If a call says your car’s warranty is about to expire, it is a scam.

What they say

“A recorded voice says this is your final notice, the factory warranty on your vehicle is about to expire, and you need to act now to keep your coverage. Press one to speak with a specialist, or press two to be removed from the list.”

How to tell it’s a scam

• It is a robocall dialed at random. It does not actually know your car, your coverage, or whether you have a warranty at all.
• Your dealer and your manufacturer do not robocall you about a warranty, and a real warranty does not lapse because you did not answer a call.
• “Final notice” and “act now” are manufactured urgency, designed to get you to press a button before you think.

What they say

“A live caller says they are from your dealership’s or the manufacturer’s warranty department. They may name your make and model and say their records show your coverage is ending, so they are reaching out to help you renew before it is too late.”

How to tell it’s a scam

• Knowing your make and model is not proof. That information is bought from data brokers and public records, not pulled from a real warranty file.
• A real dealer or automaker does not cold-call to renew a warranty, and there is no separate “warranty department” calling strangers.
• The goal is to sound official long enough to collect your VIN, your mileage, and a payment.

What they say

“The caller pitches a vehicle service contract as bumper-to-bumper coverage that protects you from any repair bill. They press you to lock in a low monthly rate today, and warn that the price jumps or the offer disappears if you wait.”

How to tell it’s a scam

• What they sell is a vehicle service contract, not a manufacturer warranty, and these are often overpriced with so many exclusions that few repairs are ever covered.
• The “price goes up today” deadline is a sales tactic to stop you from comparing or reading the fine print.
• Legitimate service contracts are available from your dealer in writing. A high-pressure phone close is the warning sign.

What they say

“To “process” or “activate” your renewal, the caller asks for your VIN, your mileage, your address, and a credit or debit card to put on file. They may say the first payment is refundable or that it just holds your spot.”

How to tell it’s a scam

• The whole call exists to collect this information. Your VIN plus your card and address is enough to charge you and to build a fuller profile for more scams.
• A “refundable” first payment is a line. Once they have your card, the charges are real and hard to reverse.
• No legitimate coverage is activated by reading your card number to a stranger who called you out of the blue.

What they say

“An automated message invites you to press one to be connected to a live warranty or coverage specialist right away. The live agent then runs the renewal pitch and asks for your details and a payment.”

How to tell it’s a scam

• Pressing one routes you straight to the scam call center and flags your number as answered, which leads to more robocalls.
• The “specialist” is a salesperson reading the same script, not anyone connected to your car.
• Real companies you do business with do not reach you through a press-1 robocall menu.