Odometer Fraud Scheme Brought This Car Dealership Thousands Of Dollars And Criminal Charges

It can be easy to get caught by a scam when purchasing a used vehicle, with unscrupulous dealers employing a huge variety of tactics to artificially inflate the value of the cars that they're selling. One common scam is odometer fraud, where sellers tamper with a car's odometer to make it seem as though it has covered fewer miles than it actually has. An odometer fraud scheme in Pennsylvania has left four people associated with a dealership facing multiple charges as law enforcement continues to crack down on dealership rip-offs.

The charges, reported by PennLive, involve multiple people associated with Trust Auto Outlet in Guilford Township, Franklin County. Police allege that Frank Burrell, Trevor Daniels, Stephanie Hetzer, and Virgie Waters altered the mileage of at least 33 cars, then sold those cars for more than their true value to unsuspecting victims. In the process, they are said to have cost those victims over $100,000 and erased over 2.3 million miles from their cars' odometers. The cars were sold across three states, with some cars sold in Pennsylvania and others in West Virginia and Maryland.

Schemes like this are unfortunately far from rare, with criminals able to tamper with digital odometers using specialist devices. Depending on how many miles are erased, sellers can significantly alter buyers' perceptions of a car, and thus how much they're willing to pay for it. Both age and mileage are arguably equally important to consider when searching for a used car, but its condition should also never be ignored. Not only does a car's condition give you insight into how well the previous owner looked after the car, but it's also something to consider if you're suspicious about a car's mileage being tampered with.

A car with an interior that looks more worn than its mileage suggests can be a red flag for odometer fraud. In particular, be sure to look at the wear on the car's pedals, as worn-out pedals can be a giveaway even if the rest of the interior isn't obviously in bad shape. It's also a good idea to check the car's title, its maintenance records, and any oil change stickers you can find, in case there are any discrepancies between the odometer reading and those documents. A vehicle that has covered 20,000 miles or less should also still have its original tires — if it doesn't, ask the seller why the car's tires have been replaced. It's also advisable to ask for a vehicle history report, or order one online if the seller does not already have one.