A warning about blanking number plates out

Adam

Adam

Adam

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
9,232
In the past I haven't been too fussed about blanking number plates out. A combination of lazyness and a "it won't happen to me" attitude.

Recently I sold my Leon Cupra R. It was advertised on Pistonheads, eBay and Autotrader for upto one month on each. I used the same images on each site, one such image contained happened to have my mums Focus and my girlfriends Clio in the background with the registration plates visible.

Fast forward 2 weeks since selling my Leon and my mum receives a letter through the post from the DVLA notifying her that someone else is in the process of claiming ownership of her car. If they do not hear from her within 14 days the ownership will be transferred. A bit of a shock!

I advised her to contact the DVLA and also the police. She hasn't been able to contact the DVLA yet due to the easter holidays. The Police gave her a crime number, suggested this kind of scam was becoming increasingly common and also suggested she kept proof of ownership in the car with her. As she has called the police about the car it will be flagged on the Police ANPR.

So while I cannot be 100% this was the cause, it seems too much of a coincidence not to be related. Luckily we have acted early (god knows what would have happened if we were on holiday!) but we don't yet know the full extent of this. Perhaps the car will be cloned and we will receive parking tickets etc?

Please make sure you block out your numberplates. If scammers are obtaining details in this way, save yourself the hassle by taking the time to obscure the plate!
 
It's people like those who take the joy out of motoring :(

Be careful, it might be someone local. They could create a false copy of the V5, and then, when everyone's out, they can take the car, and sell it on.
 
If i walk out my front door, i could probably see 20 cars - all with there number plates visable.

The other day 1 of my works Spriter vans was so called involved in a drive off up north at a petrol station - and i have never put pics of it on the internet.

I really dont think blanking out reg plates on the net will make much difference.
 
jongeeone said:
If i walk out my front door, i could probably see 20 cars - all with there number plates visable.

The other day 1 of my works Spriter vans was so called involved in a drive off up north at a petrol station - and i have never put pics of it on the internet.

I really dont think blanking out reg plates on the net will make much difference.
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I disagree. If you are that way inclined and have a red 911 on your drive, fancied racking up some speeding/parket tickets for someone else, search through eBay/Autotrader and you have a target within 30 seconds. Change the plates and who would know?
 
I had my plates cloned via an advert on Autotrader and the first I knew was receiving a bus lane fine (luckily) when the car was actually out of the country so it wasn't too hard to prove - otherwise I could have had a lot of fun. Later on I got pulled over by the Police after my reg was marked on ANPR as being involved in a robbery and making off from the police :eek:
 
If a reg is taken from the net then it will likely be involved in a crime miles and miles from you. Easy proven it wasnt you etc, More chance of someone stealing your physical plates off your car in a car park somewhere. Remember to get a set of plates made now you need your drivers license and v5 with you...
 
Don't they match the tags and the VIN over there? My vehicle registration is directly tied to my VIN. To change ownership the VIN will have to be proven.

I don't see how displaying a tag on the internet is different than driving by, picking out a car you like, recording the details, and scamming it that way.
 
David _b said:
Remember to get a set of plates made now you need your drivers license and v5 with you...
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As pointed out by SB118 this is not the case at all. I ordered a new set of plates for my car complete with the BS mark on the internet without providing anything, this was about 2 or so months ago.
 
IAmATeaf said:
Thanks, at least I know why their father ended up with a hook for a hand now.

This changing ownership is shocking, didn't know that all it took was a phone call to say I've moved and have lost the V5 :eek:
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It's a little bit more than that.

You have to complete a V62 and give the DVLA £25 to get a replacement V5, or to get a V5 for a car you have recently purchased that didn't come with any of the old V5.
 
Wicksta said:
As pointed out by SB118 this is not the case at all. I ordered a new set of plates for my car complete with the BS mark on the internet without providing anything, this was about 2 or so months ago.
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The idea of registering cars was initially to prevent theft was it not? So much for that then...
 
problem is though, is that companies who do so, dont put their names on the plate. They are designed for "show use" not road use. (and after all, selling plates without seeing a V5 etc.. is illegal, so the "show use" disclaimer is a nice a workaround)

Thus, when you catch a car with the plates on, how do you find out which internet company (there are loads of show plate companies) did them ? theres markers on the plates so you cant tell.

And you can go ringing them all asking if somebody has issued a plate of this registration recently.
 
Raist said:
I don't see how displaying a tag on the internet is different than driving by, picking out a car you like, recording the details, and scamming it that way.
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Maybe so, but worth posting a warning incase anyone else is unlucky enough to get stung in this way too, surely?
 
I don't understand where some people are coming from. Yes you can see the number slaves of any car when walking along but autotrader allows you to search of an exact car, in the exact year, in the exact colour with the exact engine which makes it a breeze for a crim to have a quick search and clone the vehicle.
 
Janesy B said:
I don't understand where some people are coming from. Yes you can see the number slaves of any car when walking along but autotrader allows you to search of an exact car, in the exact year, in the exact colour with the exact engine which makes it a breeze for a crim to have a quick search and clone the vehicle.
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I saw an exact Focus 2.0 in red in Tesco yesterday.
 
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