untrappable

Auto warranty call scam: is that call real?

Editorially reviewed · Last updated July 13, 2026

Yes — this is a scam. A robocall about your "expiring" car warranty isn't from your dealer or carmaker — it's a sales scam.

Incoming call
Spam Risk
(800) 555-0148
maybe: Auto Warranty Services
Voicemail transcript

“This is the final notice regarding your vehicle's extended warranty. Our records show your coverage is about to expire. To speak with a warranty specialist and renew before you lose protection, press 1 now. To be removed from our list, press 2.”

The Phone call, as received

Other versions you might get: The same script shows up as a text or voicemail, sometimes posing as your specific dealer or "the manufacturer," and pressing any key (even "2 to opt out") just confirms your number is live and brings more calls.

What to do right now

  1. Hang up. Don't press 1 to talk, and don't press 2 to "opt out" — any keypress tells them your number is real.
  2. Don't give or confirm anything — not your name, your car, your VIN, or a payment to renew.
  3. Check coverage the safe way. Your actual warranty terms are in your paperwork or from your dealer — call them directly, never the robocaller.
  4. Report it. File at reportfraud.ftc.gov and report the robocall to the FCC.
  5. If you already pressed a key or paid: call your bank or card issuer to stop or dispute the charge, watch your statements, and expect more calls for a while — block and ignore them.

How to make sure it never bites you

These calls reach you because your number sits on sold lead lists, and "auto warranty" robocalls are one of the most-reported scams in the country. You can't stop every one, but you can cut the volume — see how to stop spam calls.

Untrappable · Public service advisory

Stop the next one at the source

The calls keep coming because data brokers sell your number. Cutting that off is the only thing that reduces the volume — blocking one number won't, they just rotate. Start with the free steps.

Optional — if you'd rather it was handled for you

To actually cut the volume, a data-removal service files opt-out requests across the brokers selling your number and keeps you off their lists. You can do this by hand for free — the service is worth it because the removals don't stay put.

See data removal →

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Frequently asked

They knew what car I drive — doesn't that mean the call is real?
No, and this is exactly the detail that traps people. The FCC says it plainly: “What makes it particularly hard to discern if this type of call is fraudulent is that the scammer may have specific information about your particular car and warranty that they use to deceive you into thinking they are a legitimate caller.” The FTC describes the same move — scammers “find out what kind of car you drive and when you bought it (or pretend to know)” so they can push overpriced or worthless service contracts. Knowing your car proves they bought a data list. It doesn't prove they hold your warranty. Check your coverage in your own paperwork, or call your dealer on a number you looked up yourself.
Can I press a key just to get off their list?
Don't press anything at all. The FTC is explicit about robocalls: “don't press any numbers to let you speak to a live operator or remove you from their call list. Instead, it might lead to more robocalls.” The “press 2 to opt out” option exists to confirm your number is live. And these calls shouldn't be reaching you in the first place — in July 2022 the FCC ordered all U.S. voice service providers to block auto warranty robocall traffic outright. Hang up, and don't read anything into the number on your screen: the FTC warns that “scammers can make any name or number show up on your caller ID.”
I already gave them my details or paid for a warranty — what now?
Go after the payment straight away. The FTC's steps depend on how you paid: gift card — contact the company that issued it, say it was used in a scam, and keep the card and receipt; wire transfer — call the wire company (MoneyGram 1-800-926-9400, Western Union 1-800-448-1492) or your bank and ask them to reverse it; card or payment app — report the transaction and ask for a reversal. “No matter how you paid, it's worth asking.” If you handed over a Social Security number, driver's license, or bank details — the exact information the FCC warns these callers fish for — watch your statements and place a free fraud alert with the credit bureaus. Then report the call to the FCC and to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, including the number that called, the number on your caller ID, and any callback number they gave you.

Related scams

Sources

A public service

Help protect someone else

Scams spread because people stay quiet about them. If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. Passing it on is the easiest good thing you'll do today. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.