We run history checks on a large number of vehicles every week and a disturbing new trend has started to emerge in several countries - but particularly in Australia with Elgrands, Estimas, Cubes, GT-R's, RX-7's, & Lancer EVO's.
Now that buyers are learning to ask for the Export Certificate, sellers are winding back the odometer to JUST OVER the last official km reading in Japan.
Often this is only 1,000 km, even though 24 months has elapsed since the last officially recorded km reading in Japan and in the preceding period the vehicle had traveled more than that each month !
The REAL Export Certificate is then provided to the buyer together with a FAKE auction report (where the grade, kms and other details have all been digitally altered), making them think they are buying a much lower km, top condition vehicle.
We typically see kms wound back by 20,000 to 30,000 km and usually the grade is also changed from repaired (R) to 4 or 4.5. Negative comments are also erased from the auction report.
This is VERY EASY to do in just a few minutes - see example. Sale prices could be increased by $10,000 to $20,000 or even more.
This is FRAUD and criminal penalties apply.
Based on actual cases, the Export Certificate can be verified and used in court to hold the seller to account - and they know it. So they are taking this new approach to make it harder for buyers to catch them out.
#1 RULE - do not trust the seller as they care about $$ NOT you - ALWAYS obtain independent verification of any paperwork supplied. With auction records starting at just 40 USD and available within the day, it's well worth doing your homework.
