VIN tampering is fraud. Period. Would you pay 4 or 5 times as much for your car just because? No? What about only twice as much? That's not that bad right? You'd pay double for your car for no reason, that's not a big deal. If you sell a car that's had its numbers altered you've committed a crime and deserve to be in jail....
Somebody gets left holding the bag. But I'd rather be the guy left holding the bag and lose that investment than be a dirtbag that misrepresents a car and loses my integrity.