Auto experts warn odometer tampering is on the rise

Automobile consumer experts are warning potential used car buyers to beware – odometer tamping is on the rise and it’s becoming a big problem in the industry.

News 12 Staff

Jan 25, 2019, 11:35 PM

Updated 1,924 days ago

Share:

Automobile consumer experts are warning potential used car buyers to beware – odometer tamping is on the rise and it’s becoming a big problem in the industry.
“One of the main reasons for the rise in odometer fraud is how easily digital odometers can be manipulated, even easier than the old analog odometers,” says Chris Basso with Carfax.
Carfax reports that 1.6 million cars on the road now show signs of odometer fraud – including 85,000 in New York and nearly 32,000 in New Jersey.
Basso showed News 12 how easily it can be done. It took a technician just over 30 seconds to roll back the odometer from 230,000 miles to 130,000 miles.
“It really is scary how quickly it can be done and the people who are doing this are doing dozens to hundreds of vehicles at a time,” says Basso.
Experts say that there are some ways for consumers to detect possible odometer tampering. Services like Carfax, Autocheck or Vincheck will compare reported mileage at each registration and service date and report potential rollbacks – but that information is only as good as the information that is reported to those services.
A mechanic should also check out a used car to look for any signs of tampering or other mechanical issues with the vehicle.


More from News 12
1:55
Large fire at 2-story Bensonhurst building leaves home destroyed

Large fire at 2-story Bensonhurst building leaves home destroyed

1:28
Temperatures cool off heading into the weekend for NYC

Temperatures cool off heading into the weekend for NYC

1:59
Community members affected by Bushwick fire regroup, attempt to move forward

Community members affected by Bushwick fire regroup, attempt to move forward

1:41
New survey highlights challenges for migrants

New survey highlights challenges for migrants

1:55
PS 331 in Borough Park to be renamed in honor of slain Detective WenJian Liu

PS 331 in Borough Park to be renamed in honor of slain Detective WenJian Liu

0:43
2 City Council committees hold joint hearing on sexual harassment policies

2 City Council committees hold joint hearing on sexual harassment policies

4:14
'We lost something good'. FDNY says large fire destroys Bushwick supermarket, leaves 55 people homeless

'We lost something good'. FDNY says large fire destroys Bushwick supermarket, leaves 55 people homeless

Diocese of Brooklyn: 3 Catholic academies to close at the end of the school year

Diocese of Brooklyn: 3 Catholic academies to close at the end of the school year

2:03
New exhibit at Brooklyn Museum unveils new photos taken by Beatles' Paul McCartney

New exhibit at Brooklyn Museum unveils new photos taken by Beatles' Paul McCartney

0:32
NYPD: Suspect driver wanted for assaulting 59-year-old man in Williamsburg

NYPD: Suspect driver wanted for assaulting 59-year-old man in Williamsburg

0:23
Police: 2-car Prospect-Lefferts Gardens crash leaves person hospitalized

Police: 2-car Prospect-Lefferts Gardens crash leaves person hospitalized

0:36
Live Nation Concert Week offers $25 tickets to over 5,000 shows

Live Nation Concert Week offers $25 tickets to over 5,000 shows

2:22
Do you constantly reuse the same username and password? 6 steps to help safeguard your online accounts

Do you constantly reuse the same username and password? 6 steps to help safeguard your online accounts

1:27
Kingsboro Psychiatric Center workers demand their bosses get fired due to bullying, nepotism

Kingsboro Psychiatric Center workers demand their bosses get fired due to bullying, nepotism

1:53
Crowds gather again at Stony Brook University following night of 29 arrests during pro-Palestinian protest

Crowds gather again at Stony Brook University following night of 29 arrests during pro-Palestinian protest

1:51
RFK announces he has enough signatures to appear on NY ballot

RFK announces he has enough signatures to appear on NY ballot

1:46
Tenants weigh in on possible rent hikes for rent-stabilized homes

Tenants weigh in on possible rent hikes for rent-stabilized homes

1:38
Parks Department held community input meetings over new construction of skate parks

Parks Department held community input meetings over new construction of skate parks

1:27
Power restored in Manhattan Beach following 18-wheeler truck crash

Power restored in Manhattan Beach following 18-wheeler truck crash