Springfield - Attorney General Lisa Madigan has filed suit against a central Illinois company for selling consumers aftermarket auto parts online that were damaged, the wrong parts or never shipped at all.
Madigan filed the lawsuit in Macon County Circuit Court against Pershing Auto Body Parts, and co-owners Kevin W. Sliney and Matthew W. Sliney, all of Warrensburg, Ill.
"Anyone can set up shop on the Internet," Madigan said. "That's why it's so important to ensure you're working with a reputable company. Check to see if any complaints have been filed against the company with my office's Consumer Fraud Bureau or the Better Business Bureau before making any significant purchasing decisions."
Madigan said Pershing Auto Body sold car parts on third-party bidding sites, such as eBay, to consumers for prices ranging from $50 to $1,000. Her lawsuit alleges consumers who received wrong or broken parts never received refunds. In some instances, consumers never received their orders at all.
Nearly 40 consumers nationwide, including Illinois consumers living in Cook, Cumberland, DeKalb, DuPage, Fulton, Kankakee, Kane, Macon, McHenry and Rock Island counties, filed complaints with Madigan's office against Pershing Auto Body. In addition, the Better Business Bureau of Central Illinois has received 92 complaints. In total, consumers reported losing more than $14,000, Madigan said.
Madigan is asking the court to ban the defendants from the business of selling auto parts online. The suit also seeks to cancel pending contracts with consumers, obtain restitution for affected consumers and impose civil penalties on the defendants.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew Van Hise is handling the case for Madigan's Consumer Fraud Bureau.
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