How the fraud works
A tampered odometer shows fewer miles than the car has really covered, making it look younger and worth more. On a digital dashboard this can be done in minutes with the right tool.
The display alone cannot be trusted. What you need is an independent record of the mileage over time, which is exactly what the service history provides.
The tell-tale signs
The service history records the mileage at each visit. Compare it with the odometer today and look for:
- ·A current reading lower than a mileage recorded at a past service. This is physically impossible without tampering.
- ·Mileage that barely moves between two distant dates, then jumps, or vice versa.
- ·A history that suddenly stops, then resumes with implausibly low mileage.
Back it up with physical clues
Numbers aside, check that wear matches the claimed mileage: pedals, steering wheel, seat bolsters and gear knob. Heavy wear on a supposedly low-mileage car is a red flag.
When the service history and the physical condition both line up with the displayed mileage, you can buy with far more confidence.