How ‘car clocking’ is costing UK motorists over £800 MILLION every year… and why it is a serious safety risk

AROUND 2.3 million British cars currently show an incorrect mileage reading on their odometer, an investigation has revealed.

Based on the 37.3 million cars registered to drive on British roads at the end of 2016, this worrying figure has emerged following an investigation into rates of "car clocking" in the UK.

Car clocking refers to the practice of manually altering a vehicle's odometer reading to make it appear as though the car has travelled as shorter distance than it actually has.

Research conducted by automotive data experts hpi found a 25 per cent jump in incidences of clocking in the last three years, with a significant increase in the number of people attempting to defraud second-hand buyers.

They estimate that one in 16 British cars could be giving a false reading.

By lowering a vehicle's mileage reading, sellers are able to add hundreds, and even thousands, of pounds to the value of the car - which according to the new figures could cost motorists and second-hand dealerships more than £800 million each year.

Changing the odometer reading can also pose a danger to drivers, as severe wear and tear could be overlooked or unidentified if a car is thought to have travelled a shorter distance.

According to Barry Shorto, head of industry relations at hpi, an increase in clocking can be largely attributed to the development of digital odometer technology, and the widespread access potential fraudsters have to hacking software.

“There are numerous reasons why clocking is on the up," Shorto said.

"The continued development of technologies to alter digital odometers, increasingly easy access to this technology via the internet and similarly, the ease of access to mileage adjustment services online, some of whom will behave legitimately, others less so.";