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Almost everyone has received an automated call where “someone” is trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty. Auto warranty robocalls have become so popular they’ve even spawned a variety of memes. While you may realize these calls are a scam and may have to intention of falling for it, you may not realize exactly how to deal with these calls. Avoiding auto warranty robocall scams is easy if you know what to do.

Auto Warranty Robocall Scams

First, let’s go through a rundown of what one of these calls might sound like. A “person”, usually with a generic name, saying they’re with the “Service Department” and tells you that your car warranty is set to expire. They say they’ve tried to reach you in various ways and if you don’t respond they will close your file. Many of these calls will ask you to press a button if you wish to renew your warranty or press a different button if you wish to remove yourself from the list.

These calls may sound like they’re coming from your auto dealer or manufacturer, but they almost always are not. These types of robocalls are illegal. If you were to “extend your warranty”, you would actually be purchasing a service contract. In most of these scams, the fine print says that the contract actually won’t cover any issues you may have with your car. This isn’t to say that all service contracts are bad, but you should never purchase one through an unsolicited call.

How To Deal With Auto Warranty Robocall Scams

Hang up immediately. Never press any buttons or engage with these calls. The longer you stay on the line, the higher your chances of becoming a victim.
Report the call to the National Do Not Call Registry. You can report the call at DoNotCall.gov.

As you can see, avoiding auto warranty robocall scams is very simple: hang up. You should always be on guard when answering any unsolicited call from unknown numbers. Scams are on the rise, so be careful.