• Helps identify legal issues and false ownership claims.  There were 11,812 cars reported stolen in the State of Oregon in 2023 alone. Doing a bit of research and running a full vehicle history report may help identify potential flags related to theft and fraud.
• May identify title branding. A branded title is an indicator of a significant total loss even in the car’s history often caused by savvier accidents, storms, floods, fires and theft recovery. Most common branded titles include salvage, rebuilt, junk, flood, theft recovery and lemon. A branded title will have an effect on the vehicle’s value, desirability and potentially even safety.
• May identify active liens. The state of Oregon has over 4,000,000 registered vehicles. It is estimated that as many as around a third of those vehicles have liens, which is an indicator of an unpaid debt. The most common types of liens include bank liens and mechanic liens. Knowing that the vehicle has an unpaid lien may help in preventing you from unknowingly assuming responsibility for someone else’s debt.
• Uncovers hidden issues due to past accidents.  In 2022 alone the state of Oregon had close to 12,000 reported vehicle accidents. While some of these vehicles may suffer only minor cosmetic damage, others may have structural damage that sometimes results in total loss claims. Vehicles with deep structural damage may fly under the radar, as the damage is not noticeable to the naked eye.
• May help identify signs of fraud. The Oregon Department of Justice (ODJ) lists auto sales-related fraud amongst the top 10 consumer complaints in the past year. Complaints related to deceptive advertising, misrepresentation, contract packing and title washing make up the bulk of those complaints.  
• Help identify odometer discrepancies. Approximately 5,500 vehicles are reported with odometer fraud, mainly comprised of mileage rollback, annually in the state.  
• Provides transparency when buying a used vehicle from private sellers or dealerships.