NEW YORK — The New York State Attorney General’s Office on Monday said it stopped a car wash’s “discriminatory scam” that has for years targeted Jews preparing for Passover.
The Super 4 Seasons carwash, in Rockland County, north of New York City, had advertised a “Passover Special” cleaning promotion targeting Jews who were cleaning chametz, or leavened products, from their vehicles ahead of the holiday.
The service cost more than a typical interior cleaning, but did not actually differ, and Jewish customers were denied the standard, cheaper cleaning service, the attorney general’s office said. The car wash told Jewish customers that typical cleaning was not available, but continued to provide normal services to non-Jews.
The business “discriminated against Jewish customers by charging them more than other customers for the same car wash cleaning service,” the attorney general’s civil rights bureau said.
The car wash is in Spring Valley, near Monsey and New Square, communities with large Haredi Jewish communities.
The Office of the Attorney General investigated the car wash’s promotion, and found that the cleaning cost three times more than the standard price for the same service.
“Targeting Jewish New Yorkers with deceptive pricing around Passover is a clear act of religious discrimination and will not be tolerated,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “Every New Yorker, regardless of their faith, deserves to be treated fairly and equally. My office will not hesitate to hold businesses accountable when they exploit families’ religious observance.”
The office received complaints about the carwash in April 2024 that said the business charged Jewish customers $169 for the cleaning that was typically available for $47.
The Office of the Attorney General carried out undercover tests, interviewed the complainants and reviewed thousands of Super 4 Seasons sales entries. The sales records confirmed that standard services had been provided throughout the holiday to non-Jewish customers. Between 2022 and 2024, the car wash sold more than 250 “Passover” car wash cleanings, amounting to more than $35,000 in sales.
The investigation found that the company had promoted Passover services since at least 2018 in the weeks before the holiday. Jewish customers were denied standard pricing, and were falsely told that only the higher-cost “Passover packages” were available to them.
An investigator dressed in Orthodox Jewish attire asked employees about standard pricing and was told that the car wash was “not doing anything except shampoos and Passover cleanings right now.”
“We are doing this just for you guys,” an employee said.
Another investigator went to the car wash in non-Jewish attire, asked for standard services, and received the typical price. The investigator asked about the Passover promotion and was told that it was “for Jews” who needed to pay more “because their cars are so dirty.”
Super 4 Seasons was ordered to stop the Passover sales promotions, advertising services that offer special pricing for religious holidays, charging Jewish customers more than others, and changing pricing or services ahead of Passover. If the car wash does not comply it will pay a $75,000 penalty.
The car wash did not dispute the investigation’s findings, the attorney general’s office said.
The attorney general’s office issued a warning last week that urged Jewish New Yorkers to be wary of price gouging for car washes, eggs, meat, other cleaning services, and travel ahead of Passover. James has issued similar consumer alerts in previous years.
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