Texas law enforcement uncovers massive fraud in vehicle inspections

In Texas, an alarming number of cars on the roads may have fraudulently passed the required state safety and emissions tests.

Law enforcement fraud investigators believe that up to five million cars could be fraudulently passed each year, thus avoiding the required inspection process. These cars are able to obtain temporary paper license plates or even regular metal plates, aided by the fact that the state’s inspection computer system is not set up to immediately flag fake inspections.

This lack of oversight means that fake inspections continue for weeks or months, and more cars that were not checked end up on Texas roads, posing serious safety concerns. Investigators suggest that fraudulent inspectors may be making millions of dollars each year, selling fake inspections that are even advertised on social media.

The state’s system has left the door totally open to fraud, and state agencies aren’t doing much to stop it. The situation has been dubbed the “Paper Tag Nation” by NBC 5 Investigates, which has been exposing the issue for over a year.

Law enforcement officers have now coined the term the “Land of Fake Inspections.” Fraudulent inspection stations are aided by technology that makes inspections easier to fake, using a simulator device that plugs into the emissions analyzer, and which can be programmed to guarantee a passing result. It is essential for the state to act immediately to address this issue, as the potential consequences of hidden safety problems are severe.