Audi Warns Shoppers of Fake Sites Using Real Sales Employee Photos to Sell Cars That Don’t Exist
As the traditional used car hunt involving an all-day visit to the dealership sales floor fades, online listings promise no-hassle transactions and easy delivery. The problem is, scammers have figured out how to take advantage of your trust. And while Audi is in the business of selling new cars, it still cares when fraudsters pose as one of their used sales partners.
On December 15, 2025, Audi issued a public warning about an active scam targeting used car buyers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Fraudsters built slick websites and printed catalogs that look like official Audi sales channels.
The cars look clean. The prices are very tempting. The salespeople even look real…because they are. Scammers are using photos of actual Audi dealer employees. But none of it is legit.
Audi says the fake operations push buyers to make payments for cars that never get delivered
The scammers hide behind phony phone numbers, fake bank details, and long lists of email addresses designed to sound official.
According to its press release, Audi has filed a criminal complaint and is cooperating with authorities. Several buyers have already lost money. Audi is urging anyone affected to contact police.
This is happening overseas, but the playbook will sound painfully familiar to American readers
We already covered how a 69-year-old man in Leesburg, Florida lost nearly $45,000 after scammers used deepfake videos of Elon Musk to sell a car giveaway that never existed. The pitch moved from Facebook to WhatsApp, money went out, but nothing came back.
We also already covered how a Florida couple wired their entire savings to buy a Chevy Avalanche listed by “Driveline Motor,” a name almost identical to a real dealership. The website vanished, phones went dead, and the truck never arrived.
Audi’s warning is useful beyond Europe because it reinforces a basic rule
Verify everything. That means checking official brand websites, calling known dealer numbers, and refusing to send money for a car you have not seen. If a deal needs secrecy, speed, or a wire transfer to survive, it deserves to fall apart.
