INDIANAPOLIS— If you’re planning to buy a used car in 2026, experts warn odometer rollback is on the rise.
According to Carfax, Indiana has more than 35,000 vehicles on the road suspected of having their odometers rolled back, a 14 percent increase from the previous year.
The lower the mileage, the higher the value.
Scammers know this, and that’s why they’re using tools to illegally alter odometers.
Josh Ingle, owner of an Atlanta instrument repair company, showed WRTV how easy it is to change the mileage on a 2015 Kia Sportage.
“What I’m holding in my hand is a mileage correction tool you can purchase them on the internet,” said Ingle. “The typical cost is around the $200-$300 range."
Within a few seconds, Ingle used the tool to change the vehicle’s mileage.
"Now we show 50,000 so we’ve shaved off 100,000 miles on this car in the click of a button,” said Ingle.
Rolled back vehicles end up for sale on online marketplaces, private sales and used car lots.
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Em Nguyen, Director of Public Relations at Carfax, said consumers lost an average of $3,300 in value in 2025 when they unknowingly bought a rolled back car.
Nguyen said there’s two main reasons why odometer fraud is on the rise.
“The used car market is especially competitive and people don’t want to spend as much money,” said Nguyen. “Scammers are thinking ‘how can I make these vehicles look more attractive, more desirable?’"
The second reason — tools are becoming a lot more accessible and cheaper.
“Just a few years ago these types of tools would have been several thousand dollars and now they’re just a couple hundred bucks,” said Nguyen.
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Carfax offers a free odometer fraud check.
You can also request a full Carfax or Autocheck report on the car’s maintenance and crash history, which could also indicate possible odometer fraud.
Keep in mind, most cars average 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year, so if that’s way off, it could be a red flag.
Look at the gas and brake pedals for wear and tear to see if it’s matching up with the mileage.
In addition, you should have a mechanic look at the car before buying.
One-third of all car sales are through private sales, such as through Craigslist and other online forums, according to vehicle history report company Carfax.
Some private sellers may not disclose a car’s hidden problems or the real mileage so that they can get more money for the vehicle.
