Deceptive Mailer from American Automotive Service Solutions Phone:1-877-892-5386 OR 888-567-8688

DID YOU RECEIVE ONE OF THESE NOTICES IN THE MAIL? OR HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY PHONE CALLS FROM THIS COMPANY?

FIRST and foremost, DO NOT CALL THE NUMBERS on this notice! 

I am writing this blog to warn others (especially young people and Senior Citizens) about unscrupulous companies who call themselves "MOTOR VEHICLE SERVICES" that uses deceptive ploys to trick people into calling them so they can sell you an auto services contract. They use a form that extremely close to the form used by your State Department of Motor Vehicles.

The letter claims your "Manufacturers' Warranty or extended service contract is expiring" and that you need to call them to extend your coverage. This is a come-on and should be reported to your state Attorney General's office as well as to the Federal Trade Commission at: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).  Or file a complaint online: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

For more information regarding auto services contracts, please visit this link: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0054-auto-service-contracts-and-warranties 
If you receive a mailer like mine, take the original to your local post office and file a written complaint with the Postmaster. Keep copies and forward some to your AG and the FTC. All complaints should be in writing.

For my notification, I found out that "MOTOR VEHICLE SERVICES" is a company by the name of American Automotive Service Solutions. Their address: 933 Main Plaza Dr Wentzville Missouri 63385. Please be aware there might be other companies that use this same letter/tactic. The phone number on my letter was for American Automotive Service Solutions.

If you google the phone number "877-892-5386", you can read other peoples' experiences with this company. 
Check out the BBB complaints against this company here: http://www.bbb.org/stlouis/business-reviews/auto-service-contract-companies/american-automotive-service-solutions-in-wentzville-mo-310288545/complaints

First, you don't need extended services, because most likely what you've got is already enough when you buy a car with the manufacturer's warranty. In fact, you don't need to sign up for an auto services contract/extended warranty when you buy a car or when you obtain financing for one. Beware of dealers who try to include an extended warranty contract without your consent or knowledge when you purchase a car.

Second, if you did purchase an extended warranty through your local auto dealership, renew it through them, and not some unknown faraway third party company using questionable practices to attract customers.

If you receive such a letter like the one pictured above, please DO NOT call these people. Your Caller ID may be harvested and sold to other similar, fraudulent businesses, and you'll be deluged with unwanted phone calls. From articles I've read, you will be subjected to a high-pressure sales pitch that may include them asking for personal information such as a credit card number. People have reported these "sales reps" are often rude, especially once you turn them down or ask too many questions. Is your time worth this abuse?

If you've studied the scan of my letter, you will see there's no company name or address, only a phone number and hours of operation. There's no return address either, just the generic "Motor Vehicles Services." If a company has to disguise its identity on any solicitation, most likely you are dealing with a scammer or a company with highly questionable business practices.

You are risking your hard-earned cash by patronizing these scammers, because you won't have any recourse since a lot of these companies disappear, never to be heard from again. And most likely their fees are much higher than those you would pay for extended warranty through your auto dealer. There are a lot of bogus warranty companies out there. Here today, and gone tomorrow with your money and you're stuck with a worthless warranty contract that no auto repair shop will honor.

People noted these companies will not discuss the coverage until you pay first. That practice is already fraudulent, as a legitimate company would outline all the terms and conditions of the extended warranty services before you purchase. Would you buy a pair of shoes without seeing them or trying them on to see if they fit? 

Again, if you receive a similar letter or a phone call from this company, DO NOT RESPOND. Most likely it is a scam or a company that will offer overpriced extended services that you can get from your local car dealership at a much lower price.