When you think of odometer fraud, you probably envision the same thing Jason LaBonte does.
“First thing I think of is the guy with the drill rolling the odometer back on the old analog gauges,” he said. “Things have advanced a little bit since then.”
LaBonte, an auto tech, said that even though odometers are digital now, criminals can still tamper with them.
“Somebody’s always going to find a way to defeat those security measures,” he said. “You think you’re buying a lower-mileage vehicle when, in reality, you’re buying something that’s got tons of miles on it.”
In fact, it isn’t just that odometer fraud is still happening. It’s actually on the rise.
According to CARFAX, Florida has the fourth-most vehicles with rolled-back odometers in the U.S., more than 85,000 of them, which is up from the year before. CARFAX found a 7% spike in rollbacks in the nation in 2023.
The rise even prompted a warning from the attorney general in Florida.
LaBonte said you must inspect a used vehicle before you buy it. Shops like his can do that for you and catch problems, like a suspicious odometer reading.
And, of course, make sure you get reports showing the vehicle’s history.
“CARFAX is pretty invaluable. Because it tracks your service history, and the mileage will be documented over the years,” he said. “If you get the CARFAX, and the vehicle was last serviced at 75,000 miles, and you just bought it, and it’s got 55,000 miles, that’s a huge red flag.”
If you suspect odometer fraud, report it to the state here. You can also check a used vehicle for possible odometer fraud.