1 week Ago By Jack Mortimer
Motorists have been urged to stay vigilant and follow an important tip as an increasing number of vehicles are being cloned across the UK. According to a study by the BBC , cases of number plates being cloned by criminals in London skyrocketed 64 percent during 2021 and 2023, with other areas seeing similar increases. Greg Wilson, CEO of the insurance comparison service Quotezone , noted that the practice could see drivers face penalties for motoring offences they did not commit.
He explained: "The sharp rise in car cloning across London is very worrying and highlights a need for more awareness around the crime, as all drivers are susceptible to this growing type of fraud . "Car cloning is not just a minor inconvenience – it can have serious legal and financial consequences for victims, who often find themselves receiving fines or penalty points for offences they had no part in." Car cloning is the process of copying the number plate and fitting it to an identical-looking vehicle.
In most cases, criminals clone plates in order to get away with offences, such as speeding or entering clean air zones in a non-compliant car without paying the fee. However, some stolen vehicles are fitted with cloned number plates in order to conceal their identity, resulting in some unsuspecting used car buyers buying a model with a hidden history. Unfortunately, there is very little that drivers can do to completely prevent their vehicle's number plates from being cloned.
However, Quotezone offered a number of tips that can reduce the risk of the offence. Gary suggested that one way drivers can reduce the chances of their plates being cloned is by never posting photos of their car in which the registration is visible to social media. He advised: "Unfortunately, there is no way to completely prevent car cloning, but there are ways motorists can minimise the risk.
"It's also not sensible to share pictures of your vehicle online where the number plate is clearly visible – social media can be a goldmine for those looking to illegally copy registration details." The motoring expert also suggested that used car buyers take particular care to prevent being scammed by a potentially stolen vehicle. He added: "In some cases, people have unknowingly bought cloned vehicles and lost both the car and the money they paid for it.
An increase in penalty points can also increase insurance premiums from five to 25 percent, depending on the number of points accrued." In particular, Quotezone recommended that drivers interested in a used model thoroughly check the documentation sold with the car to see whether the number plates match, and whether the vehicle's mileage and specifications match those stated on the MOT history, which can be found online..
