Those who are looking for a used car usually prioritize models with low mileage in the expectation that they are in better condition and do not require major repairs. But the danger of buying a lemon is real. According to a recent study by carVertical, 2.22% of the vehicles checked in Portugal have odometer fraud, with an average mileage alteration of over 60,000 kilometers.
The report from the company specialized in vehicle history verification analyzed the actual data of models purchased by the company’s users between November 2022 and November 2023, and ranked them by models with the most tampering.
At the top of the list is the Peugeot 206, with 6.38% of all verified models being subject to fraud. They are followed by the Porsche 911 (5.41%), Volkswagen Scirocco (3.49%), Volvo V40 (2.82%), and Fiat 500 (2.8%).
According to carVertical, economy-class vehicle brands are the ones that present the most mileage fraud problems. This can be explained by the strong market demand for affordable and well-maintained used vehicles, which puts Peugeot models on the scammers’ radar. Among the twenty most affected models in Portugal, four are manufactured by the lion brand.
