WANADA has established itself as a national leader in combating dealership-related crimes—particularly fraud and theft—through proactive engagement with law enforcement and dealer education. During the early days of COVID, WANADA became the first dealer association in the country to launch a regular fraud and theft alert system, creating a vital communication link between dealership staff and regional investigators. These alerts, which continue today, have become a cornerstone of dealer security efforts and were recently featured in a presentation to the Washington Area Vehicle Enforcement (WAVE) task force.
The WAVE group is a multi-agency coalition of more than 50 investigators from DC, Maryland, and Virginia focused on dismantling organized auto-crime networks and sharing intelligence on emerging threats.
WANADA’s inclusion in WAVE meetings underscores the Association’s leadership in crime prevention. At a recent session, WANADA Vice President of Operations Joe Koch
joined law enforcement officials to discuss the latest fraud tactics and prevention measures dealers can implement. Several WANADA alerts were highlighted during the meeting, reinforcing their value in real-world investigations. Koch has been instrumental in spearheading this initiative. In addition to leading WANADA’s alert program, he now serves on the Board of the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), collaborating with senior law enforcement leaders on broader public safety issues. His role reflects WANADA’s commitment to proactive engagement and dealer advocacy.
Recent Dealer Advisory: Certificates of Origin
As emphasized in a recent WANADA Constant Contact communication, dealers are urged to exercise extreme caution when releasing certificates of origin. Fraudsters have increasingly targeted these documents to facilitate vehicle theft and title fraud. The advisory reminds dealers to verify all credentials before releasing a certificate and to report any suspicious requests immediately to WANADA and local authorities. This measure is critical because certificates of origin can be exploited to create fraudulent titles, enabling criminals to resell stolen vehicles or secure illegitimate financing.
To support this work, we are building a secure reference archive of authentic Certificates of Origin from every OEM. This database will be used exclusively for law enforcement training and fraud-detection purposes.
We are asking each of our willing members to provide a sample copy of a legitimate Certificate of Origin for every manufacturer you represent.
- Please redact all sensitive information, including VINs, customer data, dealer identifiers, or any other proprietary details.
- PDF format is preferred.
Please email redacted samples to: Joe Koch at jk@wanada.org.
Best Practices for Fraud Prevention
WANADA also encourages dealers to review the Colorado Department of Public Safety’s comprehensive guide on fraud and theft prevention, which was highly touted at the recent WAVE meeting and offers practical steps to safeguard dealership operations. The guide—available here—covers essential topics such as identity verification, secure handling of sensitive documents, and recognizing patterns associated with organized crime. These best practices complement WANADA’s alerts and provide actionable strategies for front-line staff.
Why This Matters
Dealership fraud and theft are not isolated incidents—they are often part of sophisticated, multi-state criminal enterprises. By maintaining strong communication channels between dealers and law enforcement, WANADA is helping to disrupt these networks and protect member businesses. The Association’s leadership in this area has set a benchmark for dealer associations nationwide, proving that collaboration, education, and vigilance are the most effective tools in combating crime.
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