Vehicle-tracking company Tracker says it has recently become aware of a car theft scam which is being used by a syndicate in South Africa
Customers are being contacted by the scamsters who are pretending to work for Tracker. They advise the customer that there is something wrong with their tracking device and that they need to come out to repair or replace the device.
Once on-site, the perpetrators will claim that they need to test the device by taking the car for a test drive or they will say that they can’t finalise the repairs on-site and need to take the vehicle back to the fitment centre.
Tracker said that the scamsters have targeted the customers of several vehicle tracking companies, and that this trend was not unique to its customers.
“If you are contacted about repairs to your tracking device by someone claiming to be from Tracker, please ask them to take you through the Tracker security verification questions associated with your account in order to verify the legitimacy of the call.
“If they are unable to do so, advise them that you will need to contact someone at Tracker to verify their claim. If you are still unsure or find the call suspicious please contact our call centre on 0860 60 50 40.”
Tracker said it is important to keep the following in mind:
- A Tracker technician will never need to nor should they ask to test drive your vehicle;
- Always check the email address the request is sent from – this is often an immediate give away as the criminals would not be using a tracker.co.za address;
- You can always confirm the validity of an appointment by contacting our call centre on 0860 60 50 40.