How to avoid cloned plates - advice please.
Discussion
Just reaching out to the best way to avoid or, in the event of an NIP arriving, defend against cloned plates.
It's happened to a close friend lately, easily (and a big shout out to Suffolk Constabulary for dealing with it so efficiently) remedied by pics of the car and distinguishing features (turned out the cloned car was a different colour entirely).
It's been suggested private plates, but are there cheaper and easier alternative methods?.
When my friend replied to the NIP, the Police asked for photo's of the vehicle and any distinguishing features.
This really applies to my daughter, as my daily is an Impreza so not really likely to be cloned. FWIW I've told her to make sure the dashcam is always on, which I think would be the best method, but guess what - teenager decides to plug iphone in instead of dashcam most of the time.*
It's happened to a close friend lately, easily (and a big shout out to Suffolk Constabulary for dealing with it so efficiently) remedied by pics of the car and distinguishing features (turned out the cloned car was a different colour entirely).
It's been suggested private plates, but are there cheaper and easier alternative methods?.
When my friend replied to the NIP, the Police asked for photo's of the vehicle and any distinguishing features.
This really applies to my daughter, as my daily is an Impreza so not really likely to be cloned. FWIW I've told her to make sure the dashcam is always on, which I think would be the best method, but guess what - teenager decides to plug iphone in instead of dashcam most of the time.*
- see Wiki entry on teenage rebellion.
The other year I kept receiving fines in the post from the council for my car contravening bus gates etc. The photos were of a car exactly the same as mine, but the font of the number plate was slightly different, and the screw holes in a different place. I challenged each one and provided proof via their website, and won each one. But it was clear these fines would continue and was only a matter of time before the cloning car had hit and run RTC.
I went on the DVLA website and paid £80 to instantly receive a new registration number, it would have been free if I wrote to them them with an explanation but I didn't have enough time to wait. I then bought some new numberplates but with a GB flag on, which I hope the cloners won't replicate if doing this again.
I went on the DVLA website and paid £80 to instantly receive a new registration number, it would have been free if I wrote to them them with an explanation but I didn't have enough time to wait. I then bought some new numberplates but with a GB flag on, which I hope the cloners won't replicate if doing this again.
BertBert said:
Someone should invent MFA for car registration.
Something like a coded QR code of the car reg plus v5 details. Stick the code on the neck of the car as a sticker.
Or something like that!
Matching RFID in car somewhere plod can read, if it's missing or doesn't match plate, impound. Pretty easy to retrofit camera sites to scan RFIDs at same time too.Something like a coded QR code of the car reg plus v5 details. Stick the code on the neck of the car as a sticker.
Or something like that!
leyorkie said:
Any window sticker works, eg suppling garage in rear window, parking permit in front. Anything large enough to be seen but the person cloning wouldn't know.
Good, but a bit dull; lairy racing stripes would be more amusing or perhaps a retro sun strip with their name on it? 
the-norseman said:
Most people laugh about people that blur their plates on photos online, but if I was looking to clone a plate whats easier? Walking around the loco Tesco car park hoping I can find the same make/model/colour etc or just looking on Instagram for example?
I bought a car in July, and very soon afterwards got a couple of NIPs - one for Dartford crossing, one for failing to pay for petrol. Previous owner said that he'd never had any, so I suspect that they'd got the registration from the advert - or maybe because I did post a pic online with the registration showing after I bought it. Both were fairly easy to deal with - once I had a reference number from the police - and I was already in the process of getting a private plate so once that was done it solved the problem.
Both of mine were from the same day (although hours apart) - I suspect they had stolen the car.
I do make sure that I blank the plate on photos I put online now - even though I'd always thought it was unnecessary before.
Simpo Two said:
texaxile said:
It's been suggested private plates, but are there cheaper and easier alternative methods?
I don't see why that would work - it could still be cloned. Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff