FAIRFAX, VA – From Feb. 11-14, the city of Orlando will play host to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention and Exposition. More than 20,000 auto retailers, manufacturers, consumer advocates, and suppliers will attend.

Carfax, a provider of vehicle history information, is making its entire database available to Orlando consumers during the NADA conference. For the duration of the conference, consumers can check their vehicle's history in the Carfax database for $1.50 per report; Carfax Reports normally cost around $20. Consumers are encouraged to check for any DMV-reported incidents (salvage, flood, fire, etc.), check for potential odometer rollbacks, check the safety and reliability of any car they're considering buying, and access any of the service and repair records on their vehicles.

While the industry has made efforts over the past few years to reduce the level of fraud associated with buying a car, Carfax is taking this opportunity to raise awareness of some key concerns for Florida used-car shoppers. For example:

  • Flood damage: This year's hurricanes produced an unprecedented number of cars damaged by floodwaters in the Gulf Coast and South Florida. Nearly a quarter-million flooded cars could potentially be returned to the road, putting the lives of thousands of people at risk.

  • VIN cloning: The state of Florida remains a hotbed for one of the fastest growing types of fraud in the United States. Approximately 15 percent of the cars stolen in Orlando each year have their vehicle identification numbers switched to conceal their identity. False VINs thwart a consumer's attempt at finding out the true history of the car they’re purchasing.

  • Odometer rollbacks: Despite efforts to reduce the incidence of odometer fraud, it still costs used-car buyers millions of dollars a year. In Florida alone, more than 100,000 used cars have their odometers rolled back each year, resulting in consumer losses of more than $400 million.

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