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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — AutoTec announced on Tuesday that yet another major remarketing organization has joined its effort to fight against curbstoning. The time, the leadership of the National Auto Auction Association made its support known.

As dealers and other industry veterans understand, curbstoning is the repeated "flipping" of used vehicles for profit. This practice often is done by unlicensed dealers who often pose as private parties to attract sales.

AutoTec asserts this illegal activity affects hundreds of thousands of consumers annually, defrauding them of value and putting them into unsafe vehicles.

The situation prompted Frank Hackett, executive director of NAAA to ask, "The way I see it, why buy from someone parking on the side of the road?" Hackett then responded, "You don't even know if that's the owner."

Chuck Redden, president of AutoTec, indicated Hackett and the overseers of NAAA summarized the point well.

"Curbstoning isn't the same thing as a private-party sale," Redden stipulated.

"With a genuine private party, you have a home phone number, or at least the seller's address on the vehicle title. That's information a curbstoner will either misrepresent, or won't provide at all," he shared.

Redden went on to reiterate the value AutoTec sees in AuctionACCESS as way to ensure only reputable dealers are mingling in the lanes at auctions.

"Our mission has always been to help licensed dealers do business more efficiently in the wholesale marketplace," he stressed.

"One big side benefit to our AuctionACCESS product is ensuring that everyone in the auction lanes holds a valid license. That requirement alone denies curbstoners a major potential supply source," Redden added.

Hackett again called for more action against curbstoning, reinforcing the association's support of AutoTec.

"AuctionACCESS is the gatekeeper in identifying legitimate dealers," Hackett stated.

"I'm glad to see that the group at AutoTec is trying to educate consumers and others about the dangers posed by curbstoners and the cars they sell. We at the NAAA fully support that goal," he went on to say.

To learn more about the effort to stop curbstoning, visit www.stopcurbstoning.com.