[header] How to avoid odometer fraud [title] Examine the odometer for the number of miles. [substeps] Automobiles average about 12 , 000 miles a year. For example, if a car is 5 years old but has far fewer than 60 , 000 miles, the odometer may have been tampered with. 
Look closely at the numbers on the odometer. Some auto makers program odometers to show an asterisk if the mileage is changed.