May 19, 2021
by Emily Wu
Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC
Have you gotten a recorded phone message from “Susie” with the “Vehicle Service Department” calling about your vehicle warranty? That’s, like,so retro. But fanny packs, scrunchies, and tie dye are back — and so are vehicle warranty robocalls.
It starts when you pick up a call and hear a recorded message saying something about your vehicle’s manufacturer’s warranty. It might say that they’ve sent you several notices in the mail. They say you haven’t extended your warranty past the factory cut off, and they’re going to close your file soon if you don’t respond. And, you should press a number if you’re interested in renewing your warranty, or press a different number if you want to be removed from the list.
Slam on the brakes. This is an illegal robocall and likely a scam. The companies behind this type of robocall are not with your car dealer or manufacturer, and the “extended warranty” they’re trying to sell you is actually a service contract that often sells for hundreds or thousands of dollars. If you buy it, you may find that the contract doesn’t actually cover any problems you have with your car because of the restrictions in the fine print.
If you get one of these calls:
- Hang up. Don’t engage with a company that reaches you with an illegal call.
- Consider using an app or device to block unwanted calls. Learn more about how to do that.
- Report the robocall at DoNotCall.gov.