CARFAX Canada Strengthens Fight Against VIN Fraud with Innovative Consumer Tool and Enhanced Data Integration
CARFAX Canada has announced a groundbreaking advancement in the fight against vehicle identification number (VIN) fraud with the launch of its new consumer tool, Vehicle Monitoring, marking a first-of-its-kind offering for Canadian vehicle owners. This development builds on CARFAX Canada’s recent introduction of the VIN Fraud Check tool for dealers and the integration of export data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) into its Vehicle History Reports. Together, these initiatives reinforce CARFAX Canada’s leadership role in combating VIN fraud and vehicle theft while empowering consumers and industry stakeholders with tools to protect themselves.
Introducing Vehicle Monitoring: A Game-Changer for Consumers
The newly launched Vehicle Monitoring program is a subscription-based service designed to provide Canadian vehicle owners with early detection of potential VIN fraud, safety issues, and other critical updates about their vehicles. Available nationwide for an annual fee of $84.95, the service offers real-time VIN activity alerts, fraud notifications, and a monthly refreshed Vehicle History Report.
Much like credit monitoring services that track changes to your financial profile, Vehicle Monitoring keeps tabs on activity related to your vehicle’s VIN and any additions to its history. If unauthorized or suspicious activity is detected, owners are alerted immediately, enabling them to investigate and address potential issues before they escalate. With over 1,000 VINs compromised daily in Canada, staying informed about your vehicle’s history has never been more critical.
“Unfortunately, we hear this story far too often—Canadians don’t discover their vehicle’s VIN has been cloned until it’s too late, usually when they try to sell or trade it in,” said Shawn Vording, President of CARFAX Canada. “If the vehicle is identified as the clone, it can be seized by authorities. If the VIN was used as a ‘donor’ for cloning, the owner faces a lengthy and frustrating process to prove their car is legitimate. Early detection is key, and that’s why we developed Vehicle Monitoring—to help owners take action sooner and reduce the stress of untangling a VIN fraud incident.”
CARFAX Canada estimates that there are over 372,000 potentially cloned VINs in Canada. VIN cloning, also known as “re-vinning,” is a form of auto fraud where the identity of a legitimate vehicle is stolen and used to mask a stolen or salvaged vehicle. This issue continues to plague Canadians, with approximately 69,000 vehicles reported stolen in 2024 alone.
Victims of VIN cloning may face severe consequences, including vehicle seizure by authorities, denial of insurance coverage, significant drops in resale value, or even being wrongly associated with criminal activities. Vehicle Monitoring empowers owners to proactively safeguard their vehicles and mitigate these risks.
CBSA Export Data: A Powerful New Tool in Fraud Detection
In addition to the launch of Vehicle Monitoring, CARFAX Canada has integrated CBSA export data into its Vehicle History Reports at no additional cost. This critical data source enhances the company’s ability to detect potential VIN fraud with greater precision, helping dealers, buyers, insurers, law enforcement agencies, and governments combat fraud more effectively.
“Incorporating CBSA export data into our reports makes them an even more powerful tool for detecting VIN fraud,” said Vording. “For example, if a vehicle is reported as exported to another country but continues to generate Canadian activity—such as oil changes or accident records—that’s a major red flag. A vehicle should not have ongoing domestic activity once it’s supposedly overseas.”
This collaboration between CARFAX Canada and the CBSA underscores the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing gaps in data that criminals often exploit. “Working with CBSA demonstrates the power of collaboration between the private sector and government to protect Canadians,” added Vording. “By closing these gaps, we’re making it harder for fraudsters to operate and helping ensure transparency in the vehicle marketplace.”
Industry-Wide Collaboration to Combat Auto Fraud
Tackling auto fraud requires a coordinated effort across multiple stakeholders, including dealers, law enforcement, governments, and consumers. CARFAX Canada’s initiatives—such as the VIN Fraud Check tool for dealers, the integration of CBSA data, and the launch of Vehicle Monitoring for consumers—are part of a broader strategy to enhance transparency and strengthen security in Canada’s vehicle marketplace.
Ontario’s Associate Solicitor General for Auto Theft and Bail Reform, Zee Hamid, praised CARFAX Canada’s efforts: “The introduction of Vehicle Monitoring is another important step forward in combating VIN fraud. By equipping vehicle owners with early detection tools and leveraging CBSA’s critical data, CARFAX Canada is enhancing transparency and security in the vehicle marketplace. I commend their commitment to protecting Canadians and Ontarians from the impacts of auto fraud.”
Empowering Canadians to Protect Their Vehicles
With the rise of VIN cloning and vehicle theft, tools like Vehicle Monitoring and access to comprehensive data sources such as CBSA export information are essential for safeguarding consumers. These innovations not only provide peace of mind for vehicle owners but also contribute to a safer and more transparent automotive ecosystem.
About CARFAX Canada
CARFAX Canada, a part of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), is Canada’s definitive source of automotive information, delivering vehicle history, valuation and service solutions. Drawing on billions of data records from thousands of sources, its products enable used vehicle buyers, sellers and vehicle service providers to make informed decisions. CARFAX Canada is dedicated to transparency and is trusted to provide vehicle history, valuation and service information to dealerships, vehicle manufacturers, consumers, service shops, major auctions, governments, insurance providers and police agencies.
