Vehicle warranty scams: one of the most annoying

CHICO » So this morning I’m wandering the new Pallet shelter site in Chico with fellow Enterprise-Record reporter Michael Weber when he gets a call only to be greeted by the loud, robotic voice telling him his vehicle’s manufacturer warranty is expiring.

This is a call I know all too well. In fact, it’s one of the few scam calls I still get but I still receive it weekly at least.

It’s annoying, it often comes under the guise of a local number and no matter how many times I block the number it comes from, it just keeps coming.

Michael took it in stride but he still had a particularly busy morning reporting on the opening of the shelter and likely had multiple calls he was waiting on only to get one from a lowly scam bot. If there’s one thing scammers are good at, it’s inconveniencing others.

The Federal Communications Commission issued a warning complete with an audio sample of the call, although I’d imagine anyone with a cell phone and a registered vehicle have likely heard it a dozen times at least.

“During the call — which often begins automated or pre-recorded — you may be instructed to press a certain number or stay on the line, then asked to provide personal information, which potentially can be used to defraud you,” reads a warning on the FCC’s website. “What makes it particularly hard to discern if this type of call is fraudulent is that the scammer may have specific information about your particular car and warranty that they use to deceive you into thinking they are a legitimate caller.”

Whoa, how creepy is that? It’s a cold reminder to be diligent when receiving calls such as this and remember to never hand out personal information such as your social security number, credit card number, driver’s license number or banking information.

One particularly frustrating thing about scam calls such as this one is that the scammer often uses a method of pretending to be someone else on the caller ID, usually with a local area code and everything.

“You should be cautious even if a number appears authentic,” the FCC warning says. “Criminals may engage in caller ID “spoofing” — deliberately falsifying the information transmitted to your Caller ID display to disguise their identity. “

If you’re sick of getting this message, it’s a good idea to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov.