A driver has been accused of causing a major crash on roads in Liverpool despite being 280 miles away at the time, sparking calls for more police powers to crackdown on fraudulent practices.
The driver was one of thousands of victims who have faced hefty penalties and even legal action for cloned number plates across the UK.
The scam involves criminals putting genuine number plates on different vehicles, often of the same make and model, to evade detection while the real owner of the plates racks up hefty penalties.
Earlier this week, the driver discovered her car's number plate had been cloned when her insurance company contacted her about an accident in Liverpool.
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She told the BBC: "I said it wasn't me but they asked me to prove my whereabouts. Luckily on that day I was in Herne Bay and I posted some videos on my business page on social media, proving I was at work that day."
The criminals had not only cloned her plate but "put it on the same make car," making the deception more convincing, the driver shared.
Cloned number plates have been on the rise for many years, with sellers on platforms like Amazon and eBay supplying vehicle number plates without conducting the legally required checks.
Under current legislation, all UK number plate sellers must be registered with the DVLA and request identification showing a buyer's name, address and entitlement to use the plate.
Drivers caught with a cloned number plate, could face a fine of up to £1,000 and potentially penalty points on a licence.
These rules are designed to prevent the installation of false plates on vehicles, but an investigation revealed alarming weaknesses in police abilities to detect the fraudulent cases.
Recent figures revealed a sharp rise in car number plate thefts across the UK, with Kent Police reporting a 37 per cent increase over four years.
There were also 1,120 cases reported in 2024 compared with 815 in 2020. In London, the situation is even worse, with a 64 per cent surge in car cloning leading to fines being cancelled over three years, the number of cases rose from 22,450 in 2021 to 36,794 in 2023.
Some London councils saw more than 1.5 per cent of all their traffic fines linked to cloned vehicles, with Hackney topping the list at nearly two per cent.
The car cloning scam works by fooling automatic number plate recognition cameras, which are used to catch drivers who break driving rules.
Chief Superintendent Rob Marsh from Kent Police explained: "In relation to number plate thefts, people are clearly using them to commit other crimes such as whether it's to avoid congestion charging, other road toll fees, whether it's to do with making off without paying for fuel."
Many victims only discover they have been targeted when fine notices arrive in the post. A driver from Berkshire received 17 penalty charge notices totalling £2,170 for a London zone he'd never driven in.
Kent Police shared: "If you suspect your number plate has been cloned, Kent Police advises reporting it immediately.
"You should then contact the organisation that issued any fines, explaining your vehicle has been cloned and requesting cancellation. Provide supporting evidence such as your police crime reference number."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The Home Office explained that cloning and defacing of number plates affects road safety and provides cover for criminals.
The authority added: "We are working with the police, the DVLA and other partners to crack down on these crimes.
"We began work on a new Road Safety Strategy, the first in over a decade, which aims to reduce road deaths and prevent related crime. More details will be shared in due course."
Find Out More...
The driver was one of thousands of victims who have faced hefty penalties and even legal action for cloned number plates across the UK.
The scam involves criminals putting genuine number plates on different vehicles, often of the same make and model, to evade detection while the real owner of the plates racks up hefty penalties.
Earlier this week, the driver discovered her car's number plate had been cloned when her insurance company contacted her about an accident in Liverpool.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
She told the BBC: "I said it wasn't me but they asked me to prove my whereabouts. Luckily on that day I was in Herne Bay and I posted some videos on my business page on social media, proving I was at work that day."
The criminals had not only cloned her plate but "put it on the same make car," making the deception more convincing, the driver shared.
Cloned number plates have been on the rise for many years, with sellers on platforms like Amazon and eBay supplying vehicle number plates without conducting the legally required checks.
Under current legislation, all UK number plate sellers must be registered with the DVLA and request identification showing a buyer's name, address and entitlement to use the plate.
Drivers caught with a cloned number plate, could face a fine of up to £1,000 and potentially penalty points on a licence.
These rules are designed to prevent the installation of false plates on vehicles, but an investigation revealed alarming weaknesses in police abilities to detect the fraudulent cases.
Recent figures revealed a sharp rise in car number plate thefts across the UK, with Kent Police reporting a 37 per cent increase over four years.
There were also 1,120 cases reported in 2024 compared with 815 in 2020. In London, the situation is even worse, with a 64 per cent surge in car cloning leading to fines being cancelled over three years, the number of cases rose from 22,450 in 2021 to 36,794 in 2023.
Some London councils saw more than 1.5 per cent of all their traffic fines linked to cloned vehicles, with Hackney topping the list at nearly two per cent.
The car cloning scam works by fooling automatic number plate recognition cameras, which are used to catch drivers who break driving rules.
Chief Superintendent Rob Marsh from Kent Police explained: "In relation to number plate thefts, people are clearly using them to commit other crimes such as whether it's to avoid congestion charging, other road toll fees, whether it's to do with making off without paying for fuel."
Many victims only discover they have been targeted when fine notices arrive in the post. A driver from Berkshire received 17 penalty charge notices totalling £2,170 for a London zone he'd never driven in.
Kent Police shared: "If you suspect your number plate has been cloned, Kent Police advises reporting it immediately.
"You should then contact the organisation that issued any fines, explaining your vehicle has been cloned and requesting cancellation. Provide supporting evidence such as your police crime reference number."
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The Home Office explained that cloning and defacing of number plates affects road safety and provides cover for criminals.
The authority added: "We are working with the police, the DVLA and other partners to crack down on these crimes.
"We began work on a new Road Safety Strategy, the first in over a decade, which aims to reduce road deaths and prevent related crime. More details will be shared in due course."
Find Out More...