When people are looking to buy a car, they like to know its history.  Consumers get peace of mind from such things as a reliable previous owner and used car warranties. Yet, many times owners are deceived.  A new study by Carfax shows that there are many con men out there trying to conceal the history of pre-owned vehicles.

Unfortunately, revealed in the study is that if you are looking at a used vehicle, there is a big chance that it is a wreck that has been rebuilt.  In fact, according to the study, the amount of salvaged cars, which were revealed on history reports, has risen to 50 percent in the last five years.

The problem isn’t only with vehicles that were damaged by floods and repaired, but also millions of cars that were involved in big accidents.  The problem is that crooks take these cars and piece them back together.  Of course, they don’t reveal this information to potential buyers and so people end up with unsound vehicles.  Other problems in these cars might be odometer fraud, phony air bags, and damage to the frame of the vehicle.

No matter what used car you purchase, make sure to protect yourself.  You can do this by keeping your eyes open for clues that might indicate prior damage to the car, and buying an auto warranty.