Tata Motors : cautions general public against fraudulent promotions

July 10, 2014

Tata Motors has cautioned potential customers and the general public on fraudulent promotional offers and advertisements wherein amongst other things, the 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 would like to state that these communications are purely made with the intent to defraud the general public and Tata Motors has not authorized any person to require any payment /cash deposit to be made.

The company advised that individuals 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.

In recent times, fraudsters have through emails/ sms / unscrupulous newspaper/ television advertisements, promised prizes such as a Tata Motors' vehicle against caution money deposits. 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 unauthorized 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 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.

About Tata Motors

Tata Motors is India's largest automobile company, with consolidated revenues of Rs. 1, 88,818 crores ($ 34.7 billion) in 2012-13. Through subsidiaries and associate companies, Tata Motors has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand, South Africa and Indonesia. Among them is Jaguar Land Rover, the business comprising the two iconic British brands. It also has an industrial joint venture with Fiat in India.  With over 8 million Tata vehicles plying in India, Tata Motors is the country's market leader in commercial vehicles and among the top in passenger vehicles. It is also the world's fifth largest truck manufacturer and fourth largest bus manufacturer. Tata cars, buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, South America, CIS and Russia.