Drivers have been warned not to post videos or photos of their car number plates on social media following an increase in vehicle cloning. Motoring experts have told drivers to pixelate or obscure their vehicle number plates before sharing images on sites such as TikTok, Instagram or Facebook.
They say the social media platforms are being used by criminals to find images of cars and then steal the number from the plate.
They then attach it to their cars to avoid breaking road laws, such as speeding, parking offences, and ULEZ compliance.
The experts from LeaseCar.uk say the criminals look for the same model of vehicle in the same colour as the one they drive.
When they find one that looks similar, they make a note or take a screenshot of the image with the number plate and have a new number plate printed with the stolen number to attach to their car.
The car owner whose plates have been cloned will know nothing about it until they start receiving fines for vehicle offences – often in a completely different part of the country.
They then face the headache of trying to appeal the fines and often have to prove they were not responsible for the offence.
The rise in car cloning cases might be explained by the increased number of plate-reading ANPR cameras law enforcement uses to detect crimes.
The fines can reach thousands of pounds, and proving innocence can be tricky, so it’s essential to do anything possible to prevent cloning.
Some criminals also clone plates to sell stolen vehicles. This can lead to innocent motorists being wrongly linked to offences, as car cloning is hard to detect before receiving unexpected fines or penalty charges.
Tim Alcock from LeaseCar.uk said, “Many of us are proud of the car we drive, and naturally, many want to share photos or videos on their Instagram or TikTok.
“But before doing so, it’s essential to pause and ask yourself if you could be unwittingly helping a criminal. Number plate cloning is a growing problem that puts drivers at risk of being falsely accused of crimes.
“Because of the increased use of ANPR cameras on the roads, we expect the car cloning cases to rise even more, as criminals want to avoid charges, such as the recent ULEZ charges in London.
“No one is safe from cloning criminals, so it’s essential to be vigilant and take measures to prevent falling victim to getting your car cloned.
“There are steps drivers can take to ensure they aren’t unwittingly helping the cloners to steal their car’s identity.
“It’s essential to be careful online. If sharing pictures or videos of your car on social media, always blur or obscure the number plate before posting.”
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