In reality, this is a fairly common fraud: manipulation of the car meter. A way to artificially increase the sales price by hiding the much higher mileage of the vehicle.
This scam affects about 6% of the cars sold each year on the second-hand market, that is, between 300,000 and 360,000 vehicles, according to Carly, a German company specialized in mechanical diagnosis, cited by The Parisian.
The most concerned luxury models
Another company, CarVertical, which can provide vehicle history, found that 3.27% of the cars checked by its teams in France showed meter fraud. On average, this figure was underestimated by just over 60,000 kilometers, far from being insignificant.
The high-end models seem to be the most affected by this practice:
- with 5.10% of Porsche Panamera,
- 3.89% of Audi A8s,
- 3.7% of the Audi R8,
- 3.67% of Porsche Cayenne.
In city cars, fraud rates are lower, but these models are also much more widespread as used. We find at the top:
- the Renault Clio, with 1.87%,
- followed by the Peugeot 308 (1.56%),
- the Renault Twingo (1.54%)
- and the Peugeot 207 and 208 (1.19% and 1.18%).
Eastern France particularly affected
Carly’s figures estimate that 17% of cars sold in Metz are victims of parking meter fraud, 15% in Mulhouse and 10% in Strasbourg and Nancy. High rates linked to proximity to bordering countries and international trade allow fraudsters to cover their tracks.
In fact, models from the Netherlands and Belgium are the most affected, with 13% and 11% respectively of vehicles sold in France having their meters tampered with.
How to detect fraud?
But how can you detect possible fraud? Too good, it certainly happens, but perhaps it is already a first sign that should alert you.
Since 2019, the HistoVec public site allows buyers to request an administrative history of the vehicle, data linked to the vehicle registration system (SIV), with the date of entry into circulation, changes in ownership, “damages with controlled repair” (if the vehicle was damaged and immobilized following an expert report that considered it repairable or not) and its administrative situation (pledge, opposition or theft for example).
For two years, the report also includes the history of technical inspections and therefore the mileage recorded in each pass.
Source: BFM TV
