Car Cloning Is On The Increase

An increasing number of vehicles are falling victim to car cloning. This is where criminals steal the identity of legitimate vehicles by replacing the number plates and VIN on a stolen car with the details from a vehicle of the same make, model and colour.

Motorists need to use due diligence before buying a new car in case it turns out to be a cloned vehicle, HPI said. There are several ways in which you can safeguard yourself against buying a cloned vehicle:

* Check that the identification numbers on the car have not been tampered with, and that they match those on the logbook documents.

* If you’re buying privately, make sure you are viewing and buying the car from the registered keeper at their address as detailed on the registration document.

* Do not buy the car if the seller cannot produce the logbook registration documents.

* Research the car's market value – be wary if the vehicle's price is 30% or more below the retail market value, and don’t pay with a substantial amount of cash.

* If there is a mark or sticker showing that the car is linked to a security register, check it out.

Relevant advice can be found on the Directgov website. Also on this site is what to do if you find out your car has been cloned. Usually what happens is you start getting fines or charges for the vehicle which you are not responsible for because someone else is using your registration mark.

What to do if your vehicle has been cloned:

*Return any fines or correspondence to the issuing authorities providing them with any documentary evidence you have to prove your case

*Write to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency they will record your correspondence on the vehicle record for future reference

*Contact the police

The registration number of any particular car on the DVLA can be checked to make sure it is not currently under suspicion. This can be done in the ‘Vehicle Enquiry’ section in the car tax renewal part of the site.

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