“Deceptively real”
Now Audi warns of used car fraudsters
According to Mercedes-Benz, the VW subsidiary is now also affected. It is also from increasing attempts to fraud with various brands from the trade – they are not easy to see.
Audi warns of fraudulent used car offers on the Internet. On “deceptively real” websites and in used car catalogs that sow as if they were from Audi, cars are currently offered in Germany, Austria and Switzerland at particularly affordable prices, the VW subsidiary says. However, there are neither the cars nor the alleged sales channels behind it.
The aim of the alleged fraudsters is to bring customers to down payments or even to pay the non -existent cars. “Unfortunately, several customers have already been damaged by the fraud stitch,” it says. Audi filed a criminal complaint and supported the investigators. The company advises those affected to immediately file a criminal complaint.
Audi warns that the alleged fraudsters use fake email addresses, phone numbers and bank details-sometimes also image material of actual employees of Audi sales partners.
The Ingolstadt brand is not only affected: at the end of April, Mercedes-Benz warned of fake offer catalogs, sales contracts and invoices that were sent in their name. At the time, Mercedes advised not to transfer money without having seen a vehicle beforehand and, if there are uncertainties, to contact authorized dealers and branches.
In addition, the car trade also reports on an increase in attempts to fraud beyond the two brands mentioned. Car dealerships are often the goal, says Thomas Peckruhn, Vice President of the ZDK industry association and himself head of a group of auto dealers. High -quality and searched cars in particular would be offered on well -made pages. Even for professionals, it is difficult to recognize the counterfeits as such, he says.
dpa
Source: Stern
