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- Odometer fraud is rising, with over 2.14 million vehicles affected in the US since 2021.
- An odometer measures distance; rollbacks falsely reduce mileage to inflate car value.
- Top fraud states include California, Texas, and New York.
- Rollbacks mislead buyers into overpaying for worn vehicles.
- Detection methods: history reports, maintenance records, OBD2 scans, inspections, and visual checks.
- Sellers do it for profit, but it is illegal with heavy fines and prison time.
- Vehicle history reports like cheapcarfax.net help prevent fraud.
Did you know that, according to a report by Carfax, approximately 2.14 million vehicles on the road may have had their odometers rolled back—an 18% rise since 2021? Well, your car could be one of them, and your dealership might have scammed you.
Odometer fraud is common these days. However, if you know how to tackle and prevent it from dealerships, you can save a lot of money when buying a used car.
In this article, we will dive into what an odometer is, rollback, and how you can prevent it. Let’s dive into it.
What is a Car Odometer?
A car odometer measures the distance traveled. It is common in every vehicle, motorcycle, and bicycle. It is calculated in kilometers in most countries and miles in the USA. It is a standard component of all vehicles and is usually located on the dashboard, close to the speedometer.
There are two types of vehicle odometers.
- Digital Odometer: It is a common feature in modern vehicles. It uses advanced electronic sensors for a digital display.
- Mechanical Odometer: It is a traditional odometer, primarily found in older vehicles. Works using a series of gears and wheels connected to the car’s transmission.
What is an Odometer Rollback?
Odometer rollback is one of the common frauds done by dealerships or previous owners to sell their vehicles. It is an illegal practice to roll back the odometer to show fewer kilometers or miles in a car. Rolled-back odometers give a false impression of the car’s condition, potentially leading buyers to overpay for a vehicle with hidden wear and tear.
Furthermore, the odometer rollback is a scam found in most countries. According to a report by Statista, Latvia has the most odometer rollback frauds recorded in used cars at around 102,600 kilometers. In addition, Lithuania followed the use of vehicle odometer fraud by 100,500 miles.
Odometer rollback is on the rise, despite digital systems, warns CARFAX Editor-in-Chief Patrick Olsen. It only takes minutes to erase tens of thousands of miles—deceptively boosting a car’s value.
In 2025, California led the nation with 469,000 tampered vehicles (↑7.2%), followed by Texas with 277,000 (↑12.8%).
Top 10 States for Odometer Fraud:
- California – 469K (↑7.2%)
- Texas – 277K (↑12.8%)
- New York – 100K (↑9.0%)
- Florida – 85.4K (↑1.4%)
- Illinois – 79K (↑7.6%)
- Pennsylvania – 69.6K (↑2.1%)
- Georgia – 67.6K (↑4.0%)
- Arizona – 57K (↑4.8%)
- Virginia – 56K (unchanged)
- North Carolina – 49K (↑8.2%)
Even small rollbacks impact value, but most cases involve significant reductions—e.g., a car showing 50K miles might actually have over 100K.
How to Detect Odometer Rollback?
Here are the ways to detect Odometer rollback and prevent fraud:
Use Vehicle History Report
Carfax reports provide you with every nitty-gritty detail about the vehicle’s history, such as a salvage title change, ownership history, odometer fraud, mileage, accidental damage, and functional damage.
Get your cheap Carfax report now for just $2.
Checking Maintenance Records
Inadequate maintenance, missing records, and gaps are red flags and an unambiguous indication of odometer rollback. Therefore, ask for maintenance records and look for consistent mileage logs when buying a used card.
Use OBD2 Scanner
OBD2 or On-Board Diagnostic 2 is your vehicle’s self-diagnostic system that allows telematics scanners to process engine condition, fuel usage, and help you find issues. This can help you find whether there is an odometer rollback or not.
Hire a Professional Inspection
Hiring a professional mechanic to inspect the car you are buying is definitely the right move. A trusted mechanic can identify signs of tampering, especially with digital odometers or dashboard electronics.
Check Vehicle Appearance
The vehicle’s overall appearance says a lot about the car you are buying. Check whether the car’s condition and current odometer match the wear and tear; however, it’s not easy. Moreover, the clutch and accelerator can say a lot about the odometer. If the pedal rubber shows excessive wear but the odometer reading is low, it could be a sign of odometer rollback.
Why Sellers Do Odometer Rollback?
Most sellers or dealerships perform odometer rollback to increase the car’s value. A lower mileage often means a higher selling price, even if the vehicle has significant wear and tear.
For example, A 7-year-old car with 120,000 miles might only be worth $8,000. But if the odometer is rolled back to show 60,000 miles, it could be listed for $12,000 or more, giving the seller a much higher profit by misleading the buyer.
Is Odometer Rollback Legal?
Not at all, odometer rollback is not legal in any country or state. In fact, you can be in prison for up to 3 years and face a fine of up to $250,000 in the US.
Both individuals and dealerships can face legal action if caught rolling back odometers. In addition, buyers who discover odometer fraud may sue the seller for damages.
CheapCarfax.net – A Reliable Way to Get Cheap Vehicle Reports
Cheapcarfax.net provides valuable, reliable, and accurate vehicle history reports for buyers, sellers, and dealerships.
It offers affordable Carfax report bundles. If you choose the premium bundle, you can get 67% and a report for only $2 each.
