Car cloning is one of the many pitfalls waiting to trip up the unwary car buyer. It is when crooks give one vehicle the identity of a second almost identical legitimate vehicle. The cloned car will be the same make, model and colour as the legitimate vehicle. It might even have the same paperwork. It is obvious that you should be wary of number plate cloning in Australia.

We have been in the automotive industry since 1984, ranging from apprentice to master technician, workshop foreman, controller, service advisor and service manager, in numerous premium vehicle businesses. We have built a level of loyalty that in the 21st Century is vital. After all, customer service and care is a point of difference.

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What Is A Number Plate Cloning?

Number plate cloning is very much like identity theft, except it applies to cars instead of people.

In essence, the crime involves falsifying a genuine number plate and attaching it to another vehicle. The criminal steals a car or repair a written-off one, and gives it the same identity as another legally registered car which is often the same make, model and colour.

The criminal may then use the car with false plates to drive on tollways without consequences. They drive dangerously or conduct other criminal activities. And the genuine vehicle owner often sought to pay fines or tolls.

The process of cloning a number plate is said to be as simple as spying a vehicle of identical model and colour, noting its number plate, and reproducing it—as easily as printing a mocked-up copy or hand-drawing it.

Beware Of Number Plate Cloning In Australia

Number plate cloning has fast become an Australian problem. For victims, it is a particularly distressing situation. They must continually prove their innocence to law enforcement and toll road operators—difficult to do when the vehicles involved are in most cases identical. That can translate into daily trips to the local police station and hours on the phone to tollway operators for a victim.

The Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) Executive Director, Geoff Gwilym, says that while any motorist can be a victim, it is car dealers—a group the VACC represents—most likely to be targeted.

“Criminals go online, or drive past a dealership, and note the registration of a particular vehicle. They then get these plates copied and go driving all over town in a similar vehicle, accumulating speeding and red light fines, CityLink tolls and parking infringements, all while the original vehicle has been on the dealer’s lot," Gwilym says.

He said that unsold, registered vehicles sitting on dealer lots are a popular target because offenders can use the car's number plate details for some time without the crime being detected.

What Happens If You Buy A Car With Cloned Number Plate?

Buy a used car with cloned number plate, even if it’s in good faith, and you could have it taken away from you and returned to its legitimate owner. This might be its former keeper or perhaps an insurer if they’ve paid out on it. This will leave you with nothing, apart from a hole in your finances from the money you’ve paid the dishonest seller.

If You Are A Victim Of Number Plate Cloning

1. Do not pay the fine

2. Visit your local police station, report the issue and obtain a Police report number

3. Contact the organisation that issued the fine and provide them with a Police report number

How Do You Spot A Number Plate Cloning In Australia?

It’s unlikely the crooks will have gone to the trouble of changing the car’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) plates.

In Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, ACT and South Australia, number plates of all cars listed by dealers on classified advertising websites must be displayed, Queensland dealers are not included in this.

Police are urging all private sellers and dealers not to include the registration number of vehicles when they are posting ads to sell vehicles. Instead, private sellers are recommended to provide their vehicle VIN number in their advertisements. This still allows potential buyers to perform history and finance checks on the vehicle.

It’s also worth remembering that even if the details do all tie-up, the person selling the car may not be its legitimate owner. On a modern car, look at the infotainment system. This will show the car’s true VIN when it was manufactured. That should match the physical plates and any documentation.

Book The Best Pre-Purchase Car Inspection In Melbourne

If you’re buying a used car, it’s always worthwhile having a history check done. This will make sure that the car’s identity has never been logged as stolen and that all its identification features such as VIN plates qnd registration plates match up.

And before you purchase that secondhand car, have a professional inspector like German Precision to do a thorough pre-purchase car inspection in Melbourne to ensure that your dream car is operating properly and not a scam.

We have engaged with many clients for independent, personal car purchase advice.

If you are looking for the best pre-purchase car inspector in Melbourne, do not hesitate to contact German Precision or Prepurchase Check today!