Used-Car Dealer Fined for False Advertising
A used-car dealer in Woodland Hills has been fined $400 in Van Nuys Municipal Court for false advertising.
According to investigators with the state Department of Motor Vehicles, Howard Napolske, the dealer at Two Auto Sales, attracted customers to his lot by placing ads in the newspaper for cars that were not there. In addition, the ads were misleading because he portrayed himself as a private seller, and he falsified license plate numbers, the investigators said.
“He would attempt to lure prospective buyers to his dealer locations, looking for cars that didn’t exist,” said DMV senior special investigator Gary Naylor.
Napolske was originally charged with 21 counts of false advertising, but the charge was reduced to one count during plea bargaining. He pleaded “no contest” and was fined and placed on a one-year summary probation, Naylor said.
Napolske, who could not be reached for comment, had been warned about false advertising once before, in January, 1983, Naylor said.
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