Protect Yourself from Air Bag Fraud

Following its investigation into air bag fraud, NPR (National Public Radio) is warning consumers that some car air bags are not being replaced after they’ve been deployed. In some cases, consumers unknowingly purchase a used car with no air bags. In other cases, car owners who have been in an accident receive their car back from the repair shop without new air bags installed.

The motivation for air bag fraud is, of course, money. Air bags can cost between $1,000 and $3,000. Crooked car sellers increase their profit on a used car by not replacing deployed air bags. Bad body shops make money by billing the customer or insurance company for an air bag they order but then return to the manufacturer for a refund. The typical driver can’t tell if an air bag has been replaced or not.

Here are some ways to protect yourself against air bag fraud:
 

• Patronize only reputable auto sellers, mechanics and body shops. Get referrals from people you know and trust, and check the business’s complaint history.
• If you have any doubts, get a second opinion.
• Before you purchase a used car, consider using a service such as CARFAX to find out if the vehicle has been in an accident or sustained other damage. (Next year, you’ll be able to access a U.S. Justice Department database that provides information about cars that have been damaged in floods or totaled.)
• Be suspicious if your car’s air bag light is on or if the seat belts don’t retract normally. Have a trusted mechanic or body shop technician check the car out.
• Look for small tears and other signs of air bag deployment or tampering around the steering wheel and dashboard.
• Report a suspected offender to the state attorney general, the state insurance department (if the air bag fraud was committed as part of an insurance claim), consumer protection agencies, and any other enforcement agency you think should know.

In California, air bag fraudsters face up to a year in prison and a $5,000 fine.