Owner of mileage correction business jailed in UK for car clocking

Following an OFT investigation a Swindon based trader, Colin Michael Ogle, has been jailed for nine months for car clocking.
This is the first timethe provider of ‘mileage correction services’, rather than the seller of clocked vehicles, has been convicted under consumer law.

The case follows the OFT’s market study into the used-car sector in 2010 which estimated the potential loss to consumers from the purchase of vehicles with false mileage is up to £580 million a year. The OFT is working with local Trading Standards Services to ensure that businesses providing mileage correction services are made aware of their responsibilities under the law.

Mr Ogle was sentenced yesterday at Swindon Crown Court after he had previously pleaded guilty to five charges under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (‘CPRs’) and eight charges under the Fraud Act 2006. Mr Ogle also agreed to a further 19 offences being taken into consideration.

Mr Ogle owned a business that advertised and provided a mileage correction service claiming to fix a range of problems with car, bike and van dashboards such as making changes to speedometers and odometers. He accepted that he adjusted vehicle odometers and had failed to take proper steps to check the reasons for requested mileage corrections or keep proper records in 70 to100 instances. The OFT believed that as a result of Mr Ogle’s actions, future purchasers were deceived and over paid for clocked vehicles.