A warning about blanking number plates out

Adam · 12 Apr 2009 at 13:40

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!

Adam · 12 Apr 2009 at 13:57

Yeah agreed, I actually forgot a key piece of information:

The person who has requested the ownership obviously didn't have the V5 which my mum still had. That's why they wrote to her giving her the opportunity to challenge it.

I'm sure this is similar practise to Abu Hamza's sons: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...00/Abu-Hamzas-sons-in-1m-luxury-car-scam.html

Adam · 12 Apr 2009 at 14:02

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.

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?

Adam · 13 Apr 2009 at 10:59

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.

Maybe so, but worth posting a warning incase anyone else is unlucky enough to get stung in this way too, surely?

Adam · 14 Apr 2009 at 11:48

Bubo said:
Is the apparent ease with which the crooks were able to get the DVLA to consider their V5 request at all helped by them being able to add weight to their request with details such as the address of the previous keeper? Presumably they sussed the address from info in the original advert? Or is it as simple as them just telling the DLVA the colour, make and reg of the car?

Probably the latter. I'm not aware of how anyone would be able to guess the address from my advert unless they were local.

Obviously this is all speculation, but worrying nonetheless.