Four people are facing multiple charges for their involvement in a year-long, multi-state car fraud operation in Franklin County, leaving dozens of buyers out thousands of dollars, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Trevor Daniels, Frank Burrell, Stephanie Hetzer, and Virgie Waters were charged after investigations revealed that the group orchestrated an odometer fraud scheme between Spring 2023 and Fall 2024 at Trust Auto Outlet LLC, a used car dealership in Guilford Township.
Police said they tampered with the odometer of at least 33 high-mileage vehicles to show significantly lower mileage, and then resold them at inflated prices across Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia.
In total, investigators said the group erased over 2.3 million miles of wear and tear, resulting in victim losses exceeding $100,000, with individual losses ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars.
Evidence collected during search warrants included odometer “correction” devices, altered instrument clusters, fake titles, and sales records that tied the suspects to the fraudulent activity.
The group now face charges that include odometer fraud, deceptive business practices, conspiracy, forgery, and violations of the Pennsylvania Board of Vehicles Act, police said.
Over 450,000 vehicles are sold each year with false odometer readings, costing American buyers more than $1 billion annually, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The NHTSA said detecting odometer fraud can be hard to spot, but they offer the following tips on how detect it:
Check the title for mileage and compare it with the odometer. Be sure to watch for signs of tampering, such as unclear or altered mileage notations.
Compare mileage records, like maintenance or inspection documents and oil change stickers.
Inspect the tires. If the odometer on your vehicle is under 20,000 miles or less, it should still have original tires.
Look for wear and tear (especially the gas, brake and clutch pedals) that matches the reported mileage.
Get a vehicle history report using the VIN to spot any mileage discrepancies.
Report suspected fraud to your state’s enforcement agency.
