A Haverhill car dealership is accused of charging Black and Hispanic customers hundreds of dollars more for their purchases than white customers, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office said in a lawsuit filed Monday.
For “add-on” products — such as remote starters or vehicle tracking systems — Black customers at the Jaffarian Volvo Toyota dealership paid over $500 more than white customers in similar situations did, Attorney General Maura Healey said in a lawsuit filed in Essex Superior Court. On average, Hispanic customers paid over $400 more than white customers at the Haverhill businesss, Healey said — a pattern her office called “unfair, deceptive, and discriminatory.”
“Purchasing a vehicle is already a significant financial decision for many families and individuals,” Healey said in a statement. “The last thing they should be worried about is unfairly paying more for a product because of their race or…
