Car cloning: stolen cars wearing someone else's identity
Most at risk: Buyers of used cars, and owners whose plates are copied onto stolen cars.
What car cloning is
Cloning disguises a stolen car by giving it the number plates and details of a similar legal car. The stolen car can then be driven or sold with fewer questions, while the genuine owner starts to receive fines and letters for journeys they never made.
Buyers who pay for a cloned car can lose both the car and their money when police recover it. The main defences are careful checks before buying and quick reports when official letters do not add up.
How owners usually notice: Penalty notices for places you have not been, or a seller who is vague about the logbook and service history.
Stop car cloning with dual layer protection
Layer one: keep your own car from being taken
Most cloned cars are stolen first, so an immobiliser on your vehicle stops it becoming the stolen half of a cloning racket. Read more.
Layer two: proof of where your car really was
Tracker journey history can show your car was at home when a cloned twin was caught on camera elsewhere, which helps when disputing fines. Read more.
Talk to an installer about both layers.
Everyday habits that help
- Match the VIN on the car with the V5C logbook before buying.
- Run an online history check and view the car at the address on the logbook.
- Report unexplained fines to the issuing authority and the police.
Latest UK reports
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