Dealership told him low mileage was due to single owner — but it was actually odometer fraud

legitimate owner of the car and that the odometer reading is accurate. He warns against buying from unlicensed dealers, known as “curbsiders,” who pose as private sellers but are actually in the business of selling multiple vehicles without following regulations. “[Curbsiders] will often use false identities, fake addresses, fake phone numbers, and they’ll often flip vehicles back to back, so they’ll buy a vehicle, sell it, and then move on to the next one,” Prymak said. “They’re not going to have any sort of legal recourse if something goes wrong with the vehicle,” he added. “So if it’s a vehicle that’s been in an accident, if it’s a vehicle that’s had the odometer rolled back, if it’s a vehicle that has a lien on it, you’re going to be on the hook for all of those issues.” If a buyer suspects odometer fraud, Prymak recommends contacting the provincial regulator that oversees vehicle sales. He also advises getting a vehicle history report from a company like CARFAX, asking a mechanic to inspect the car, and confirming the mileage by checking service records. Andrews, who is still without a vehicle after returning the Subaru, said he’s learned his lesson. “We’re not going to be purchasing a used vehicle ever again without checking the history,” he said. “It’s just not worth the headache, not worth the risk.” If you have a story about odometer fraud or another issue you think Go Public should investigate, please contact Erica and the team at gopublic@cbc.ca.