Have you gotten phone calls or mail warning that the warranty on your car is about to expire? In fact, your vehicle's warranty may be far from expiring – or it may have expired already. The FTC wants you to know that scammers are making calls and sending letters that may seem to come from your car dealer or manufacturer, but do not. If you have a question about your warranty, check your owner's manual, call the dealer who sold you the car, or contact the vehicle manufacturer.
If you've received such calls or mail, you can file a complaint with the FTC. There are two ways to complain:
- If your phone number is on the National Do Not Call Registry, please file a complaint about the company's violation of the registry rules. Filing a do not call complaint is simple; you just need to give your phone number, and the name of the company that called or its phone number. The FTC recently sued two companies that it contends were ignoring the registry and operating a massive telemarketing scheme using random, pre-recorded phone calls to deceive consumers into thinking that their vehicle’s warranty is about to expire.
- If your number is not on the registry, or you would like to complain about a piece of mail, you can file a complaint using the FTC's Complaint Assistant.
If your phone number is not on the National Do Not Call Registry, you can register it online.
For more information, you can read the FTC's consumer alert on auto warranty scams or learn more about the National Do Not Call Registry.