Attorney General Kelly Ayotte and Insurance Commissioner Roger A. Sevigny alert New Hampshire consumers to a recent car safety recall scam currently affecting consumers in the Midwest. Postcards with what appear to be genuine recall notices for particular vehicles are landing in consumers' mailboxes. The cards were submitted to Better Business Bureaus (BBB) in Kentucky by concerned car dealers tipped off by their customers who received the recall notices. Prominent words, "Important Safety Recall Information," and the return address of Vehicle Warranty Division Recall Notification Center alarmed car owners. The postcard provides a toll free number for information regarding recall status on the recipient's vehicle.

The BBB found the toll free number was a Missouri-based company offering extended warranties on vehicles. The company is not affiliated with automobile manufacturers and dealerships and has an unsatisfactory record with the BBB due to a pattern of unresolved complaints. Dealers provided with the post card from customers ran the Vehicle Identification Numbers on their cars and found no recalls on file.

Attorney General Ayotte said: "Consumers should be alert to this type of scam and do some research before agreeing to buy an extended warranty through a offer such as this postcard."

Commissioner Sevigny advises consumers to check out warranty companies with the Insurance Department and the BBB. "Whenever you receive something in the mail urging you to purchase an extended warranty, do a little digging to look into the reliability of the company. Getting several estimates from companies who have a satisfactory rating with the BBB and who are registered with the New Hampshire Insurance Department is one way to wisely shop for an extended warranty," he suggests. "When a notice appears in your mailbox which warns of a recall or vehicle problems, always check with a local dealership or the manufacturer of the vehicle to ensure the recall is legitimate."