Cloned plates - worth getting a private reg?

[_Neal_]

Hi all

Currently working through dealing with the fines (two so far) for some scumbag having cloned the plates of my car - they've picked the same colour/age/bodyshape (but not the same model) so detailed photos required etc etc in order for the Met to (hopefully) confirm the plate has been cloned and ensure fines are waived.

I'm hopeful it will be sorted relatively easily/quickly, but clearly having evidence that a car is driving around with cloned versions of my plates won't stop further fines coming through my letterbox. Therefore is putting a cheap private plate on the car as soon as I can a good idea? Presumably once all the DVLA's systems etc are updated any misbehaviour by Mr Cloned Plate Wrongun will result in nothing being received by me - or is that just wishful thinking?

Appreciate any insights on the point!

[blue_haddock]

you can get a cheap plate but the other thing i have seen recommended in the past is putting a distinctive sticker on the car as a way of differentiating it.

[BenS94]

I'd definitely get a plate.

[Beetnik]

Because privates plate's aren't capable of being cloned?

[E-bmw]

I would be making the car distinguishable for the short/medium term more cheaply that a private plate personally.

[ARHarh]

surely you can get a crime number for this and use it as proof of cloned plate if you are offered further fines.

[chopper602]

Our Stelvio was cloned. Received one parking violation fine and on-line you could see it was the same type of car, but not the same colour, or model. Provided this info to the council (Lewisham - we're in North East) and then informed the Police via 101. Took all the details and got a crime number and we've never received another. Either the other car got caught or they chose another number

[_Neal_]

Thanks all - I was more wondering what the situation would be in terms of fines etc coming through to me once the private plate is on the car (and the previous reg not) - any knowledge there?

Making the car distinctive etc is all well and good (and a good idea) and I will hopefully have a crime reference number shortly, but I will also have all the hassle/stress of dealing with whichever police force/local authority until the person driving around with my plate on their car stops doing it - which could be a long time.

PS - Clearly private plates can be cloned but (a) it would sort out the current incidence of cloning at least, where they have probably pulled the reg from a historic sale advert or database; and (b) cloning of private plates is (as I understand it) far less frequent as they are often moved between cars - if one day your cloned plate car looks like a black Audi and the next it looks like a yellow Porsche, you're far more likely to be stopped/pinged by ANPR

[E-bmw]

_Neal_ said:

Thanks all - I was more wondering what the situation would be in terms of fines etc coming through to me once the private plate is on the car (and the previous reg not) - any knowledge there?

They would still come to you as that plate would still be most likely to be recognised as most likely being you.

[_Neal_]

E-bmw said:

_Neal_ said:

Thanks all - I was more wondering what the situation would be in terms of fines etc coming through to me once the private plate is on the car (and the previous reg not) - any knowledge there?

They would still come to you as that plate would still be most likely to be recognised as most likely being you.

Thanks - is that from experience, or do you have a source?

[anonymous-user]

Beetnik said:

Because privates plate's aren't capable of being cloned?

Useful …..

It puts you back into the position of not having a cloned plate running about!

[AndyNetwork]

DVLA recommend issuing a new number (private plate is just a new number for that car)

Happened with one of the field engineers at work, with his company car.

Had an A-Class AMG line Merc, and had the plates cloned. Spent hours pouring over the photos, until someone spotted that it didn't have the AMG rear bumper on the cloned car, where his did.

We were in the process of getting a private plate for it, just to stop the letters coming through, and having to check if it was the engineer or the cloned car, when the police informed us that the cloned car had been in a police chase and had been written off.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/great...

[CRA1G]

James6112 said:

Beetnik said:

Because privates plate's aren't capable of being cloned?

Useful …..

It puts you back into the position of not having a cloned plate running about!

Private plates do get cloned but not always in the same fraudulent way but as in to make a plate look like your plate. Example being i have received FPN notices for my number but it's actually for 'CRA 1C' obviously the later 'C' doctored to make a 'G' and there's other's,still have to go through the motions though and return all the paper work.

[sinbaddio]

I had this last year. Took a couple of weeks but I got a letter from the police to prove that my car was mine. I also had to keep that with me as apparently the car was now flagged as a clone so I was in danger of getting stopped on a regular basis.

I didn't get stopped and the fines stopped coming.