The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs sent warning letters to over 3,000 auto dealerships reminding them of the state's data deletion law, which requires dealerships to offer to delete personal data from vehicles when accepting them for resale or lease. Failure to comply can result in fines of $500 for first offenses and $1,000 for subsequent offenses, aimed at preventing unauthorized access to sensitive consumer information stored in vehicle infotainment systems.
Dealerships must offer to delete consumers' personal data from vehicles by following manufacturer-specified techniques or performing a factory reset. They are permitted to charge a reasonable fee for this service but must disclose it in advance, and must also advise consumers that they may delete the data themselves or through another vendor.
In-house legal teams should review customer sales and lease agreements (especially trade-in or buyback terms), vendor service agreements (e.g., with detailing or tech service providers), and any data processing agreements involving vehicle data. Key clauses to examine include data deletion obligations, data retention schedules, consent mechanisms for personal data processing, and breach notification provisions related to infotainment systems. Changes may be needed to explicitly require offering data deletion services upon vehicle acceptance for resale or lease, define standardized procedures for wiping infotainment systems, update privacy notices to reflect deletion rights under New Jersey law, and incorporate compliance warranties or indemnities to mitigate fines of $500-$1,000 per violation.
Entity
auto dealerships
Also known as: Auto Dealerships
Industry
AutomotiveOfficial Press Release
https://www.njoag.gov/ag-platkin-division-of-consumer-affairs-reminds-nj-auto-dealerships-of-obligation-to-help-prevent-unauthorized-access-to-consumer-data-stored-on-vehicles/
New Jersey Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-of-consumer-affairs/
"auto dealerships statewide"
"the New Jersey data deletion law"
"mandates that dealerships offer to delete consumers’ personal data when accepting vehicles for resale or lease."
$650K
The New Jersey Attorney General and Division of Consumer Affairs announced that Match Group, Inc. will pay $650,000 and change its business practices to settle allegations that it misrepresented or failed to disclose its criminal background screening policies and practices to New Jersey users, violating the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and the Internet Dating Safety Act. Under a Consent Order, Match must accurately represent its screening policies, notify existing New Jersey members of updated disclosures within 150 days, and post clear and conspicuous disclosures and safety notifications about the limitations of criminal background screenings.
On August 31, 2026, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Consumer Affairs joined the FTC and a bipartisan coalition of 21 other states in suing Amazon, alleging that for over seven years the company secretly rigged its advertising auctions—converting advertised 'second price' auctions into first-price auctions with hidden 'soft reserve price' surcharges—overcharging more than 500,000 small- and medium-sized businesses and extracting tens of billions of dollars. The complaint alleges Amazon actively concealed the surcharges, gave false and misleading answers to advertisers who asked directly about the auction format, and applied inflated upcharges on high-volume shopping days like Prime Day and Black Friday. The lawsuit was just filed; no penalties or remedies have been imposed yet.
A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general led by New Jersey, California, Colorado, and Kentucky is taking Meta Platforms, Inc. to trial, alleging that Meta designed addictive features on Instagram and Facebook that harm minors' mental health, illegally collected data from children under 13 without the required protections under COPPA, and misled users about platform safety. Opening arguments begin August 18, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. No monetary penalty or final remedy has yet been imposed.
A coalition of 21 state attorneys general and Pennsylvania filed lawsuits against the Trump Administration, DOT, FMCSA, DHS, and AAMVA to prevent the unlawful demand for a database containing personal information of 17 million commercial driver's license holders. The lawsuits allege violations of federal privacy laws and the Administrative Procedure Act, and seek an emergency order to block the data transfer.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport joined a coalition of 17 attorneys general in sending comment letters to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve Board, urging them to deny OppFi's application to acquire BNC National Bank and obtain a national bank charter. The coalition argues that the charter would allow OppFi to circumvent state usury laws and offer high-cost loans with APRs up to 200%, harming consumers.
$400.0M
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport joined a coalition of 43 states and territories in announcing a $400 million settlement in principle with Sandoz Inc. to resolve allegations of widespread price-fixing and anticompetitive conduct in the generic drug market. Sandoz will pay approximately $469 million total including prior settlements, and has agreed to internal reforms to ensure fair competition.