If you recently purchased a car and it’s already acting up, you may be a victim of odometer fraud. This is the criminal act that occurs when a deceptive car salesman tampers with the number of miles that are displayed on your vehicle. Salesman can turn back the dial so that it appears as if your car is brand new, or at least not very old. However, this dangerous lie can cause serious accidents. Because you are operating in a car that may be quite old and damaged, your engine may give out or malfunction while on the road. The tires may also be worn, causing a tire explosion that harms you and those in your car. If your car fails to work on a windy, rainy, or snowy day, you might be caught up in the weather conditions and hydroplane out of control.

With all of these potential dangers lurking ahead, it is essential that you make sure that you purchase cars from honest dealers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association says that more than 450,000 vehicles are sold each year without proper readings. This cheats American car buyers out of about $1 billion annually. From 2002 to 2005, the Odometer Fraud Investigators saw an escalation in this cruel crime. Many times used car salesman would turn back the dial and sell unsuspecting buyers late-model, “low-mileage” cars for a great profit. Often college students and young drivers opt for these cars, because they “look cool” while still coming at an affordable price. They fail to realize that the car may be in rickety condition.

The Office of Odometer Fraud Investigations is working hard to catch illegal salesman who perform this act. In addition to searching for offenders, they increase public awareness through giving informative presentations on odometer fraud and issuing programs to help people avoid being conned in their car purchases. Odometer fraud investigations technically fall under the U.S. Department of Justice, because the action is an express crime. In the past, more than 240 criminal convictions have arisen from inspection in over 30 states. The con-artists are normally sent to prison for up to 8 years, and charged fines. These fines have totaled up to $2.8 million in times past. The salesmen are also normally told to total their restitutions and repay their victims. These restitutions have totaled up to $10 million.

If you were injured in a car accident and think that your car was damaged because of over-use from odometer fraud, and you can locate the criminal who sold you the vehicle, you may able to gain restitution too. Car accidents are not something that you should every take lightly. A vehicle is a large purchase, and you shouldn’t have to suffer the financial consequences of a car that isn’t satisfying. As well, if you were involved in an accident and injured, then you shouldn’t have to pay for your medical bills, physical therapy, recovery time off work, and other expenses that were a result of the collision.

If the crash was because of odometer fraud, you may be able to sue the salesman for these damages. You can also search after a vehicle at fault for the accident if you were not the one responsible for the actual crash. Don’t hesitate to report odometer fraud to the Department of Justice and seek the money that can help you. The Office of Odometer Fraud Investigations is focused on assisting consumers who were treated in this way, and may even grant your state agencies reimbursable agreements for this purpose. You can obtain these damages through lawsuit and reporting, so talk to a car accident attorney about your options today!