Man says dealership called him wanting car back months after driving off lot

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Imagine, months after you buy a brand-new car, the dealer calling and demanding you return it. But not because you missed a payment.

That's what happened to Paul McClain. Two months after driving off the lot in a new Jeep, McClain got a call from the dealership.

"We've driven it for two months, everything is great. Then last week, I get a call saying that's not your car, your car is still sitting here," McClain told Channel 2 investigative reporter Justin Gray.

Landmark told McClain he had to return his car. Turns out it isn't actually his at all. Sure enough, when McClain looked closely at the paperwork the VIN numbers don't match.

The car he insured is still sitting on the dealer lot.

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"For two months we've been driving around uninsured, basically on a time bomb. If we'd been in a car accident we would have been sued," said McClain.

That's when McClain called the Consumer Action Center.

Gray contacted Landmark Jeep. The general manager tells me this was a paperwork mix-up, a rare mistake that happens about once a year.

Landmark originally told McClain he needed to come trade in the car for a vehicle he turned down when he was originally shopping because it had too many miles on it.

The Landmark manager told Channel 2 Action News they are working to fix the paperwork with the bank and the state, so McClain can keep the car - the one he thought was his all along.

Cox Media Group