- Contact your card issuer or bank promptly to dispute the charge and ask about a chargeback
- Change any passwords you may have reused on the scam site
- Report the site to your country's consumer protection or fraud reporting authority
- Confirm your actual navigation system status separately with Honda or an authorized dealer
Scam Awareness
How to avoid Honda GPS update scams
"GPS update" scams are a real and common category of fraud aimed at car owners. Here's how to recognize one before you hand over payment details.
The golden rule: only get map updates or pay for them through Honda's own official website, the built-in navigation system's official update flow, or an authorized Honda dealer. If you weren't the one who searched for and navigated to that page yourself, be extra cautious.
Warning Signs
Red flags of a fake update site
Urgency and fear tactics
Countdown timers, "your GPS is critically outdated," or claims your car is unsafe without an immediate update are pressure tactics, not technical facts.
Payment before information
Being asked for a credit card before you can see what version you'd actually be getting, or what your vehicle currently has, is a bad sign.
You didn't search for it
An unsolicited email, text message, or pop-up ad pointing you to an "update portal" is a common delivery method for these scams.
Mismatched or unofficial domain
A web address that isn't Honda's own official domain, especially one with extra words, misspellings, or unusual endings, deserves scrutiny.
Vague or generic branding
Stock photos of unrelated cars, inconsistent logos, or a site that could describe "any car brand" with the name swapped in are signs of a template scam page.
Unusual payment requests
Requests for payment via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency for a routine map update are a strong indicator of fraud.
Before You Pay
A quick verification checklist
1
Type Honda's official web address yourself
Don't click through from an email or ad — navigate to Honda's own site directly in your browser.
2
Check your map version first
Confirm you actually need an update before looking into getting one — see our guide on checking your map version.
3
Call an authorized dealer to confirm
If you're unsure whether a page or offer is legitimate, a phone call to a real Honda dealership can confirm it in minutes.
4
Never pay under time pressure
A real update will still be available tomorrow. If something insists you act "right now," slow down.
If You Already Paid
What to do if you think you've been scammed
Not sure about a specific site?
Send us the details through our contact form and we'll help you think it through.