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By automotive personnel 
2h ago
JOHANNESBURG – Two major vehicle tracking companies have warned of a new car theft scam in South Africa, and the scammers appear to be targeting high-end cars that are linked to various tracking companies.
Tracker noted that some of its clients had been contacted by these scammers, who claim to work for the tracking company in question.
How does it work
The perpetrators contact the owner of the vehicle and tell him that they must go out to repair or replace the tracking device, as they have detected a fault in it. Once on the scene, the scammers claim that they cannot complete the repairs on the spot and therefore have to take the car back to the assembly center, or they say they have to test drive the car to test the system.
High-end car insurance
Another vehicle tracking company, Netstar, has warned that the union is targeting “high value” vehicles. The company says it has launched a multi-pronged strategy to combat the threat, with alerts sent to customers, staff and assembly centers.
An investigation is also underway, the company stated:
“We are conducting an investigation to ensure that customer information remains protected and to help apprehend suspects for justice,” said Netstar COO Charles Morgan.
“We have alerted customers to the situation, warning them to be vigilant, as alert customers have thwarted several attempts.”
What to do if they contact you
Tracker has advised its customers that if someone contacts them claiming to be from the tracking company, they should at a minimum ask verification questions associated with the account. If a request is sent by email, it is also wise to verify the address from which it is sent, as all correspondence, from Tracker for example, must have ‘tracker.co.za’ in the address.
If suspicious, customers should contact the call center on 0860 60 50 40.
Technicians will never request a test drive
However, the tracking company also noted that a Tracker technician will never need to test a customer’s vehicle, nor should he ask for it.
Netstar added that its investigations show that the company itself did not compromise customer information and that criminals acquired the customer’s phone and vehicle details by other means.
“Netstar is sharing all relevant evidence with the South African Police Service. A joint working group with industry stakeholders has also been established to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. “
Netstar said customers are encouraged to ask anyone making a reservation to indicate their account number and call the Customer Service center on 0860 12 24 36 to confirm any appointments.
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