If the color and hardware encrypted in the VIN number of the car for sale does not match the truth, this is a clear sign of the car’s criminal origin. Maxim Shelkov, head of the avtocriminalist expert center, spoke about this in a conversation with socialbites.ca. He noted that secondary coloring marks next to the VIN number also testify to manipulations.
“The password for the VIN number, if it is still on the market, can be obtained from an authorized dealer or you can use databases, including spare parts available on the Internet. Color, equipment, type of gearbox should be compared with what a real car has. You should also compare the year of manufacture of the machine and the parts installed on it, Shelkov told socialbites.ca.
According to him, it is also necessary to pay attention to the engine number, because lately, hijackers often leave it in its original condition and only imitate the hull number.
Differences in paint shades where the VIN number is applied to the car body and adjacent parts, secondary traces of paint, including dust residues, make it possible to suspect that the marking has changed. For the same signs, you should check the entire marked panel – the body part to which the trick is applied – because attackers often replace it completely.
“Self-checking a car for crime is risky business and may not always be successful, but these signs help spot clear and obvious inconsistencies,” Shelkov summed up.
Ex-auto expert Dmitry Rogov said socialbites.ca are the crossovers chosen by the Russians with a budget of up to 2 million rubles.