Get up close, personal with that TV ad's fine print

Get up close, personal with that TV ad's fine print

Consumers have little time to read the fine print at the bottom of TV ads. That's if they can see it at all.

Car dealerships and automakers alike tout deals that entice buyers with low monthly payments. But the fine print adds a dose of reality that can shock people when they arrive at dealerships if they didn't read it. That $185 a month lease on a new sedan sounds good on a commercial -- until buyers realize they need to drop $3,000 on a down payment that was explained only in the fine print.

Not only can this practice make consumers feel duped, but it's also one the Federal Trade Commission frowns on.

Now a site called Disclaimers Online is giving consumers a platform where they can read the fine print during their shopping research. The site also gives participating dealerships the opportunity to embrace transparency, which could shield them from costly litigation brought by consumers who feel misled.

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