Post by Hoosier Hillbilly on May 18, 2014 8:03:36 GMT -5
Did You Know Your Car Might Be Secretly Tracked by a Dealer Using a Hidden GPS Device?
This may not be news to you, but it was to me. So I thought I’d share a little information, just in case it might be interesting to you, too.
This would have certainly been beneficial when I was in business.
A growing number of car dealers — especially those that sell used cars — are reportedly using hidden GPS trackers to keep tabs on vehicles until the buyers have paid off their loans.
These devices aren’t the kind you mount on the dashboard to navigate city streets. They’re electronic locators, designed to help the repo man find your car if you stop paying. Some devices can even render the car inoperable until you pay up.
According to the Times, some irate car buyers who discovered the secret trackers have sued the dealers who installed them. At issue — non-disclosure.
Car repossessions guided by GPS are so widespread the industry has its own trade group: The Payment Assurance Technology Association. The group has a code of ethics that requires its members to “fully define and disclose” the devices to customers.
RIGHT!!!
So, used car dealers are supposed to let the buyers know if the trackers are in place and monitoring their movements. But disclosure, apparently, hasn’t always been forthcoming. (( Do Tell! )) Thus, the concern about privacy.
If you’ve purchased a car lately and are still making payments, you might want to ask the seller if there’s a hidden GPS device in use that knows your every movement in the vehicle.
(( "Now why would a honest customer be concerned about asking that?" ))
This may not be news to you, but it was to me. So I thought I’d share a little information, just in case it might be interesting to you, too.
This would have certainly been beneficial when I was in business.
A growing number of car dealers — especially those that sell used cars — are reportedly using hidden GPS trackers to keep tabs on vehicles until the buyers have paid off their loans.
These devices aren’t the kind you mount on the dashboard to navigate city streets. They’re electronic locators, designed to help the repo man find your car if you stop paying. Some devices can even render the car inoperable until you pay up.
According to the Times, some irate car buyers who discovered the secret trackers have sued the dealers who installed them. At issue — non-disclosure.
Car repossessions guided by GPS are so widespread the industry has its own trade group: The Payment Assurance Technology Association. The group has a code of ethics that requires its members to “fully define and disclose” the devices to customers.
RIGHT!!!
So, used car dealers are supposed to let the buyers know if the trackers are in place and monitoring their movements. But disclosure, apparently, hasn’t always been forthcoming. (( Do Tell! )) Thus, the concern about privacy.
If you’ve purchased a car lately and are still making payments, you might want to ask the seller if there’s a hidden GPS device in use that knows your every movement in the vehicle.
(( "Now why would a honest customer be concerned about asking that?" ))