Gasgoo Munich- Following Volkswagen's warning about bogus recall text messages on the evening of Nov. 5, BMW China issued a similar alert on Nov. 6. The automaker said scammers are impersonating BMW officials to carry out telecom fraud under the guise of "vehicle recalls."
According to BMW, the fraudsters send fake "Recall Notices" via text and multimedia messages. They forge the official seals of "BMW China" and "BMW Brilliance," claim the vehicles have safety defects requiring urgent attention, and embed web links or QR codes to trick owners into clicking through.
Image Source: BMW China
The bogus notices making the rounds cite airbag malfunctions, claiming that deploying airbags could eject fragments and injure occupants. They fabricate an "emergency recall" set to begin on Oct. 1, 2026. Some messages even pressure owners to act by warning that failing to comply promptly will void their warranty coverage.
BMW was emphatic: the recent "recall notices" did not come from the company. Official BMW recalls, the automaker stressed, will never ask for sensitive data like bank card numbers or verification codes — and will never require payments or transfers.
BMW urged owners to verify any recall through official channels — either the Defective Product Recall Technical Center under the State Administration for Market Regulation, or by contacting BMW's customer service center and authorized dealers directly.
The BMW alert follows a similar warning from Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd. on the evening of Nov. 5. Volkswagen said scammers had been impersonating the company and regulatory authorities, texting owners with fake recall notices and luring them to share personal information or process "recalls" via unofficial links.
Back-to-back warnings from two major automakers signal that recall-related scams are now targeting multiple brands. Drivers who receive such notices should verify them through official channels — clicking unknown links could lead to stolen data or financial losses.
