CARSON CITY, Nev. (KOLO) – A Nevada man has been arrested after the DMV says he sold a car on Facebook Marketplace with a title and an odometer that had both been tampered with.
The Nevada DMV says they received an online complaint regarding possible odometer fraud. Investigators determined that suspect, who was not named, bought a 2003 Honda Element with more than 260,000 miles for $1,200 and received a Nevada title with the seller’s signature.
The suspect did not sign the buyer’s section of the title. A day later, the car completed a smog test and received a VIN report showing the car had 133,292 miles.
Further investigation revealed the suspect had “title jumped” the ownership claim, and had used the original seller’s name and signature when selling the car just three days after he purchased it by signing a fraudulent name on the bill of sale and pretending to be the original owner with the transfer of the Nevada title to the victim.
The suspect sold the car for $4,500 using Facebook Marketplace, stating in the ad that the car had 133,000 miles on it.
“It is imperative that we ask buyers to take the extra step and ensure they are purchasing a legitimate vehicle,” said CED Chief J.D. Decker. “Get a photo of the seller’s ID and contact information, and meet at a DMV VIN inspection station, eliminating the possibility of odometer tampering.”
The unnamed suspect is currently facing three felony charges, including unlawful change of mileage, unlawful sale, offer of sale or display for sale of motor vehicle, forgery, and other acts constituting forgery.
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