8.77 billion euros in used car fraud
This page is translated from the original post "8,77 milliards d’euros de fraude à la voiture d’occasion" in French.
- 22/07/2025 15:13
The European used car market, valued at 635 billion euros in 2024, continues to suffer from the effects of endemic fraud.
According to a study by carVertical published on July 22, 2025, 4.9% of used vehicles have altered mileage, and 40% have concealed damage. These are concerning figures, particularly for France, where the annual damage is estimated at 1.15 billion euros.
French buyers pay an average of 44.5% more for a tampered vehicle. An example? A car priced at 10,000 € with altered mileage may only be worth 5,500 € — a loss of 4,500 €. This phenomenon affects all segments, from city cars to high-end models, where markups can reach several tens of thousands of euros.
Matas Buzelis, an expert at carVertical, explains: “It is not surprising that buyers prefer cars with low mileage. Unfortunately, this makes them prime targets for fraudsters.”
Communication Struggles
The financial consequences are heavier in Western Europe — the UK, France, Germany, Italy — than in Eastern Europe. This situation is exacerbated by a patchy data sharing system between EU countries. The GDPR, by strictly protecting personal data, also hampers transparency about vehicle histories, as highlighted by Rokas Medonis, CEO of carVertical: “When a vehicle changes hands, the information about it should be able to follow.”
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The study also criticizes the attitude of major exporting countries like Germany, Belgium, or Italy, which have effective tools but do not systematically share data. In contrast, Sweden and Finland demonstrate that a balance between data protection and transparency is possible.
CarVertical calls on the European Union to clarify compatibility between the GDPR, the Open Data Directive, and the Data Act, in order to harmonize the rules. The stakes are high: better inform consumers, clean up the market, and prevent losses of up to 8.77 billion euros annually across the continent.
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