Carfax estimates more than one million cars on the roads across the country have had their odometers altered in some way, which means you're paying for a car that has more miles than what the seller is saying.
Because odometer fraud is so prevalent, we decided to see if we could find a car for for sale that had rolled-back miles, and after hitting a handful of used car dealers... boom!
We found one.
"Hi, sir. My name is Eryka Washington from Channel 6 News. I was wondering how come you're selling cars that are rolled-back odometers?" asked News 6 Eryka Washington.
"You can turn that on and you can see it -- 67,000 miles. The Carfax report says it should be 231,000 miles,” said Washington.
“I don't know about this car. I’m going to go look it up. If it’s different, I’ll have to change it or whatever," said the used car dealer.
Chris Basso from Carfax says he's not surprised.
"Florida is one of the hotbeds for odometer fraud," said Basso.
He says Florida has roughly 60,000 cars on the road that have had their odometers rolled back - which means all of those customers got ripped off.
"Not only are you paying more for that car -- on average, about $4,000 more -- but you're likely incurring costly repairs because that vehicle has so many more miles on it than you think it does," said Basso.
This man, “Andrew,"said it happened to him after this car posted on Craigslist caught his attention. He asked that we not show his face.
"We were looking for a cheaper vehicle that we could pay off and be paid for," said Andrew.
"What caught your eye about this vehicle?" asked Washington.
"The lower mileage and price points and the condition of the vehicle," said Andrew.
But on the title, the seller had very lightly checked the box "not actual mileage."
"So that put up a red flag for me," said Andrew.
The mileage on the car's odometer was 90,000 but the Carfax report shows the mileage at 189,000.
That's a rollback of almost 100,000 miles.
"It’s just not right. People work hard and spend their money and you’re ripping people off," said Andrew.
"It is actually a felony if you actively turn back or alter the odometer or if you knowingly have some kind of involvement in that; it is against the law," said Trooper Kim Montes, of Florida Highway Patrol.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, which investigates odometer fraud, they are seeing more and more victims.
Here's why.
There is a new device that makes it easy to roll back odometers especially digital ones.
In a YouTube video, you can see how the device is simply plugged in to the cars computer to alter the odometer reading.
"It’s really important not only to know what you’re buying but who you’re buying from," said Basso.
We know that in working with law enforcement agents and talking with our dealers that it is happening here in Orlando," said Basso.
We wanted to see if it was happening to anyone else besides Andrew. And that brings us back to this used car dealer.
"It's a felony to sell a vehicle with rolled back miles on it. Period. We don't roll back mileage. This is the only car that's different," said the used car dealer.
"So this is the only car in your whole lot that we happen to come across that has mileage that is rolled back,.” said Washington.
"Are you telling customers that 67,000 isn't really 67,000?”
“Oh yes, yes!” exclaimed the used car dealer.
“The fact of the matter is it’s against the law to roll back odometers. Period,” said Washington.
“We don't roll back odometers,” said the used car dealer.
Andrew did press charges on the seller and that seller was charged with a felony and found guilty.
There are several ways to check to make sure the mileage you see on the dash dashboard is accurate.
You need the car’s vehicle identification number, or VIN, to purchase a Carfax report.
Also,ask for maintenance or inspection records for the vehicle and check with the National Motor Vehicle Highway Safety for more information on odometer fraud.
Another way to check the mileage is to look at the car’s title.
If it says EXEMPT that means the car is more than 10 years old but it does not mean its OK to tamper with the mileage.
One reason EXEMPT is used for older vehicles is because they do not have odometers that go past 99,000 miles, as cars do now.
Currently, legislation is in the works to adjust current policy, making EXEMPT refer to vehicles that are 20 years old or older.