Man handed hefty fine for ‘curbing’ vehicles

A Humboldt man has been fined $18,200 after pleading guilty to 13 counts of operating as a vehicle dealer without a licence.

Kyle Martin was sentenced recently after pleading guilty to the offences under The Consumer Protection and Business Practices Act, which requires all vehicle dealers to be licensed.

The Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority (FCAA) received information last year about Martin’s activities, also known as “curbing” or “curbsiding,” according to a government news release.

Curbers may pose as private sellers and “commonly misrepresent the vehicles they sell and may not disclose the vehicle’s history to the buyer,” the release states.

Licensed vehicle dealers are required to provide financial security to FCAA, and are subject to inspections, among other requirements.