In China, car owners are being sent fake recall notifications alleging airbag malfunctions. The fraudsters urge recipients to click a link or scan a QR code and threaten to terminate warranty service. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
Li Auto owners, for instance, received SMS messages demanding they register for a supposedly announced recall campaign within two hours. Otherwise, they were threatened with termination of warranty service.
The manufacturer's legal department stated that no vehicle recall due to airbags had been conducted. The company urged people not to open links or enter personal and vehicle data on third-party websites.
In the case of BMW, scammers sent notifications with fake seals of BMW China and the BMW Brilliance joint venture. They claimed the car needed urgent inspection and directed recipients to third-party sites or suggested scanning a QR code. Moreover, some messages contained the owner's name, phone number, license plate and car model.
On November 6, BMW China published a warning that such notifications are not official. The company emphasized that it does not request bank details or verification codes, nor does it require money transfers to process a recall.
Earlier, Volkswagen China reported a similar scheme. Scammers used the name Volkswagen China Investment and the names of supervisory authorities to convince owners to follow unofficial links and provide personal information.
Recall information should be verified through the companies' official apps and websites, hotlines or authorized dealers. If a person has already clicked a link and provided data, Li Auto recommends taking measures to protect the information. In case of financial loss, one should keep the correspondence and contact the police.
The exact source of the car owners' data leak has not yet been established. Possible channels include customer databases of dealerships, insurance companies and auto services.
Previously, scammers began stealing master accounts of Li Auto vehicles in Russia and demanding ransom for restoring access. Kursiv Auto also reported how the Prosecutor General's Office of Kazakhstan and Kolesa Group joined forces against internet fraudsters.