Overview
- Volkswagen reports professionally staged fraud using look‑alike websites and forged catalogs that advertise non‑existent used models at unusually low prices.
- The scheme employs fake email addresses, phone numbers and bank accounts plus brand‑style layouts to appear legitimate, then seeks deposits or full payments before cutting contact.
- VW urges buyers to use authorized dealers or its official site, verify any seller directly, avoid paying in advance and file police reports immediately if contacted by suspected scammers.
- Related impersonation waves previously hit Audi and Mercedes‑Benz in 2025, with both companies reporting cases and filing criminal complaints, while the ADAC flags separate attempts to harvest member data.
- Consumer guidance highlighted by a legal expert includes preserving screenshots and correspondence, submitting a detailed police statement and asking banks to attempt an urgent transfer recall.