The shocking method car fraudsters are using to rip off potential buyers has been revealed, as the NSW government announces a plan to crack down on the soaring levels of odometer fraud.
Buyers of used cars, motorbikes and trucks in Australia will be able to access a free odometer reading from Monday, accessed via the Service NSW app and website.
Used car shoppers will be able to access the three previous annual odometer readings, as long as the vehicle was registered in NSW.
Currently people can only access information like vehicle make, registration, and insurance.
The move comes as incidents of odometer fraud reported a fourfold spike from 2021-22.
NSW Fair Trading reports issuing $113,000 in fines, plus 103 penalty notices in the two years, despite just 38 penalties being issued between 2019-20.
Better Regulation and Fair Trading Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said the majority of fraudulent cases occurred via online sales, through general third-party selling platforms.
“Most cases investigated involve sellers working through online platforms like Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree, usually using fake profiles and often through third parties,” he said.
“Buyers have to be careful, and this initiative will mean they have better access to good information that lets them make the best decisions.”
One reported incident involved a seller reducing the mileage of a Subaru XV by 400,000km, which allowed them to sell it for $32,000, or $11,000 more than its previous price.
In another case, a 2009 Toyota HiLux was resold for five times its sale price of $6000, for $30,980, after the odometer was lowered by 280,000km.
The act is illegal under the Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013, which makes it an offence to alter the reading of an odometer, to remove or replace an odometer, to render it inaccurate, or use a device which affects the reading.
Roads Minister John Graham said the free tests would give second-hand vehicles more peace of mind against the illegal act.
“Odometer tampering is illegal, and a ploy used by unscrupulous sellers to misrepresent a vehicle‘s value and condition. It didn’t work in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and we don’t want it to happen in NSW,” he said.
“This practice can leave victims out of pocket, which is why making this information freely accessible is great news for buyers in the used vehicle market.”
Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said it was important for the readings to be accessible to everyone.
“Adding these free odometer readings to the website and Service NSW app is just another example of ensuring important information is available to people across NSW at the click of a button,” Mr Dib said.