Car scammers are targeting Audi used-car showrooms in some European markets, forcing the brand to issue an urgent warning to consumers.

The premium German brand has discovered fraudulent websites and fake catalogs are offering used Audi models at particularly low prices in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

They aim to lure potential customers and encourage them to purchase or make payments for nonexistent used Audi cars. The scams came to light when customers turned up at Audi showrooms with convincing-looking invoices to pick up vehicles.

This is among the most common type of vehicle scam on some used-car sites and on social media marketplaces such as Facebook.

However, this is among the biggest and most sophisticated organized frauds targeting vehicles from a specific auto brand, forcing Audi to take action.

The automaker warns its used models are being offered for sale on deceptively real-looking websites and in catalogs that appear to be legitimate sales channels of Audi AG or genuine Audi sales material.

“In fact, neither the sales instruments mentioned nor the vehicles offered actually exist,” Audi says in a company statement. “Those responsible are using fake email addresses, telephone numbers and bank details and are not afraid to use images of actual employees of Audi sales partners.”

Already, several Audi customers have been targeted by these scammers and the company says it “regrets this very much” while advising those affected to “inform the police right away.”

“Unfortunately, there have already been a few cases in which customers had made payments for alleged used Audi cars without having inspected the vehicle in advance,” says Wolfgang Schmid, Audi’s spokesperson for litigation and legal affairs.

“They received deceptively real invoices. With this invoice in their hands, the customers came to pick up the vehicle. It was only at that moment that it became clear that it was a scam.”

Audi adds it has filed a criminal complaint in this matter and is cooperating with investigators.