An Edmonton man has been accused of buying used cars, rolling back the odometer by a significant amount, and then re-selling those vehicles under fake names — at inflated prices —and in some cases, with forged paperwork.
The Edmonton Police Service said it is looking for more complainants after a 39-year-old man was charged with fraud for altering the odometer on vehicles to sell them for higher prices.
On March 13, a complaint came into police about a vehicle purchased via Facebook Marketplace that appeared to have an altered odometer — resulting in the buyer paying a price much higher than the vehicle’s actual value.
Investigators believe since March 2025, the accused has purchased several high-mileage vehicles via Facebook Marketplace, changed the odometer on the vehicles by hundreds of thousands of kilometres and then sold the vehicles at a significantly higher price using a false Facebook account.
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The accused is known to primarily buy and sell Nissan Altima cars, Honda Accord cars and Honda CR-V SUVs.
He has also allegedly provided false CARFAX reports to prospective buyers as “proof” the vehicles had a lower odometer reading than they actually do. Police said you should obtain that paperwork yourself.
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“When you are making a significant purchase like a vehicle, it is always a good idea to do your research first,” said Const. Amelia Towns with EPS southwest patrol branch.
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“A CARFAX report will tell you the service history and any collisions the vehicle has been in. The small investment in this report may save you from the significant inconvenience of being scammed.”
Police have arrested and charged Harmandeep Singh Bindra, 39, with fraud and uttering a forged document.
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Police said he may use aliases such as Hary Smith, Harry Singh, Harmandeep Singh and Gurdev.
To date, police said they have identified at least two complainants but believe there may be many more and are releasing Bindra’s photo to encourage other victims to come forward.
Edmonton police have arrested and charged Harmandeep Singh Bindra, 39, with fraud and uttering a forged document over used vehicles with alleged altered odometers.
Edmonton Police Service
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If you plan to purchase a used vehicle via a private seller, investigators recommend reviewing the following tips from the EPS and Service Alberta:
- Ask for proof of ownership and identification from the seller — Compare photo identification to the name on the vehicle’s registration document and make sure they are the same. Record the seller’s driver’s licence number and contact information on the bill of sale.
- Contact a registry agent or AMA to get a vehicle information report — this describes the vehicle’s registration history in Alberta.
- Consider online services such as CARFAX – Purchase this report on your own to ensure it has not been falsified. Also look for any noted colour changes and/or odometer discrepancies. Pay particular attention to a vehicle’s registration history. If the vehicle goes back and forth several times between provinces and/or states, it may be a clone.
- Get a safety inspection of the vehicle from a vehicle inspection facility.
- Keep detailed records of the transaction — Retain original copies of bills of sale, registrations, service records etc.
Anyone who believes they may have been victimized by the accused is encouraged to call the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone.
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Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
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