Private Sector Joins Justice Department In Protecting Consumers From Vehicle Fraud And Unsafe Vehicles

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Office of Justice Programs' (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) today announced new partnerships formed to fight consumer fraud and reduce the number of unsafe or stolen vehicles being retitled or sold.   Data provider companies, Auto Data Direct, Inc., Carco Group, Inc., CARFAX, CVR, Experian Automotive, Mobiletrac, LLC., Motor Vehicle Software Corporation, RigDig, VINAudit.com, LLC., and VINSmart, have joined BJA's effort to protect consumers by providing consumer access to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS).

NMVTIS is an electronic system designed to protect consumers from fraud and unsafe vehicles and to keep stolen vehicles from being sold.  It is the only vehicle history database in the nation to which all states, insurance carriers, and junk and salvage yards are required by federal law to report.  NMVTIS helps states and law enforcement deter and prevent vehicle-related crimes.    

For several years, BJA has worked closely with the system operator—the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA)—to make key vehicle history information affordable and accessible to consumers.   

"Since 2009, NMVTIS has advanced from providing data to 48 thousand consumers through two data providers to over one million consumer inquiries through our current 10 data providers," said Acting Assistant Attorney General, Mary Lou Leary. "NMVTIS is making a difference in protecting states and consumers from fraud, and we expect our partnerships with these data providers will contribute to its ongoing success."

Along with consumers seeking vehicle history information, system users include law enforcement agencies and state motor vehicle titling agencies. The NMVTIS Law Enforcement Access Tool improves the ability of law enforcement to identify vehicle theft rings and combat other criminal enterprises involving vehicles.  Beginning this month, all auto dealers in the State of California are required by California Assembly Bill 1215 to obtain a NMVTIS report prior to selling a used vehicle to a consumer.  This state legislation is an excellent example of state efforts to use NMVTIS data to provide enhanced consumer protection.

"BJA is extremely pleased that more consumers are using NMVTIS to make informed used car buying decisions; states are using NMVTIS to identify title fraud; and nearly 1,500 law enforcement agencies across the United States rely on NMVTIS to facilitate their vehicle-related investigations," said BJA Director, Denise E. O'Donnell.

Consumers can obtain a NMVTIS Vehicle History Report by visiting www.vehiclehistory.gov/nmvtis_vehiclehistory.html and contacting one of the approved NMVTIS data providers noted above.  For a nominal fee, they can retrieve the most recent odometer reading, title and brand history, and nationwide salvage and total loss history.  For more information about NMVTIS and a list of approved NMVTIS data providers, visit www.vehiclehistory.gov.

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), headed by Acting Assistant Attorney General Mary Lou Leary, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims.  OJP has six bureaus and offices: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART).  More information about OJP and its components can be found at http://www.ojp.gov.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice - Office of Justice Programs