States Where You’re Most Likely to Be the Victim of Auto Fraud

By Grant Suneson Published Aug 12, 9:00AM EDT

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States Where You’re Most Likely to Be the Victim of Auto Fraud — © martin-dm / Getty Images

There were over 120,000 reported auto fraud and scam cases in the U.S. in 2020. Drivers who are unfortunate to do business with a dishonest mechanic or dealership can be tricked out of hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

Auto fraud comes in many different forms. Mechanics may overcharge or double charge for services, make unnecessary repairs, fake malfunctions, price gouge, or charge for unused parts. Car dealerships may lie about a buyer’s credit score, sell useless warranties or unnecessary products, and charge high interest rates. These practices are much more common in some states than others.

To determine the worst states for auto fraud, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a list compiled by insurance marketplace Clearsurance, which based its list on data from the Federal Trade Commission. States were ranked based on the per capita number of auto-related fraud cases.

The rate of auto fraud varies widely from state to state. Most states reported between 140 and 250 cases per million residents in 2020. In three states, there were fewer than 100 cases per million reported, but in eight states, there were more than 300 reports of auto fraud per million residents.

There are a number of proactive steps drivers can take to avoid auto fraud. They should thoroughly review all paperwork and make sure they get written estimates for any work on their car prior to the work. Drivers can also ask their mechanic to point out any issues the car has when maintenance or repairs are recommended. Auto owners should also be aware of the general cost of replacement parts before going into a mechanic. Of course, the easiest way to avoid being scammed by a mechanic is to buy a car that seldom needs repair. These are the longest lasting cars on the road.

Click here to see the worst states for auto fraud.

50. Massachusetts
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 15.4 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 106

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49. Kansas
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 73.1 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 213

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48. Rhode Island
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 75.5 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 80

47. Maine
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 128.0 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 172

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46. Montana
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 133.8 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 143

45. North Dakota
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 137.8 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 105

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44. South Dakota
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 137.9 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 122

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43. Minnesota
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 138.1 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 779

42. Hawaii
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 141.3 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 200

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41. Utah
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 141.6 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 454

40. Michigan
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 142.9 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 1,427

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39. Alaska
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 146.3 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 107

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38. Louisiana
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 146.3 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 680

37. Iowa
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 157.2 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 496

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36. Illinois
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 161.1 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 2,042

35. California
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 161.3 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 6,374

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34. Arkansas
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 162.7 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 491

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33. Oregon
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 163.1 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 688

32. Texas
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 164.3 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 4,765

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AL168 West Sign - Boaz 2 (CC BY-SA 2.0) by formulanone

31. Alabama
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 167.2 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 820

30. Washington
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 171.4 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 1,305

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29. New York
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 174.4 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 3,392

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28. Oklahoma
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 179.9 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 712

27. Nebraska
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 180.9 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 350

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26. Wyoming
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 184.9 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 107

25. Idaho
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 190.8 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 341

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24. Kentucky
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 197.4 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 882

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Vintage car (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Valerie Everett

23. Indiana
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 197.9 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 1,332

22. Mississippi
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 198.6 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 591

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21. West Virginia
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 199.8 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 358

20. Wisconsin
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 202.1 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 1,177

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19. Vermont
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 208.3 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 130

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18. New Mexico
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 227.5 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 477

17. North Carolina
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 244.9 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 2,569

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16. South Carolina
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 255.2 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 1,314

Tennessee (CC BY 2.0) by GPA Photo Archive

15. Tennessee
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 259.6 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 1,773

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14. Arizona
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 260.6 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 1,897

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13. Pennsylvania
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 260.7 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 3,338

12. Colorado
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 262.2 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 1,510

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11. New Jersey
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 264.8 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 2,352

10. Virginia
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 278.4 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 2,376

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9. New Hampshire
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 297.1 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 404

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8. Georgia
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 303.4 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 3,221

7. Ohio
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 304.0 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 3,554

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6. Maryland
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 313.1 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 1,893

5. Missouri
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 316.1 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 1,940

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4. Connecticut
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 318.9 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 1,137

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3. Florida
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 337.0 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 7,238

2. Delaware
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 337.9 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 329

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1. Nevada
> 2020 auto fraud cases per capita: 346.1 per 1 million residents
> Total auto fraud cases, 2020: 1,066

About the Author Grant Suneson →

Grant Suneson is a senior editor at 24/7 Wall St. He was previously a digital content creator at Newsy and a reporter at NPR member station KBIA, where he contributed to their Edward R. Murrow Award-winning coverage. He graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism.

Grant’s work has been published and referenced in many major outlets such as MSN, USA Today, Yahoo Finance, Detroit Free Press, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Austin American-Statesman, The Tennessean, The Cincinnati Enquirer, The Indianapolis Star, The Clarion-Ledger, WSB-TV, Des Moines Register, Asbury Park Press, KMGH-TV, and many others.