If you are car shopping, your goal is probably to find a great deal. However, be careful if you find an unbelievable deal for a car with suspiciously low mileage.
The fact is odometer fraud is a serious crime. It also costs Americans more than $1 billion each year. Altering the odometer on a vehicle has been illegal since 1972, discouraged further in 1986 with the Truth in Mileage Act, and in 1994, the odometer tampering statutes were reworded to reaffirm that this practice is illegal.
Unfortunately, odometer rollbacks still occur, and knowing the signs of this is important to avoid falling for this trick.
Signs of an odometer rollback
This is something that occurs when a vehicle’s odometer is altered to show a lower number than the true number of miles. Some people do this to make the car seem newer or like it has fewer miles than it really does to increase its value. This is something that can be done with both analog and digital odometers, and while it’s not an easy process, it is still common.
Another way that odometer fraud is committed is if a vehicle’s instrument cluster is replaced with a different vehicle that has lower mileage.
Be sure to protect yourself from being a victim of odometer rollbacks
It’s important to be aware of the potential issues that you may encounter when buying a vehicle. Always have a car checked out by a mechanic before buying to find these types of issues. If you happen to purchase a vehicle and later discover that the odometer has been rolled back, you have legal rights, and knowing what these are will help you protect yourself and the investment in a vehicle you make.