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North Carolina AG Sues Charlotte Driving School, Alleging It Took Families' Money and Skipped Lessons
Attorney General Jeff Jackson filed suit against Courtney Brazil and NC Virtual Drivers Ed, LLC, accusing the company of collecting advance payments from young drivers and their families while failing to deliver lessons, certificates, or refundsâeven after its business license was revoked in September.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. â North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson has filed a lawsuit against a Charlotte-based driving instruction company and its owner, alleging they took money from young drivers and their families without providing the lessons, certificates, or refunds they promised.
The suit, filed Nov. 10 in state court, names Courtney Brazil and NC Virtual Drivers Ed, LLC as defendants. Jackson's office accuses the business of engaging in unfair and deceptive trade practices.
According to the complaint, the company marketed private and group driving lessons along with online instruction, and specifically targeted teenagers and their families. In some cases, families paid in advance for services that were never delivered, the attorney general alleges. The state also claims the company advertised immediate availability when it knew it could not meet that promise, and then routinely ignored refund requests.
The lawsuit further alleges that NC Virtual Drivers Ed regularly failed to provide certificates showing students had completed required instructionâdocuments families need to move forward in the licensing process.
State officials say the company's license to do business was revoked in September, but that it continued operating and falsely claimed it was approved by the Division of Motor Vehicles.
"Young people and their families trusted this business to teach them how to drive," Jackson said in a statement. "Instead, the business took their money and never gave them the lessons they paid for. We're taking them to court to make sure they can't do this anymore and to get justice for these families."
The lawsuit, which runs 50 pages, asks the court to order restitution for affected families, impose civil penalties, and grant a temporary restraining order to halt the company's operations.
The case is the latest enforcement action by the attorney general's office aimed at protecting consumers from businesses accused of misleading practices. For families across the Charlotte area, the allegations underscore the risks of paying upfront for driver educationâa requirement for many young people seeking their first licenseâand the importance of verifying a provider's credentials with the DMV before handing over money.
Families who believe they were affected by NC Virtual Drivers Ed can contact the North Carolina Department of Justice's consumer protection division.