The UK was one of the most competitive markets for the auto industry in 2019, making it ideal for companies to launch new v read more
Car cloning is on the rise, but what is it?
20/03/2023 BMW X5 xDrive50e 3.0e PHEV 25.7kWh 489 M Sport Step Auto8 - Save 4.9% - £3,918 off list price - £75,347
20/03/2023 Audi RSQ8 SUV quattro 5Dr 4.0TFSI V8 600 TIP Auto8 - Save 4.5% - £5,094 off list price - £107,071
20/03/2023 Volkswagen Caddy M1 2.0TDI 122 Life 5Seat DSG Auto7 - Save 10.4% - £3,520 off list price - £30,299
17/03/2023 Ford Puma SUV 1.0T EcoBoost MHEV 125 Titanium 6Spd - Save 8.5% - £2,113 off list price - £22,807
Cars are cloned in order to disguise the identity of a stolen car which is unlawfully sold on for a cut-price.
Now vehicle history check expert, HPI, have warned the public to be wary of these petty criminals who are now cloning cars to avoid parking fines and speeding tickets, whilst organised gangs are using them to commit more serious crimes.
Almost identical to personal identity theft, car cloning occurs when criminals mask the true identity of a vehicle by giving it a false Vehicle Registration Number (VRM) often that of a similar make and model car legitimately on the road.
The result of innocently purchasing a stolen vehicle that has been given a false identity is the used car buyer ultimately losing their car and their hard earned money when it is returned to the legal owner by the police.
The ability to purchase 'show'plates on the internet or over the phone with no documentation allows criminals to bypass the ruling that to buy a registration plate in the UK owners must have the vehicle's logbook - otherwise known as a V5 - driver's license and proof of address.
How to avoid car cloning
Used car buyers can avoid being victims of car cloning by taking the following steps:
- Always check the provenance/history of the car you are looking to purchase, as well as viewing this at the address listed on the V5/logbook
- Check the vehicle's V5/logbook. Stolen V5 documents are still being used to accompany cloned vehicles. Checks on stolen V5 documents are available
- Ensure all the VIN/chassis numbers on the vehicle tally up with each other. Follow this up by conducting a vehicle history check to ensure they match DVLA records
- Find out what the car's market value is, because if you find that you would be paying less than 70% of the market price for a vehicle it is likely that it would be a suspicious deal
- Avoid paying in cash if possible. This is especially recommended if the car costs over £3,000. HPI claim that many buyers who pay in cash eventually find out that the car is a clone
For more advice on what to check when looking to buy a used car read our tips here.