Vehicle cloning occurs where a number plate is stolen or replicated and used on an unconnected vehicle; it is likened to personal identity theft, but for vehicles. Increasing numbers of legitimate vehicle owners are reporting receiving fines they never incurred as a result of one of their vehicles being clones.
Previously, vehicles have been cloned to disguise the fact they are stolen, but more-commonly criminals are cloning number plates to avoid speeding fines and parking tickets. In some cases, vehicles are even used to commit more serious crimes, enabling them to drive on the roads under the radar of the police.
In order to clone a vehicle, the thief can either steal the number plate of the legitimate car, or more commonly, buy a number plate online. Ideally the thief is looking for a vehicle with same make and model to one which is insured and are turning to company vehicles where number plates can be sourced from the road or company premises.
In a bid to cut down on car cloning, the Government tightened up the laws on the sale of number plates in 2003 so that buyers have to provide proof of identity and ownership. But the rules apply only to UK suppliers and are easy to circumnavigate, particularly online where “show plates” can be brought which can be fitted to the vehicles.
For most victims of vehicle cloning, it’s a parking fine from somewhere they have never visited or a speeding ticket issued on a day the car was sitting in the garage that raises the alarm. For others, it can be more extreme with the police turning up at the doorstep, especially if the car has been used to commit a crime.
The consequences are severe. Motorists who unknowingly buy a stolen vehicle that has been given a false identity can lose both the car and their money. It’s therefore important to reduce the risk;
- When purchasing a vehicle, always ask the seller for the registration number, make and model of the vehicle before you see it. These details can then be verified on the DVLA’s free, online vehicle enquiry service
- When you view the vehicle, check the log book or V5C vehicle registration certificate. Make sure it has a ‘DVL’ watermark, and the serial number isn’t between BG8229501 to BG9999030, or BI2305501 to BI2800000. If it is, the V5C might be stolen.
- Check that the details on the V5C match the details given to you by the owner.
- Insist on viewing the vehicle at the address on the log book. Don’t meet in a car park or motorway service station.
- Look for the vehicle’s identification number (VIN) and check that it corresponds with the details in the log book. The VIN can usually be found on a metal plate under the bonnet.
- If the vehicle is on the market for less than 70% of its typical value, then the old rule “if a deal is too good to be true, it probably is” usually applies.