Last Thursday, a federal grand jury in Casper, Wyoming indicted two used car salesmen with odometer tampering, title fraud, securities fraud, mail fraud and conspiracy. The indictment alleges that the men worked as used car dealers at a dealership in Cheyenne. According to the indictment, as early as 2002, and through at least 2006, the men devised a scheme to defraud buyers of used vehicles by misrepresenting the mileage on vehicles they sold.

As part of the scheme, the indictment charges that the men purchased high-mileage, used cars from various businesses and then altered the odometers in the cars. The men are also charged with altering car titles and sales documents to reflect the changes. The state of Wyoming then unknowingly issued motor vehicle titles reflecting the false info.

According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study, more than 450,000 cases of odometer fraud were reported in 2002.  Experts believe digital odometers, which are used in the majority of vehicles built today, are easier to manipulate. They also believe that with a digital odometer, there’s virtually no physical evidence of tampering.

Nobody wants to buy a lemon, so as a consumer, how can you protect yourself from odometer fraud?

1. Ask for a vehicle history report from Carfax or AutoCheck.
2. Look for wear on the pedals, steering wheel, floor mats, etc. to make sure they are consistent with the mileage reading.
3. Ask to see the vehicle’s title and compare it to mileage with the vehicle’s odometer.
4. Compare the mileage on the odometer to the mileage on the maintenance inspection records.
5. During a test drive, swing by a trusted service garage to have the vehicle thoroughly inspected by the mechanic on duty.
6. Check that the numbers on the odometer gauge are aligned correctly. If it looks as if the numbers are crooked, contain gaps or move when you give the dashboard a good smack, think twice about your purchase.

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