Scam calls for roadside assistance card purchase after car buying
After buying a brand-new car, you can start receiving several phone calls urging you to acquire a roadside assistance card. In this essay, I'll describe the callers' method of operation and why it's important to be cautious when fielding these calls.
I'll start by using an example from my own experience to demonstrate the callers' method of operation. I just bought a Maruti Suzuki car. I got a call asking for a roadside assistance card not long after buying a car. The caller identified himself as a representative of Maruti Roadside Assistance. He said that Maruti does not automatically offer free roadside assistance. However, for a fee of Rs. 2,500, I can receive lifetime (i.e., 15 years of automobile) free roadside assistance wherever in India. I will be given a smart card, and to use the service, I must contact a toll-free number.
Why to be careful?
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| Scam calls for roadside assistance card purchase after car buying |
Verifying with online roadside assistance provider
I agreed when I first got the call since it was appealing enough. But I eventually made the wise decision to perform a preliminary verification. I looked for roadside help businesses online and found a few reputable ones. Here is a list of one such provider's price information.
Roadside Assistance Pricing by a provider
Further information about the aforementioned plan can be found at https://www.allianzroadassist.com/plan-4wheelers.php. Everywhere in India was covered under this plan. So, it made sense that it was higher. I next looked for plans that were city-specific, and one such plan from a supplier is seen below. Here is where you can find more information: https://www.crossroadshelpline.com/index.\sDelhi Plan for roadside assistance tailored to the
NCR Delhi NCR specific plan for roadside assistance
You must now be aware that reputable players charge close to Rs. 900 per year (assume lowest pricing) for roadside assistance, so how can one supply it for Rs. 2500 for 15 years (approximately Rs. 167 each year)? Given the pricing in India, even if I utilise the facility twice a year, there will still be a balance of Rs. 2500. It is obvious that offering the service for 15 years at such a cheap cost is not practical.
Confirmation from Car Dealer
I called and spoke with my relationship manager at the Maruti Nexa car dealership to find out more about these requests for roadside help. He explained that after buying a car, buyers typically get these calls. Should be cautious around them, though, as these callers have nothing to do with Maruti. I made the decision to stop answering such callers after this.
Truecaller App
When receiving calls from unknown numbers, an Android software called "Truecaller" shows the caller's name. However, this app only reports the caller's name when the phone's data is turned "ON." The software typically flagged these calls from roadside assistance cards as spam calls.
Pattern
1. I received several calls asking me to buy roadside assistance over the course of the few days. The following pattern stood out to me in them:
2. 1. Callers are aware of our name and the make and model of car we own. Our info was somehow supplied to them by our auto dealer. This is comparable to how AMC requests an air conditioner, refrigerator, RO water purifier, etc. shortly after purchasing them.
3. 2. The caller asks if it is Mr. xyz speaking as soon as we answer the phone and confirms our name. When we reply yes, he says he is phoning from either the Maruti breakdown department, Maruti maintenance, or Maruti roadside assistance.
4. The caller will say that Maruti does not offer complimentary roadside assistance. But, it will offer the same for free for 15 years everywhere in India with a payment of Rs. 2500. In order to send someone to our address to collect the payment and give us a smart card, he will ask for our home address. We can use the card to access roadside assistance.
5. If we press the caller more regarding the name of his genuine company, he will give us a name that we cannot even look up online. For instance, my car service, roadside assistance for Indian cars, etc. We won't be able to find the company online because these words are so widely used.
Roadside Assistance with Car Insurance Policy
Many people are unaware that our vehicle insurance companies offer free roadside assistance as an add-on protection. The price of this extra cover is quite low. For instance, ICICI Lombard charges only Rs. 199 for this service. To learn more about all the services offered by ICICI Lombard under the add-on cover, see the following page: https://www.icicilombard.com/car-insurance-info/What-is-road-side-assistance.html. Similar services are more or less offered by other insurance firms for a comparable price. So, since insurance firms are regulated and organised businesses, it is best if we get roadside help from them.
Please help others by describing the situation here if you are receiving such calls or have one to report. This will undoubtedly aid other people in escaping the trap. Enjoy your day!