Cloning scammers, motorists urged to beware
Motorists are advised to guard against car cloning to avoid fines and penalty notices for offences they have not committed, HPI, vehicle data and valuation service has warned. It’s nothing new, criminals cloning number plates to avoid automated number plate recognition (ANPR) systems, with financial implications for driver and passenger safety.
As tax discs have not been required for years now, it is easier for criminals to disguise a stolen car’s plate. The tax disc would display the correct registration number. Often, it is the same make, model, and colour making it harder for the victim. However, one driver who owned a Honda Civic got a ticket with the picture showing their plate on a Ford Transit van. This should make it easier to dispute the charges.
To buy a replacement registration, you need the car’s logbook, driver’s license, and proof of address. But it is possible to buy “show plates” online without documentation. Show plates can cost as little as £20.
“Cloning disguises the identity of a stolen car which is sold to an unsuspecting victim,” Stacey Ward, senior data director at HPI, commented. “However, we also see petty criminals cloning cars to avoid congestion charges and offences such as speeding tickets and parking fines whilst organised gangs continue to use them to commit more serious crimes.
“Cloning creates trouble for the owners or registered keepers of the cars that have been cloned but also used car buyers who innocently purchase a cloned vehicle. They may lose the car and their own money when it’s returned to the registered keeper by the police. A cloned car can also hide other potentially dangerous issues, such as falsified mileage readings or even being previously written off after an accident, which can have serious safety implications for drivers, passengers and other road users.
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