Why it persists
Every mile knocked off an odometer adds value, and the tools to do it are cheap and widely advertised. Correction devices and blockers are marketed for 'testing' purposes but are routinely used to deceive buyers.
Why it's harder to catch now
Older fraud often left a clumsy trail. Modern blockers freeze the count in real time, so the figure never looks like it was edited, it simply stops climbing. That is exactly why an independent records check plus, where it matters, a physical inspection are worth the small cost.
The exposure for the trade
- Financial: refunds, rejected vehicles, and write-downs on stock that turns out to be clocked.
- Legal: potential breaches of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
- Reputational: a single clocking dispute can do lasting damage to a forecourt's name.
Due diligence is the defence
A documented detection check on every part-exchange and forecourt arrival demonstrates the diligence that protects a trader if a vehicle is later questioned.