Mileage Rollback / Odometer Fraud
Illegally tampering with the odometer to show fewer miles. Federal felony.
Why it matters
Mileage rollback is the federal-felony practice of tampering with a vehicle's odometer to display fewer miles than actually driven. Each rolled-back mile inflates the car's value by $0.10-$0.30 — a 50,000-mile rollback adds $5,000-$15,000 to a used car's value. Federal law (the Odometer Act) makes rollback a felony with up to 3 years in prison plus civil penalties. Detect rollbacks via Carfax/AutoCheck reports, inspection station records, oil change stickers, and tire/brake wear inconsistent with stated mileage. If you suspect rollback, walk and report to NHTSA at vinrcl.safercar.gov.
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