| Buying or selling a vehicle privately is | | | | crime occurred. |
| something that many people will do at least | | | | |
| once in their lives. Most people understand | | | | The easiest way to record the odometer |
| the need to complete an auto bill of sale | | | | reading at the time of sale is to use an auto |
| when buying a vehicle, it is also also | | | | bill of sale. Without one, the original |
| necessary to protect yourself when you are | | | | owner, even though they may know what the |
| selling your car privately. | | | | odometer reading was at the time of sale, |
| | | | will have a difficult time proving that was |
| The term odometer fraud refers to the | | | | the case. |
| practice of rolling back the odometer so that | | | | |
| the vehicle appears to have covered fewer | | | | It is highly recommended that anyone offering |
| miles than it truly has. This is done to | | | | their car for sale privately should utilize |
| obtain a higher price for the vehicle on | | | | an auto bill of sale form with the following |
| resale. It is estimated that over half a | | | | details. It must have both names of the buyer |
| million automobiles are sold each year in the | | | | and seller. It must have the year, make and |
| US with odometer readings that are falsified. | | | | model of the vehicle being sold. It must |
| | | | include the price at which the vehicle was |
| An all too common scenario is as follows. A | | | | sold. It needs to state the odometer reading |
| vehicle is purchased privately and an auto | | | | and the VIN. Lastly it should be dated and |
| bill of sale form is not used. The new owner | | | | signed by both parties. |
| rolls back the odometer and then re-sells the | | | | |
| car for a higher price than they bought it | | | | In order to avoid any problems and to protect |
| for. At a later time the fraud is discovered | | | | yourself from becoming involved in odometer |
| and all previous owners of the vehicle are | | | | fraud, always complete a bill of sale form |
| questioned to discover at what point the | | | | when you plan to sell your vehicle privately. |