Bought a car with tampered mileage in Malta? What to do
In 2022, MaltaToday reported that hundreds of consumers in Malta had been sold second-hand Japanese cars with tampered mileage. If you think this happened to you, these are the practical first steps.
Background
According to the reports, high-mileage cars were bought cheaply at Japanese auctions and sold in Malta with a low figure on the dashboard. Dealers were later charged with odometer fraud and money laundering. The case is for the courts to decide.
1. Confirm the real mileage
- Get your car’s chassis number from the plate on the car and from the logbook.
- Look it up on the JEVIC e-certificate page and note the mileage.
- Compare it with the mileage in your Maltese logbook and on the dashboard. A JEVIC figure that is clearly higher than the logbook is the pattern seen in the reported cases.
- Transport Malta has also published a page on how to check whether the mileage in your logbook matches the JEVIC database: Transport Malta’s page on checking for tampering.
2. Keep all the evidence
- A screenshot or printout of the JEVIC record, with the date.
- Your logbook, the sales contract, the receipt, and the JEVIC certificate the dealer gave you.
- Photos of the dashboard showing the mileage.
- All messages, emails and adverts from the seller.
3. Report it
Affected buyers have been advised to report their case to the Consumers Authority and to the police. Do this as soon as you have confirmed a mismatch.
4. Get independent advice
Consider getting legal advice before negotiating with the dealer. Do not sign anything that waives your rights. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Avoiding it next time
See our guide to checking mileage on JEVIC and the FAQ to learn how to check the real mileage before you pay.