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The U.S. Department of Justice says Maryland must soon implement a national computer system that warns buyers if a vehicle was stolen or previously damaged.

Officials say the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System is a big advance in preventing auto theft and fraud. It brings together information from various state titling agencies, automobile recyclers, junk and salvage yards, and insurance carriers.

Consumers can log into the system to learn about details of a car’s title, its most recent odometer reading, and any brands applied to the car such as junk, salvage and flood.

Until now, state titling agencies did not have access to other states’ data. That made it easier to transferring vehicles to another state and sell them under a purportedly clean title.

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Information from: The Baltimore Examiner

Topics Auto Fraud Maryland