A criminal group operating since 2020 has imported approximately 16 thousand cars from the USA and Canada. Some of these vehicles had significant damage, and in some cases, pieces of fabric were installed instead of airbags.
According to law enforcement agencies of Lithuania and Germany, the scheme's participants did not pay taxes totaling over 31 million euros. Many cars underwent only cosmetic repairs and later ended up in Eastern European markets, where demand for inexpensive cars is always significant.
How buyers are deceived: typical schemes
According to one well-known car history check service, dubious import operations most often occur in markets with a low level of transparency. Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Estonia are in the top five countries by the number of violations: altered odometer readings, hidden defects, forged documents.
In Ukraine, cars from Europe are in high demand, especially those declared as almost new with low mileage and no accidents in the past. Often, buyers are shown "flawless" cars with German or Swiss license plates, which are actually restored after serious accidents or worked in taxis for a long time. The lack of access to the full vehicle history gives unscrupulous sellers the opportunity to deceive.
Cars from the USA pose a particular threat: about 7% of all used cars in Europe come from there. Mostly these are cars after accidents, purchased at insurance auctions, repaired with minimal costs, and sold at an attractive price.
Mileage manipulation: multi-billion losses
Experts estimate that Europe loses over 5 billion euros annually due to odometer tampering. The UK, France, and Germany suffer the most. Adjusting mileage readings remains a profitable business, especially where buyers cannot obtain complete information about the vehicle.
It is difficult to verify the real history of a car: key information — mileage, accident involvement, number of owners — is often in closed national or private databases.
How to protect yourself when buying?
Before purchasing a car, it is worth checking it by VIN code through a trusted service that has access to international registries. A report with data on previous accidents and repairs can be given to a mechanic for inspection — this will help avoid risky deals.
