Motor Vehicle Service Notice - Is This a Scam?

All of us have been victims to the warranty phone calls. However, you might not be aware that you can now receive a postcard or letter from your motor vehicle service department. How authentic is the notification? What information should you be worried about?

We will be looking at the meaning of the motor vehicle service card in this article. It is possible to spot a fraud and how you can tell if something is suspect. 

What is the Motor Vehicle Service Notice?

A motor vehicle service notice is communication that comes from your factory to notify you about the status or your car's warranty. The notification arrives in the mail as a pink post card. It contains information about your vehicle warranty, including expiration dates and records. 

The correspondence should contain important information like the model, make and number of your vehicle. The Department of Motor Vehicles logo and seal could be found on this correspondence. It will be possible to identify the manufacturer of the vehicle and the dealership where you bought it. 

Not all motor vehicle service notifications letters are genuine. It’s very important that you take time to determine whether this correspondence is legitimate before you make any decisions. 

Are the Motor Vehicle Service Information Scams?

It all depends on the letter that you received. A postcard sent by the manufacturer of your vehicle or dealership will be considered a valid notification. The correspondence from third parties is likely a scam to try and sell you a vehicle warranty.

It’s not uncommon for dealerships to sell private information to another company for warranty coverage. It can sometimes be hard to distinguish the differences because your warranty provider will likely have your entire personal information. 

To ensure that the notification contains the correct information, you must carefully read it.

1. Send it at the expiration or nearing of the factory warranty.
2. This contains the correct company name, contact information and other pertinent details.
3. All vehicle service records.

You should call the company listed on the postcard if you want to speak with them. If someone else answers the phone, the postcard isn’t valid. The customer service team must treat you with professionalism. If they don’t, it’s a huge red flag that something isn’t right. 

These notifications could come from different companies trying to gain your business. You should be careful with all of these notifications. 

Signs Motor Vehicle Service Information Is a ScaM

1. Inaccurate Service Record

The account activity for the vehicle will be found on the back side of the notice letter. This service history should be valid if the postcard was sent. If not, then the data is fake and may even show hundreds of thousands of dollars of work. 

The final notification is going show that you have not paid anything but will need to for protection. This is especially true if the service record has been invalid. 

2. No Vehicle Information

Vehicle information that is inaccurate or incomplete is a big red flag. If the company isn’t trying very hard, it could even be the wrong make and model. 

You must also be cautious about the mileage. Let’s say your vehicle has a 50,000-mile/5-year warranty. If you’ve only put 7,000 miles on the vehicle and had it for a year, there would be no reason to be receiving this notification yet. There is plenty of factory warranty remaining on your vehicle. The manufacturer will not contact you.

3. Faulty Phone Number

You should pay attention to each and every detail in this notification. It is possible to save considerable time by paying attention to the telephone number. You will receive the notification from the manufacturer, dealer, or original dealer.

You can contact the person listed on your warranty paperwork if that number does not match. Find out whether they received the notification. If they don’t have knowledge of the notification, you should dispose of it. 

Beware of Vehicle Warranty Frauds

1. Keep your doubts at bay

You should be cautious when reading mailed correspondence. Don’t take things for face value without first investigating the source. The manufacturer/dealer will want to be very specific if it's legitimate correspondence. 

It doesn't matter if you believe the notification to be legitimate. You should still do more research. You can call the manufacturer to continue your investigations. Until there’s no doubt that the notification is valid, you want to be on guard and protect yourself. 

2. Personal Information should be protected

There’s never a reason to provide any business with your personal information until the time is right. The dealership or manufacturer will already know all the details necessary to sign you up for your vehicle warranty. You shouldn't have to add anything.

You might also be asked to provide financial and social security information if it's a scam. They might also ask for your driver’s license number or Vehicle Identification Number, all of which would already be on file. 

3. Tune in to the gut feelings

If you are dealing with scammers, the interaction isn’t going to feel right. You will likely be exposed to sales pressure when you phone the number. Some might make unreasonable demands, telling you they are running out of time. They will want to collect your personal data and a downpayment.

However, legitimate pitches will give you every detail and take you time to decide. Do not feel pressured into making a decision right away. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Be sensitive to your gut instincts. 

Are You in Need of an Extended Car Warranty

You might be able to determine if an extended warranty would work for you by understanding the service notification. First, the warranty should be understood as insurance coverage. It’s meant to protect you from paying expensive auto repair bills down the road. 

RELATED: 7 Tips to Get the Most Expensive Extended Warranty Price

OEM extended warranties can be obtained through the manufacturer. There are a variety of policies that cover either the powertrain only or the vehicle in general, depending on which option you choose. A powertrain warranty covers the engine and transmission. The bumper-to-bumper warranty covers other major components and electronics. 

There’s also the option to get a warranty through a third-party company. You can get a warranty through a third-party company for fewer dollars than the manufacturer, but be cautious about who you select. Do your homework before you make a decision. After all, paying for a warranty will be a waste if the company doesn’t cover the repairs.

What do these facts mean? Do you really need an extended warranty for your car? The answer depends on whether you have the financial means to cover car repairs. If you can afford to pay repairs out of pocket, there’s really no reason to get an extended car warranty.