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