COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A Kennesaw car dealership is under investigation after a woman claims her auto loan was increased by more than $4,000 without her authorization.
April Allen says she agreed to one price when she bought an Infiniti SUV from Autonomous in Kennesaw in October, but later learned her loan included thousands of dollars in additional charges she says she never approved.
Allen contacted Channel 2 Action News after she said the dealership failed to correct the issue.
Now, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office and the vehicle’s financial lender are reviewing the allegations.
Allen said the problems began just days after the purchase when the SUV stopped working. After failed attempts to jump-start the vehicle, it had to be towed.
The car remains inoperable, she said, sitting on the street outside her home.
“It’s sitting out in front of my house in the road. I can’t move it. I can’t crank it,” Allen told Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln.
Despite the breakdown, Allen said she is responsible for a more than $400 monthly car payment. She described the experience as traumatic.
“This has been traumatic for me,” she said.
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While reviewing her loan paperwork, Allen said she discovered about $4,315 in additional charges, including roughly $1,500 for gap insurance through Ally Financial and approximately $2,800 for an extended warranty.
“I want to know where the $4,315 is,” Allen said.
However, Allen said she does not have gap coverage or a warranty.
Emails from the warranty company appear to support that claim, stating the company never received funding for the contract and that it was electronically voided.
Allen alleges the dealership forged her electronic signature multiple times using Dropbox.
She claims the digital signatures on the documents lack cryptographic verification, a standard security feature used to prevent tampering.
Consumer experts say legitimate electronic signatures typically include embedded cryptographic codes that verify authenticity.
The dealership’s manager declined an on-camera interview and denied any wrongdoing. In a written response to Allen’s attorney, the dealership stated:
“After reviewing our records, we respectfully disagree with your client’s characterization of the transaction. The purchase was completed through our secure online platform using verified information.”
Allen said she later learned the SUV would cost nearly $9,000 to repair, a price she cannot afford.
She also said she regrets not digging deeper into the dealership’s online reviews.
“I checked their reviews before I went,” Allen said. “But when I sorted them from worst to best, if I had done that first, I would have never stepped foot on that lot.”
Autonomous lists multiple disclaimers on its website, including a statement that the company is not responsible for errors or misprints in advertising or pricing.
Allen said she wants the loan reversed and for the dealership to take the vehicle back.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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