Tata Motors warns customers against fraudulent promotions

Tata Motors has issued a media release to intimate the general public and potential customers to beware from fraudulent promotional offers and advertisements doing rounds under its name. These fraudsters try to lure people through emails/ sms / unscrupulous newspaper/ television advertisements by promising them prizes such as a Tata Motors’ vehicle against caution money deposits. Tata Motors has stated that a person or group of persons have been wrongfully extracting/ demanding cash deposit(s) in certain specified bank(s) from general public. These individuals are also wrongfully using Tata Motor’s registered trademark to lure public into this trap.

Tata Motors has clearly stated that these communications are purely made with the intent to defraud the general public and that the company has not authorised any person to require any payment /cash deposit to be made. The company has advised general public to exercise caution and not fall prey to any such fraudulent promotional offers purported/claimed to be sent on behalf of Tata Motors. The company has already lodged a police complaint and urged the public not to be misled by any communication which solicits payment or otherwise as part of any promotional scheme.

The common modus operandi followed by these fraudsters is to ask prospective buyers / customers to make certain payments towards availing the prizes or a lucky draw. There was also an advertisement released inviting viewers to identify certain filmstars and upon responding they were encouraged to deposit amounts towards registration and transfer of a vehicle and thereafter directed to a Tata Motors facility to collect the vehicle. Further, Tata Motors’ Intellectual Property Rights have been misused by the unauthorised use of the Company's name- Tata Motors Ltd., and use of protected names of its vehicles, namely- 'Tata Safari', whilst making such unscrupulous newspaper advertisements to lure innocent members of the public to fall into this trap. Tata Motors has urged the public to file a complaint with the local police authorities the moment any caution money was sought from them either for winning a prize or lucky draw.