CAR WARRANTY SCAM
Honk if you’ve been scammed
“We’re giving you a final courtesy call?”
If you own a car and a phone, you’ve likely received calls from scammers posing as representatives of a car dealer, manufacturer or insurer giving you a “final courtesy call” that your auto warranty or insurance is about to expire. Undoubtedly, the call will include some sort of pitch for renewing your warranty or policy.
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What you should know
During the call (which is often a robocall, automated or pre-recorded); you may be instructed to press a certain number or stay on the line. These scammers come prepared with specific information about your car and warranty, so the calls seem legitimate. Then the scam really begins.
Callers often try to pressure car owners into an immediate purchase by claiming the offer is good only for that day. They promise customers that they have ample time to cancel if they’re unhappy after receiving the contract terms. You’ll be asked to provide personal information, such as social security number or credit info. But canceling and obtaining a refund often is difficult or impossible. In fact, the FTC reports that the average consumer loss on this scam is $1,300 to nearly $2,900. And based on our research and customer feedback, this scam is becoming more and more prevalent.
How YouMail can help stop car warranty scams today
YouMail customers are protected from scammer, spammers and other unwanted callers. And it’s 100% totally free. Our exceptional call blocking and caller ID capabilities effectively block calls and remove any and all numbers from robocaller lists – FOREVER.
Typical car warranty scam voicemail left with YouMail customers
TRANSCRIPTION: We've been trying to reach you concerning your cars extended warranty. You should have received something in the mail about your cars extended warranty since we have not gotten a response. We are giving you a final courtesy call before we close out your file. Press two to be removed and put on our do not call list press one to speak with someone about possibly extending or reinstating your cars warranty. Again, press one to speak with a warranty specialist.
What you should do
Be cautious! Do not provide any personal information, such as a social security number, credit card information, driver’s license number or bank account information to any caller unless you can verify you are dealing directly with a legitimate company.
Our best advice
Let calls from numbers you don’t recognize roll to voicemail. Voicemail is your greatest asset against fraud. YouMail identifies known scam callers. They will hear an “out of service” message and the prisoners (scammers) will take you off their list and move on. Need to get the specifics on the number? Check out YouMail’s online phone directory to see if that number has negative reports or is from a known scammer.