Last autumn, SVT reported that people all over the country had received letters about extended new car warranties with payment cards from "Fordonsverket". Many perceived the offer as a payment requirement and the name sounded official. But no company with that name was registered in Sweden.
After over 130 reports, the Consumer Agency initiated a case against the company where the giro payments on the invoices went, Graystone Sweden AB.
They stated that they had nothing to do with the mailings. They only received the payments. Behind the name Fordonsverket was a company in Hong Kong. Graystone terminated the cooperation and the giro payments ceased. Then there was nothing more for us to do, says Gabriella Fenger-Krog.
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Now, Santana Garanti claims to have taken over Fordonsverket's customer stock and demands payments in mailings.
The Consumer Agency has received around 15 reports from people who were either deceived into paying to Fordonsverket in the autumn or claim that they have never heard of either them or Santana Garanti. One of those who received the letter is "Agneta", who is actually named something else and is in her 80s.
I thought it was suspicious. I have never had anything to do with them and my car is from 2014 and is insured, so no new car warranty is needed. I think it's impudent to try to deceive people in this way, she says.
Constantly recurring
According to both the Consumer Agency and the interest organization M Sverige, this type of business is something that constantly recurs.
Anyone can start a company that offers insurance or a guarantee, but only the car manufacturer is allowed to call it a new car warranty. We see that these insurances are often quite empty. I cannot comment on this case, however, says Carl-Erik Stjernvall, technical expert at M Sverige.
TT has called Santana Garanti's customer service, which confirms that they sent the letters but refers all questions to email, without answering.
According to the letter, Santana Garanti is part of Santana i Stockholm AB. TT has tried to reach the people on the company's board. One of them answers but hangs up the phone.
On its website, Santana Garanti has a picture of a man who is said to be the head of customer service. Through a reverse image search on Google, you can find the same picture on several different websites in different countries. The man is said to have different names and titles on each website.
