Beware of Car Cloning: How to Spot and Avoid This Scam

Today on carwow, we delve into the dark world of car cloning, where unscrupulous individuals steal identities to make a quick buck or evade the law. Criminals take a car, strip it of its identity, and give it a new, clean record to sell it at a hefty profit. Our intrepid host demonstrates the process by cloning a damaged Golf Mark 6, aiming to double its value with a simple switch of number plates. But this isn't just about making money; it's about highlighting the dangers of falling victim to such scams.

With a keen eye for detail, our host shows how easy it is for criminals to obtain counterfeit plates online without the necessary documentation, raising concerns about the security of our vehicles. The police, equipped with ANPR systems, can quickly spot cloned cars with fake plates, but what about genuine ones? The line between legality and criminality blurs as innocent car owners face fines and legal troubles due to cloned vehicles roaming the streets.

As our host attempts to sell the cloned car to an unwitting buyer, the importance of conducting thorough checks on a car's VIN, number plate, and registration documents becomes glaringly evident. Watermarks on registration papers and matching VIN numbers serve as crucial indicators of a car's authenticity. Suspiciously low prices and discrepancies in documentation should raise red flags for potential buyers, signaling a possible car cloning scam. In a world where car cloning runs rampant, vigilance and attention to detail are key to avoiding falling prey to these fraudulent practices.