Car purchasing is an important investment, so nobody wants to find themselves stuck with an illegal clone. Car Cloning occurs when criminals copy the licence plates of legitimate cars to illegal ones; this can create serious issues, such as being subjected to fines for offences you never committed. Being able to identify an illicit cloned car will help save time and effort when purchasing one; here, we offer simple tips to make sure the car you buy is genuine.
What is car cloning?
Car cloning occurs when criminals use stolen or counterfeit number plates from one vehicle to use on another without the owner's knowledge; this creates an extremely unnerving scenario for car owners.
Criminals use this tactic to avoid detection. Cloned plates allow them to go unnoticed during criminal activities or avoid fines for speeding and parking violations. They typically select plates from cars with an impeccable history in MOT testing, taxes and insurance payments so their cloned car won't trigger police cameras as easily.
Problematic car cloning often goes undetected by the registered owner; you might only realise this after police contact or when an unexpected fine or penalty charge arrives in your mail—both can be extremely alarming experiences when you know you have done nothing wrong.
Car cloning can be an enormous headache for innocent car owners. Proving their innocence and settling the fines takes time and energy, not to mention dealing with police officials and worrying about what other crimes their cloned car might be used for.
To protect yourself, keep an eye on your car's number plates; if it becomes missing or stolen, report it immediately to law enforcement officials. Also, keep an eye out for any unexpected fines or penalties in your mailbox. If you find any, quickly act to inform authorities that your car might have been cloned. Understanding and being aware of car cloning can help you avoid falling prey to this pervasive crime.
How To Prevent Being A Victim Of Car Cloning?
Car cloning occurs when criminals steal registration numbers of normal legal vehicles and then use them on other vehicles; to combat car cloning, here are several easy steps you can take:
1. Park Your Car in a Garage
Parking your car in a garage makes it more challenging for criminals to gain entry and copy its registration number; if this option is unavailable, try parking in well-lit, busy areas instead.
2. Install Security Devices
To increase security for both yourself and your car, consider installing CCTV, trackers, or dash cams. These devices can provide evidence if anyone attempts to steal your plates or car and track its movements over time.
3. Install Tamper-Proof Screws
To help discourage criminals from stealing your number plates, consider installing tamper-proof screws. These will make it more difficult for anyone to remove or modify them.
4. Be Careful on Social Media
When posting photos online of your car, always cover or obscure its number plate so as to prevent criminals from viewing and copying its registration details.
5. Add Personal Touch
Make your vehicle truly your own by customising it with stickers or decals; it can help it stand out in a crowd and help others distinguish it easily from clones. However, first, make sure that these changes won't have an effect on your insurance.
What to do If Your Number Plate is Cloned in UK?
Contact the Police and DVLA
As soon as you suspect your number plate has been cloned, contact the police immediately; tell them about the situation and receive a crime reference number before notifying the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Return Unfair Tickets
If you receive parking or speeding tickets from places your car didn't go, return them to their issuer with an explanation that your number plate has been cloned and provide them with the police crime reference number.
Gather Evidence
Gather as much evidence as you can in order to show that your car wasn't present during the accident or crime in question; this might include:
- CCTV footage from home or work.
- Photographs showing your car at a different place when the cloned plates offence occurred.
- Receipts with dates and times, like parking tickets.
Request Photographic Proof
Ask the fine issuer for photographic evidence. Look closely for any differences between your car and the one in the photo. Check for features like wheels, stickers, or other marks proving the car in the photo isn't yours.
Get a Replacement Number Plate
If necessary, you might require a new registration number to avoid further problems. Contact the DVLA for advice, then contact an authorised number plate supplier from the Gov.uk online list to order one.
How to Report Cloned Plates to DVLA
If you believe your car's number plates have been stolen, quick action is key. Begin by returning any fines or letters issued against it; gather as much evidence as you can to support your case. This might include photos of the actual accident scene, its time and date, and documents supporting this claim.
Before approaching any authorities or law enforcement officials for assistance, write to the DVLA at their Swansea address (DVLA, Swansea, SA99, 1ZA) with all evidence you possess of your situation and explain your case in full. They will make a note in your vehicle record about its cloned licence plates to protect yourself in the future if any issues arise; be sure to keep copies of everything, such as letters and any documents you sent and received.
What Should I Do if I've Bought a Cloned Car?
If you suspect you've purchased a cloned car, your first step should be contacting the police and providing as many details as possible about its seller. Act with haste because waiting too long could make tracking down the criminal who sold you the car more challenging.
Unfortunately, unless the seller can be located and faces a penalty for car cloning, you will likely lose both the car and the money paid to purchase it. Such cars are typically stolen, and they return to their rightful owners or insurance companies (in situations where claims were made for theft but were paid out).
If you used credit to buy some or all of the car, there may still be hope if something went wrong during the transaction. According to Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, if something went amiss with your purchase, you could potentially recover some or all of the cost by making a claim; the amount can be up to £30,000.
However, swift and decisive action and knowing your rights can help you deal more easily with a stressful situation.
How to Spot a Cloned Car?
When purchasing a vehicle, there are some simple steps you can take to identify any cloned cars before it's too late.
First, ask to see the V5C logbook, which verifies your car's identity. Hold it up to the light to check for an authenticated DVL watermark; if you don't see the watermark, then this document might be falsely authenticated, and further investigation must be performed.
Once again, double-check the engine and Vehicle Identification numbers (VIN). Both should match those listed in the logbook. The VIN can be found anywhere on the car, including the windscreen, bonnet, or chassis. Make sure they all match up, being especially careful if any VIN appears altered in any way.
Also, look for any evidence that the number plates have been removed or changed; this could indicate that the car was stolen.
Conducting a full vehicle history check is also vitally important; our Check My Car Reg service can provide more thorough details than anything else. At least the vehicle's service history must be reviewed, and all listed repairs must be verified by calling garages listed as the source for service or repair work.
To ensure the car's history is complete and accurate, make sure it has a current MOT certification and mileage that corresponds with previous MOT records. Doing this online will save time.
Choose your seller with care. When dealing with private sellers, always meet them at their home rather than a car park or layby. Confirm that their address matches the logbook and driving licence—this helps verify if they are legitimate owners of the purchased vehicle.
Conduct careful research when considering car prices. Be wary of cars that seem too cheap and of any deals offering exceptionally low costs.
Finally, when making payments, it's wise to opt for credit cards or bank transfers, as these methods provide extra protection and traceability should something go wrong.
How Common is Number Plate Cloning in the United Kingdom?
Cloned number plates have become an increasingly dangerous threat on British roads. Police estimate that up to 20% of vehicles may use such plates, which should concern citizens and policymakers alike.
Each year, around 13,000 cases of number plate cloning are reported across the UK for various reasons, such as:
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras have become ubiquitous, reading vehicle registration plates digitally to identify them; this forces criminals or, should we say, gives them the motive to create cloned plates to escape detection.
Cloned plates also help older car drivers avoid being fined in Clean Air Zones (CAZs) across various towns and cities. These zones penalise older vehicles driving through certain areas to decrease pollution levels.
London has expanded the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), forcing more vehicles to meet strict emission standards; as a result, some drivers use illegal methods, such as cloning plates, to get around these rules.
Buying number plates online has also become very easy. Many suppliers don't check the original vehicle documents, which makes it simple for criminals to obtain plates without proper verification.
Finally, criminals clone number plates to make older vehicles appear newer. This helps them avoid increasing vehicle emissions penalties, as newer cars are usually less polluting.
So, the rise in number plate cloning is due to more ANPR cameras, new clean air regulations, easy access to number plates online, and the need to dodge emission-based penalties. This problem is becoming more common and needs attention to protect law-abiding drivers.
