Many automotive homeowners go away their telephone numbers on their windshields in case of emergencies, however this could additionally give scammers entry to their info and create alternatives for fraud. This time, Kwiksure has compiled info on numerous automotive scams, together with the most recent strategies of telemarketing fraud, phishing textual content messages, automotive insurance coverage scams, and fraudulent gross sales scams, and shares 5 anti-fraud methods to cut back the danger of being scammed.
Watch out for scammers |Newest automotive scams and telecom fraud strategies
1. Improper parking rip-off messages
Some scammers use the telephone quantity left on the windshield of a automotive proprietor to ship a message claiming that the automotive proprietor has parked within the improper automotive. They will precisely say the automotive proprietor’s license plate quantity, automobile mannequin, and the placement of the automotive they normally park in, making the automotive proprietor mistakenly consider that the opposite get together is a neighbor and decreasing their guard, thereby acquiring extra info to commit fraud.
2. Automotive scratch rip-off
Scammers will contact automotive homeowners by way of cellular messaging apps, claiming that they witnessed the scratches on the automotive proprietor’s automobile. They might additionally describe the automobile’s license plate quantity, colour, and the placement of the accident. They tried to make use of the automobile as a subject of ‘friendship’ to commit fraud.
3. A message was despatched claiming that the aspect mirror of a automobile had been broken and the sender needed to pay compensation.
The scammers will ship messages to the telephone quantity left by the automotive proprietor, ‘confessing’ that they by chance scratched the aspect mirror of the automotive whereas parking, and counsel that the automotive proprietor verify the automobile’s situation and take a video to facilitate compensation. If the automotive proprietor refuses to compensate, the scammers might supply to ‘deal with them to a meal’ and ‘make pals’ to proceed the dialog.
4. Phishing SMS messages utilizing the guise of ‘digital tickets’
Police piloted Digital Mounted Penalty Tickets in June 2025, issuing tickets by way of SMS or e-mail. Scammers will counterfeit the cellular SMS format and declare that there are excellent site visitors tickets for automobiles and connect hyperlinks to faux digital site visitors ticketing platforms to trick automotive homeowners into offering their private or account info.
5. Pretend license plates
The goal of one of these rip-off is intending to purchase a used automobile. Consultants know that scammers can forge extremely practical faux license plates, an identical to real ones in paper high quality, font, and content material. Nonetheless, the automobile proprietor’s info on the plate is totally fictitious. Scammers usually demand money funds from consumers, and even when the customer insists on a financial institution switch, they’ll nonetheless be deceived because of the faux proprietor’s identification on the plate. Earlier than making a transaction, specialists can request the automobile proprietor to use for a Certificates of Particulars of Motor Car to maintain your thoughts comfortable.’
6. Pretend automotive insurance coverage
Scammers will contact victims by way of web sites, social media, or cellular messaging apps, claiming to be an insurance coverage firm middleman. They lure automotive homeowners into shopping for automotive insurance coverage by providing greater premium reductions, and ask the victims to submit insurance coverage info and switch cash to their private financial institution accounts by way of cell phone. They then concern faux non permanent and official insurance coverage insurance policies.
7. Counterfeit ‘EasyPass’
Some scammers will impersonate ‘HKeToll‘ textual content message claims that the sufferer has an overdue invoice with penalties and asks the recipient to click on on a web site hyperlink offered within the message to verify and pay the invoice. This methods the sufferer into clicking on a faux web site and stealing their bank card info and private information.
8. Car switch mortgage
Current experiences point out that scammers, posing as consumers, acquire automobile registration certificates and copies of ID playing cards from automotive homeowners. They then forge signatures on paperwork discovered within the registration certificates and, posing as brokers, apply for substitute certificates and switch of possession, finally transferring the automobile to apply for a automotive mortgage. Because the Transport Division doesn’t require the unique ID card to be introduced when reissuing a automobile registration certificates, scammers can apply for a switch of possession for automobile homeowners with only a copy of the automobile registration certificates and a accomplished kind. Car homeowners must be further cautious when promoting their automobiles to keep away from disclosing any private info or paperwork.
Watch out for Scammers | Suggestions for Avoiding Telecom Fraud/Car Gross sales Scams
1. By no means disclose any private or account info.
Scammers typically ship fraudulent messages by way of cellular messaging apps. Whatever the content material, if you obtain a message from an unknown quantity, be skeptical and confirm its authenticity. By no means disclose any private or account info earlier than confirming the identification of the opposite get together.
2. Watch out for phishing textual content messages.
When receiving textual content messages that look like from the federal government or official channels, by no means click on on hyperlinks throughout the message. First, verify if the sender’s title is misspelled. In accordance with the SMS Sender Registration Schemeall SMS tickets may have a sender’s title beginning with ‘#’, and the content material is not going to embrace any hyperlinks. All Authorities web sites will use the area ‘.gov.hk’.
3. Confirm the credibility of the telephone quantity and web site.
In the event you suspect you could have obtained a rip-off message, you need to use the rip-off entice finder ‘Scameter’ App launched by the Hong Kong Police Power. The system makes use of ‘suspicious name alerts’ and ‘suspicious web site detection’ capabilities to evaluate the credibility and safety dangers of telephone numbers and web sites, decreasing the possibilities of being scammed.
4. Confirm the vendor’s identification earlier than making fee.
Earlier than buying automotive insurance coverage or promoting a automotive, it’s best to at all times confirm the opposite get together’s identification. If in case you have any doubts concerning the identification of the automotive insurance coverage vendor, you’ll be able to instantly inquire with the related insurance coverage firm. It will stop you from depositing premiums into a private checking account, and it’s also possible to confirm the knowledge with the insurance coverage firm after receiving the coverage.
Within the automotive gross sales market, earlier than shopping for a used automotive, consumers ought to rigorously verify the authenticity of the vendor’s automobile registration certificates. Patrons can request authorization from the vendor and pay to use for a Certificates of Particulars of Motor Car to confirm the automobile proprietor’s identification on the license plate. When promoting a automotive, keep away from offering the vendor with copies of the license plate and ID card on the identical time, to forestall faux consumers from utilizing your private info for unlawful functions.’
5. Name the anti-fraud hotline 18222.
In the event you suspect you could have been scammed, you’ll be able to name the 24-hour ‘Anti-Fraud Straightforward 18222’ hotline to contact the Anti-Fraud Coordination Middle for help. You can even get the most recent info and warnings about rip-off strategies.
Often Requested Questions
How do scammers defraud automotive homeowners by way of messages?
After noting down the automotive proprietor’s telephone quantity, the scammers will provoke conversations by making numerous excuses, reminiscent of parking within the improper automotive or damaging the automotive’s aspect mirror. They are going to steadily ‘befriend’ the automotive proprietor to acquire private info after which perform funding or emotional fraud after gaining their belief.
How you can keep away from being scammed when shopping for or promoting vehicles?
Scammers might forge extremely practical automobile registration certificates utilizing false identities. Earlier than conducting a transaction, they might request the automobile proprietor to use for a ‘Certificates of Particulars of Motor Car‘ to confirm their identification. By no means disclose private info or submit any funds earlier than confirming the identification. When promoting a automotive, keep away from offering the vendor with copies of the automobile registration certificates and ID card to forestall faux consumers from utilizing your private info for unlawful functions.
