Edmonton man accused of rolling back odometers, selling vehicles at inflated prices - BERITAJA

An Edmonton man has been accused of buying utilized cars, rolling backmost the odometer by a important amount, and past re-selling those vehicles nether clone names — astatine inflated prices — successful immoderate cases, pinch forged paperwork.

The Edmonton Police Service said it is looking for much complainants aft a 39-year-old man was charged pinch fraud for altering the odometer connected vehicles to waste them for higher prices.

On March 13, a title came into constabulary about a conveyance purchased via Facebook Marketplace that appeared to person an altered odometer — resulting successful the purchaser paying a value overmuch higher than the vehicle’s existent value.

Investigators judge since March 2025, the accused has purchased respective high-mileage vehicles via Facebook Marketplace, changed the odometer connected the vehicles by hundreds of thousands of kilometres and past sold the vehicles astatine a importantly higher value utilizing a mendacious Facebook account.

The accused is known to chiefly bargain and waste Nissan Altima cars, Honda Accord cars and Honda CR-V SUVs.

He has besides allegedly provided mendacious CARFAX reports to prospective buyers arsenic “proof” the vehicles had a little odometer reference than they really do. Police said you should get that paperwork yourself.

“When you are making a important acquisition for illustration a vehicle, it is ever a bully thought to do your investigation first,” said Const. Amelia Towns pinch EPS southwest patrol branch.

“A CARFAX study will show you the work history and immoderate collisions the conveyance has been in. The mini finance successful this study whitethorn prevention you from the important inconvenience of being scammed.”

Police person arrested and charged Harmandeep Singh Bindra, 39, pinch fraud and uttering a forged document.

Police said he whitethorn usage aliases specified arsenic Hary Smith, Harry Singh, Harmandeep Singh and Gurdev.

To date, constabulary said they person identified astatine slightest 2 complainants but judge location whitethorn beryllium galore much and are releasing Bindra’s photograph to promote different victims to travel forward.

If you scheme to acquisition a utilized conveyance via a backstage seller, investigators urge reviewing the pursuing tips from the EPS and Service Alberta:

• Ask for impervious of ownership and recognition from the seller — Compare photograph recognition to the sanction connected the vehicle’s registration archive and make judge they are the same. Record the seller’s driver’s licence number and interaction accusation connected the measure of sale.
• Contact a registry agent aliases AMA to get a conveyance accusation study — this describes the vehicle’s registration history successful Alberta.
• Consider online services specified arsenic CARFAX – Purchase this study connected your ain to guarantee it has not been falsified. Also look for immoderate noted colour changes and/or odometer discrepancies. Pay peculiar attraction to a vehicle’s registration history. If the conveyance goes backmost and distant respective times betwixt provinces and/or states, it whitethorn beryllium a clone.
• Get a information inspection of the conveyance from a vehicle inspection facility.
• Keep elaborate records of the transaction — Retain original copies of bills of sale, registrations, work records etc.

Anyone who believes they whitethorn person been victimized by the accused is encouraged to telephone the EPS astatine 780-423-4567 aliases #377 from a mobile phone.

Anonymous tips could besides beryllium submitted to Crime Stoppers astatine 1-800-222-8477 aliases online.