Scam Alert: Bogus Mail From CarSafe

I got some mail that looked "important." It was one of those papers where you have to remove the edges to open it. It said the following on the front:

Make: Ford

REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION - TIME SENSITIVE MATERIAL ENCLOSED

WARNING: $2,000 FINE, 5 YEARS IMPRISONMENT, OR BOTH FOR ANY PERSON INTERFERING OR OBSTRUCTING WITH DELIVERY OF THIS LETTER. U.S. MAIL TTT.18 U.S. CODE

TO BE OPENED BY ADDRESSEE ONLY
PLEASE RESPOND WITHIN FIVE DAYS

The first thing that's wrong with this is although it had my mailing address, there was no return address. Anything without a return address should be discarded, regardless how important it looks.

The second thing wrong with it is the period of time they give you to respond. Anyone who wants a response within five days for something you receive in the mail is being unreasonable and doesn't deserve a response as far as I'm concerned. Any reputable company would give you at least two weeks, but most likely a month.

Since I knew I had something good to write about in my blog, I went ahead and took the bate and opened my mail. Inside it has the following:

CarSafe
PHONE: 866-364-3336

Make: Ford

IMPORTANT

CALL 866-364-3336 TO EXTEND YOUR VEHICLE'S COVERAGE

** EXTREMELY URGENT AND TIME SENSITIVE **

SERVICE CONTRACT EXPIRATION - THIS IS NOT A BILL

EXPIRATION: 11-DEC-2009
COVERAGE: AVAILABLE

STATUS: PENDING

NEW COVERAGE:
PLATINUM COVERAGE
POWERTRAIN COVERAGE

MINIMUM FINANCE RATE AVAILABLE: 0%

Business Hours
MON-FRI
8:00 AM TO 7:30 PM

SAT
9:00 AM TO 2:00 PM

SERVICE CONTRACT EXPLANATION
REQUESTING:

1. EXTENSIONS AVAILABLE TO 2015
2. UP TO OR ADDITIONAL 150,000 MILES
3. NEW CAR COVERAGE / POWERTRAIN

COMMENTS:
THIS LETTER IS TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR FACTORY SERVICE CONTRACT HAS EXPIRED OR IS ABOUT TO EXPIRE AND YOU MAY EXTEND YOUR SERVICE CONTRACT COVERAGE ON THE VEHICLE. YOUR EXTENDED SERVICE CONTRACT COVERAGE OFFER EXPIRES ON 11-DEC-2009

PLATINUM:
ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, TRANSFER UNIT OF 4X4, DRIVE AXLE ASSEMBLY, FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION, STEERING, AIR CONDITIONING UNIT, ELECTRONICS, SEALS, GASKETS, BRAKE SYSTEM, HIGH TECH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND MORE.

POWERTRAIN:
ADDITIONAL 100,000 MILES OF COVERAGE.

CALL TODAY: 1-866-364-3336
PLEASE HAVE YOUR MILEAGE AND VIN # READY SO WE MAY BETTER ASSIST YOU.
MON-FRI: 8:00 AM TO 7:30 PM - SAT: 9:00 AM TO 2:00 PM

If the coverage expires on December 11, 2009, why do I need to respond within five days? More important yet, who is CarSafe?

Never sign up with anything with a company you have no past relationship with. Through my research, it seems these people are the same (though the last digit of the phone number is 1 instead of 6.) The also seem to be tied to "Dealer Preferred Warranties" and "Edge Companies." In addition, several people have reported 636-757-7700 and 720-407-0465 in association with the number listed in my mail. I found this individual's solution quite amusing (although I can't claim that it actually works like that, but feel free to try!)

Auto Insurance Fraud

For the past two months, I have been getting calls on my cell phone about my warrenty getting ready to expire. It's an automated message. I don't know how they got my number, but it's very annoying at this stage. (502) 894-0098 is the number I last traced. People here have all been complaining about it. Interestingly, this number has the following listing on a website:

Weight Loss Plus 291 N Hubbards Ln #A33 Louisville, KY 40207-2295 502-894-0098

The problem is these scammers have yet to be caught. Obviously their business practices aren't very ethical if they constantly call a couple times a week. That's not the characteristic of someone wanting to do business, that's the characteristic of someone wanting to get your money unlawfully. This article on MSNBC claims their operations extend beyond cell phone calls. An interesting exchange one person had was as follows:

Rep: What is the make and model of your vehicle?
Me: Jeep, what is the name of your company?
Rep: I will tell you, what is your model?
Me: What is the name of your company?
Rep: F-you. (hangs up)

As if that wasn't bad enough, here's an even more interesting story from someone else:

I immediately went to the second option to talk to someone. Guy with the southern accent answered and asked for my info. I said I just want to be taken off the database, etc. He asked for my info again and just gave it to him because i wouldn't have gotten anywhere. Then I played this game with some a-hole who kept insisting to give me details about my car. I kept asking to just be taken off the list, at least 10 times, literally. Finally I said ok, a little suggestion. Give "customers" whether they're customers or not what they want. What I want is to be taken off and that I'd just hang up. "Well sir I'm just trying to see what I can do for you it's very easy to take your name out but let's see if I can get you a warranty. And God gave you the free will to hang up any time you want" I told him off and he said wow sir, I just had an epiphany, you're right, I went all those years to school but I should have just come to you. I'll take your name off the list right away"....Literally a 7 minute struggle.

I'll be dialing *57 from now on to report it directly to the police. If you have been getting this call, you should do the same. Also, here's a list of other numbers with the same message that have dialed my cell phone:

(240) 210-7101
(978) 570-2338
(800) 111-1114
(562) 289-8136
(973) 668-1868