.gov
    MARY GARCIA,

    California DMV

    Chief

    Occupational Licensing

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    red flag rules compliance for car dealers is about good car dealer education

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    red flag rules deadline extended for car dealer license holders offering credit until june 1, 2020

    FTC Extends Enforcement Deadline for Identity Theft Red Flags Rule

    At the request of Members of Congress, the Federal Trade Commission is delaying enforcement of the “Red Flags” Rule until June 1, 2010, for financial institutions and creditors subject to enforcement by the FTC.

    CAR DEALERS WILL HAVE UNTIL JUNE 1, 2010 TO MEET RED FLAG RULES COMPLIANCE

    The Rule was promulgated under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, in which Congress directed the Commission and other agencies to develop regulations requiring “creditors” and “financial institutions” to address the risk of identity theft. The resulting Red Flags Rule requires all such entities that have “covered accounts” to develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs to help identify, detect, and respond to patterns, practices, or specific activities – known as “red flags” – that could indicate identity theft.

    The Commission previously delayed the enforcement of the Rule for entities under its jurisdiction until November 1, 2009. The Commission staff has continued to provide guidance to entities within its jurisdiction, both through materials posted on the dedicated Red Flags Rule Web site (www.ftc.gov/redflagsrule), and in speeches and participation in seminars, conferences and other training events to numerous groups. The Commission also published a compliance guide for business, and created a template that enables low risk entities to create an identity theft program with an easy-to-use online form. FTC staff has published numerous general and industry-specific articles, released a video explaining the Rule, and continues to respond to inquiries from the public. To assist further with compliance, FTC staff has worked with a number of trade associations that have chosen to develop model policies or specialized guidance for their members.

    On October 30, 2009, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the FTC may not apply the Red Flags Rule to attorneys. Today’s announcement that the Commission will delay enforcement of the Rule until June 1, 2010, does not affect the separate timeline of that proceeding and any possible appeals. Nor does it affect other federal agencies’ ongoing enforcement for financial institutions and creditors subject to their oversight.

    The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,700 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.

    MEDIA CONTACT:
    Office of Public Affairs
    202-326-2180

    http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/redflags.shtm

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    updated FAQ’s from the FTC regarding car dealer license red flag rules to go live june 1, 2010 +++ are you ready ???

    The Red Flags Rule:

    Frequently Asked Questions

    The Red Flags Rule requires many businesses and organizations to implement a written Identity Theft Prevention Program to detect the warning signs – or “red flags” – of identity theft in their day-to-day operations.  The staff of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has heard from companies across the country that are developing Programs.  Their questions – and the FTC’s answers – may help you develop a Program for your business.

    These FAQs relate only to the Red Flags Rule and don’t address the applicability of other laws.  If you work for a bank, federally chartered credit union, or savings and loan, check with your federal regulatory agency for guidance.  The FAQs represent the opinions of the FTC staff, and aren’t binding on the Commission.  FTC staff will update these FAQs to address new questions from businesses.

    A.  General Questions About the Red Flags Rule