Verstehen
Drivers warn of rising car cloning scams as criminals use sophisticated methods
Überblick
Victims of car cloning and police in Avon and Somerset are warning motorists about a significant rise in sophisticated car cloning scams. Criminals are increasingly changing the entire identity of stolen vehicles—including VIN numbers, log books, and electronic systems—making them harder to identify. Cases examined by police examiners have more than doubled since 2023, leaving unsuspecting buyers and vehicle owners facing financial losses, stolen property, and unearned fines.
Wichtige Punkte
- Car cloning involves giving a stolen car the identity of a genuine, identical vehicle by copying registration plates, changing VIN numbers, and forging log books.
- Police in Avon and Somerset report that the number of cloned vehicles being examined has more than doubled since 2023.
- Victims include an 84-year-old woman who received nine penalty notices for offences committed by a cloned car while she was abroad, and a buyer who lost £6,000 on a cloned campervan.
- Criminals are adopting sophisticated methods, such as reprogramming electronic systems, replacing locks and keys, and altering replacement labels.
- Police warn buyers to watch out for red flags including sellers requesting cash only, meeting away from their home address, or selling vehicles significantly below market value.