Cloned number plates
Discussion
Annoying - on a car I bought a month ago. Just received a PCN for Dartford crossing (if the person who cloned my plate is on here, I'd love to meet you......)
It is the correct registration - and is the correct car in the correct colour - but it definitely wasn't my car. I was working, and I have CCTV of my car parked opposite my house (sadly, it's too far away for the registration to be clear).
I've reported it to the police, who gave me a reference number and told me to call DVLA.
DVLA sent me a mail telling me what to do - which is basically, tell the police / challenge the PCN / write to DVLA (so they have a signature).
I've challenged the PCN - although at £2.50 I am tempted to pay it just so it doesn't become £72.50 after 14 days. Unless the challenge pauses the clock?
I assume it will be the first of many - and has the potential for speeding / parking tickets too.......
By chance - I bought a private plate on Sunday. So the problem should be resolved within a month or so.
Anything else I need to do in the meantime?
It is the correct registration - and is the correct car in the correct colour - but it definitely wasn't my car. I was working, and I have CCTV of my car parked opposite my house (sadly, it's too far away for the registration to be clear).
I've reported it to the police, who gave me a reference number and told me to call DVLA.
DVLA sent me a mail telling me what to do - which is basically, tell the police / challenge the PCN / write to DVLA (so they have a signature).
I've challenged the PCN - although at £2.50 I am tempted to pay it just so it doesn't become £72.50 after 14 days. Unless the challenge pauses the clock?
I assume it will be the first of many - and has the potential for speeding / parking tickets too.......
By chance - I bought a private plate on Sunday. So the problem should be resolved within a month or so.
Anything else I need to do in the meantime?
MrBen.911 said:
I'd be tempted to do something to make your car easily distinguishable until the plate is changed - put a 'UK' sticker in an unusual location etc, and then take photos of it showing them. Then if the clone goes through a camera you can demonstrate the differences.
and photo my car at the locations I'm at.
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
If I'd already got a private plate I'd put it on today (or yesterday 
)
It's immediate online. (Assuming you have the V5 & the new number certificate).
I bought the plate at the weekend online - but don't have any paperwork for it yet. As soon as I get that, I will assign it online but I'm not sure how long that will take.)It's immediate online. (Assuming you have the V5 & the new number certificate).
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
MrBen.911 said:
I'd be tempted to do something to make your car easily distinguishable until the plate is changed - put a 'UK' sticker in an unusual location etc, and then take photos of it showing them. Then if the clone goes through a camera you can demonstrate the differences.
and photo my car at the locations I'm at.
At home, I have CCTV - I will start parking on the drive where it's close enough that the CCTV will show the registration.
I'll also find something that makes it obviously "my" car - I already have a dash cam fitted so that helps a bit I guess, but I'll add something else
over_the_hill said:
Is it possible that the Dartford ID system has got it wrong.
Your challenge may mean a person actually checks the photo.
I wondered about that. A misread rather than a clone?Your challenge may mean a person actually checks the photo.
It's not unusual (as Tom'd say) to get very similar cars registered with say consecutive plates.
There is a (poor) photo in the penalty notice - on the car and a separate pic of just the plate.
It's a crap photo but it does appear to be mine. And having spoken to them, it is the same type and colour of car.
I've asked for them to mail me clearer photos which they are considering.
It's a crap photo but it does appear to be mine. And having spoken to them, it is the same type and colour of car.
I've asked for them to mail me clearer photos which they are considering.
davek_964 said:
I bought the plate at the weekend online - but don't have any paperwork for it yet. As soon as I get that, I will assign it online but I'm not sure how long that will take.
All you need is the document number. When I sold my plate I emailed a scan. Guy then did it within minutes. 2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
davek_964 said:
I bought the plate at the weekend online - but don't have any paperwork for it yet. As soon as I get that, I will assign it online but I'm not sure how long that will take.
All you need is the document number. When I sold my plate I emailed a scan. Guy then did it within minutes. I assume it won't take very long
davek_964 said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
davek_964 said:
I bought the plate at the weekend online - but don't have any paperwork for it yet. As soon as I get that, I will assign it online but I'm not sure how long that will take.
All you need is the document number. When I sold my plate I emailed a scan. Guy then did it within minutes. I assume it won't take very long
Should be quick
Happily, the certificate turned up online today so the new registration is now assigned to the car. That gives a fairly short window for any pending fines so hopefully there will be very few more if any.
And it means that knobhead is now driving around with an unassigned number plate, so hopefully he'll get pulled at some point.
And it means that knobhead is now driving around with an unassigned number plate, so hopefully he'll get pulled at some point.
davek_964 said:
Happily, the certificate turned up online today so the new registration is now assigned to the car. That gives a fairly short window for any pending fines so hopefully there will be very few more if any.
And it means that knobhead is now driving around with an unassigned number plate, so hopefully he'll get pulled at some point.
You can get your new plates from one of the many sellers on ebay. They dont ask for proof....And it means that knobhead is now driving around with an unassigned number plate, so hopefully he'll get pulled at some point.
fuzzymonkey said:
You can get your new plates from one of the many sellers on ebay. They dont ask for proof....
I know - hence the ability for somebody with dubious morals to be driving around with my registration.But I've already attached the new plates - the cost of them from Regtransfers was comparable to most places and it was simpler to order them when I ordered the registration.
Decent service - I ordered Sunday evening. The plates arrived this morning, and the certificate arrived electronically at lunchtime.
PCN cancelled. They won't send me clearer photos because they've concluded that it wasn't my car.
It might be because I provided a police incident number - or evidence that my car was at home - but I suspect it's actually because once i provided a photo of my (silver) car they could see that it was a different colour from the offending vehicle. Tricky to tell in a poor black and white photo - but I'm pretty sure the car that caused the penalty was dark grey.
It might be because I provided a police incident number - or evidence that my car was at home - but I suspect it's actually because once i provided a photo of my (silver) car they could see that it was a different colour from the offending vehicle. Tricky to tell in a poor black and white photo - but I'm pretty sure the car that caused the penalty was dark grey.
davek_964 said:
PCN cancelled. They won't send me clearer photos because they've concluded that it wasn't my car.
It might be because I provided a police incident number - or evidence that my car was at home - but I suspect it's actually because once i provided a photo of my (silver) car they could see that it was a different colour from the offending vehicle. Tricky to tell in a poor black and white photo - but I'm pretty sure the car that caused the penalty was dark grey.
Result. Reading the threads the Dartford crew seem very reasonable.It might be because I provided a police incident number - or evidence that my car was at home - but I suspect it's actually because once i provided a photo of my (silver) car they could see that it was a different colour from the offending vehicle. Tricky to tell in a poor black and white photo - but I'm pretty sure the car that caused the penalty was dark grey.
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
davek_964 said:
PCN cancelled. They won't send me clearer photos because they've concluded that it wasn't my car.
It might be because I provided a police incident number - or evidence that my car was at home - but I suspect it's actually because once i provided a photo of my (silver) car they could see that it was a different colour from the offending vehicle. Tricky to tell in a poor black and white photo - but I'm pretty sure the car that caused the penalty was dark grey.
Result. Reading the threads the Dartford crew seem very reasonable.It might be because I provided a police incident number - or evidence that my car was at home - but I suspect it's actually because once i provided a photo of my (silver) car they could see that it was a different colour from the offending vehicle. Tricky to tell in a poor black and white photo - but I'm pretty sure the car that caused the penalty was dark grey.
fuzzymonkey said:
davek_964 said:
Happily, the certificate turned up online today so the new registration is now assigned to the car. That gives a fairly short window for any pending fines so hopefully there will be very few more if any.
And it means that knobhead is now driving around with an unassigned number plate, so hopefully he'll get pulled at some point.
You can get your new plates from one of the many sellers on ebay. They dont ask for proof....And it means that knobhead is now driving around with an unassigned number plate, so hopefully he'll get pulled at some point.
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