We all get a lot of junk mail.
Catalogs. Menus from local businesses. Solicitations from credit card companies.
And sometimes we get come-ons from entities that are misleading at best, trying to sell us a service they imply we can’t afford to lose.
When one of those come-ons landed in Louis Pisciotta’s mailbox, he took note, but only for a moment.
“The large block letters, `MOTOR VEHICLE SERVICE NOTIFICATION,’ on both sides of the postcard resembled something one might receive from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. However, the first sentence in the body of the card sounded like a scam,” Pisciotta said, concerned that some people might fall for what he called a “marketing ploy.”
He said it was “deceptive.”
“The card alludes to some kind of existing contract covering auto repairs that is ending, that this program is needed to ensure your vehicle’s `continued optimal operation,’ and unless you respond in a few days to `update your protection program’ you will be liable for all repairs out of pocket,” the grandfather of six said. “The language is clearly intended to frighten, put you on the defensive, and furnish a quick and convenient remedy by simply calling the provided number.”
Pisciotta was right to be concerned.
The Better Business Bureau recently warned about these kinds of cards — though not this one specifically — and the Federal Trade Commission says aggressive and fear-inducing messages have fooled people into spending hundreds…
