Vehicle Doppelgänger

[Cloud Dodger]

Received by post, a PCN (penalty charge notice) for £60 for a traffic offence committed in a borough called Redbridge, London on 23rd October 2019.

My first thoughts where, its a fishing letter because I have not been anywhere near London for years and decided to dismiss it.

Later in the day I did searches for scam letters from Redbridge regarding PCN's, it turns out its a real borough and the letter is 100% authentic. In the letter was references to online video of the offence that was committed caught on camera, so I decided to have a look.

I own a silver VW Amarok, to my surprise, a silver VW Amarok with my reg number was caught on camera committing a traffic offence.

The only difference was the offending Amarok did not have a truck top on the back (mine does), so it was clearly not my Amarok, even though it had my number plates, same colour, make and model.

I called the number on the PCN, explained it was not my vehicle BUT it was my reg number. They advised me to call the Police and report a cloned number plate was in operation around London.

Its all sorted now, I supplied images of my Amarok with its truck top fitted and they have cancelled the PCN, I believe the Police are now looking for this vehicle with a cloned number plate.

 

[ArunAlec]

Received by post, a PCN (penalty charge notice) for £60 for a traffic offence committed in a borough called Redbridge, London on 23rd October 2019.

My first thoughts where, its a fishing letter because I have not been anywhere near London for years and decided to dismiss it.

Later in the day I did searches for scam letters from Redbridge regarding PCN's, it turns out its a real borough and the letter is 100% authentic. In the letter was references to online video of the offence that was committed caught on camera, so I decided to have a look.

I own a silver VW Amarok, to my surprise, a silver VW Amarok with my reg number was caught on camera committing a traffic offence.

The only difference was the offending Amarok did not have a truck top on the back (mine does), so it was clearly not my Amarok, even though it had my number plates, same colour, make and model.

I called the number on the PCN, explained it was not my vehicle BUT it was my reg number. They advised me to call the Police and report a cloned number plate was in operation around London.

Its all sorted now, I supplied images of my Amarok with its truck top fitted and they have cancelled the PCN, I believe the Police are now looking for this vehicle with a cloned number plate.

You’ll probably get stopped every time you go near an ANPR camera now!

 

[LunaLovegood]

Scary. Is this why some people block out their number plate when posting pictures?

 

[Cloud Dodger]

Scary. Is this why some people block out their number plate when posting pictures?

Yes, I believe so. But until now if I had seen an advert for a vehicle with its number plates blocked or blurred, I would have thought there was something the seller was trying to hide about the vehicle.

Just glad it was only a traffic offence that picked up the cloned plate and not something like a bank job, shop raid, knife or gun crime.

Wouldn't like to think the police were doing an early morning raid on my house, breaking down the front door for something really serious related to the cloned number plate.

 

[westfalia]

Just glad it was only a traffic offence that picked up the cloned plate and not something like a bank job, shop raid, knife or gun crime.

Peg selling......

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Scary. Is this why some people block out their number plate when posting pictures?

Anyone can read your plates as soon your van leaves your garage and hits the public highway.

Prospective buyers will need the Registration to carry out the usual HPI, history check etc.

 

[LunaLovegood]

That’s a good point. Maybe more important to be able to provide a location alibi of some sort. Or maybe I just worry too much!!

 

[Meoncoast]

That is ok until the clone car is exactly the same as yours then who would be believed.

 

[Cloud Dodger]

Luckily for me, my vehicle had a truck top fitted, which clearly differentiated between mine and the cloned vehicle BUT what would have happened if say it was factory box standard silver ford fiesta with no extras fitted that could easily be seen on the camera.

I would probably be arguing, that I was not in London on that date or time and probably would need to provide proof of where I actually was at the time of the traffic offence.

Imagine having to get GPS logs off the phone, or off my Amarok sat nav as proof of where I actually was.

 

[ArunAlec]

Scary. Is this why some people block out their number plate when posting pictures?

The problem with displaying such things as number plate is that although in itself unlikely to be an issue, if someone wants to gather information on you ( for whatever reason), its just another piece of the jigsaw. Facebook, forums etc all encourage us to "go public" with personal information, where we work our hobbies what expensive car we have on the drive etc
It amazes me the number of "friends" on Facebook who are quite happy to tell the world that they are safely out of the country on holiday so their houses are empty. Having said that I know a young gent who shared his New Years Eve plans on Facebook and not only was met by all his mates but also the Police, who'd been after him!

 

[Loz]

That is ok until the clone car is exactly the same as yours then who would be believed.

Stickers and a past photo of said stickers on the vehicle.

 

[Loz]

Luckily for me, my vehicle had a truck top fitted, which clearly differentiated between mine and the cloned vehicle BUT what would have happened if say it was factory box standard silver ford fiesta with no extras fitted that could easily be seen on the camera.

I would probably be arguing, that I was not in London on that date or time and probably would need to provide proof of where I actually was at the time of the traffic offence.

Imagine having to get GPS logs off the phone, or off my Amarok sat nav as proof of where I actually was.

Same happened to me once.
Received a ticket for crossing a red traffic light in Glasgow at the precise time I was stood on the platform at Paddington station.

I pointed out that It was impossible to take the train from London to Bristol and then drive from Bristol to Glasgow to commit the offence in the time.
Had to email copies of my train ticket.

 

[andrejab1]

In Slovenia, it doesn't matter where you are at the time of the offence. If the driver can't be determined, the fine goes to the person who the car is registered to. No matter whether you were driving it or someone else.

So yeah, good thing you could prove it's not actually your car :/

 

[tuono001]

You were lucky it was only a letter. A colleague at work had a knock on the door and was then escorted to the police station for questioning
All was good in the end.

 

[westfalia]

Same happened to me once.

Its happened again cos there is a guy just like you on the T6 forum.

 

[alan middleton]

Yes, I believe so. But until now if I had seen an advert for a vehicle with its number plates blocked or blurred, I would have thought there was something the seller was trying to hide about the vehicle.

Just glad it was only a traffic offence that picked up the cloned plate and not something like a bank job, shop raid, knife or gun crime.

Wouldn't like to think the police were doing an early morning raid on my house, breaking down the front door for something really serious related to the cloned number plate.

Yes, I believe so. But until now if I had seen an advert for a vehicle with its number plates blocked or blurred, I would have thought there was something the seller was trying to hide about the vehicle.

Just glad it was only a traffic offence that picked up the cloned plate and not something like a bank job, shop raid, knife or gun crime.

Wouldn't like to think the police were doing an early morning raid on my house, breaking down the front door for something really serious related to the cloned number plate.

Our friends had their door knocked down at 3am and were dragged out, until they pointed out that the house the police were looking for was down the street. They had to pay for their door to be fixed and never received an apology.

 

[alan middleton]

Stickers and a past photo of said stickers on the vehicle.

Stickers on your car need to be declared to your insurance company and is likely to increase your premium. In particular those that may show affiliation with a football club

 

[BagmanJim]

That's scary stuff, I wonder how you would have got on if you hadn't had the truckman top on!? I'm also a little surprised they didn't say you could have taken it off when the offence occurred and put the onus on you to prove your innocence!

 

[Victor_Tango_]

Police are very aware of this phenomenon. And yes, there is a good chance the cloned Amarok was intended for use in a much more serious crime than a traffic offence. That Amarok will itself have been stolen, and can be driven with near-impunity for the crook. Once it attracts significant "heat" it will just be dumped.

Hopefully now that @Cloud Dodger has reported it, it will be flagged on the Police National Computer and so attract that "heat" sooner than it otherwise would have—and before it is used in anything serious.

 

[JAPRACER]

That is ok until the clone car is exactly the same as yours then who would be believed.

Just send them your tracker download for that day, simples

 

[Meoncoast]

Just send them your tracker download for that day, simples

Ha -what tracker

 

[ColliePops]

Scary. Is this why some people block out their number plate when posting pictures?

Yes, I believe so. But until now if I had seen an advert for a vehicle with its number plates blocked or blurred, I would have thought there was something the seller was trying to hide about the vehicle.

This is why you see number plates blocked out on damaged vehicles on car transporters. It is very common for car theives and other criminals to use Autotrader, Ebay, FB and other social media or simply driving around to record number of cars whose models are similar to those they wish to steal or have stolen. Number plates can be easily obtained over the internet which do not comply with British Regulations and are therefore illegal - but not necessarily easy to spot as wrong. This is why the number plate is blocked out on my profile picture and will be on all social media posts that may involve my van - after I returned from holiday.

Something else to be aware of, if you are burgled at your home address - insurance companies will check for your social media account - most of us are quite easily found - and if they find you have posted "look where I am at the moment" type images - it gives them a strong excuse to reduce the damages paid out on the grounds of "negligence" by advertising you are away from home. Sad I know, as it nice to show others sometimes how good something is at that moment - but we have to take care.

 

[Duxdeluxe]

This is why you see number plates blocked out on damaged vehicles on car transporters. It is very common for car theives and other criminals to use Autotrader, Ebay, FB and other social media or simply driving around to record number of cars whose models are similar to those they wish to steal or have stolen. Number plates can be easily obtained over the internet which do not comply with British Regulations and are therefore illegal - but not necessarily easy to spot as wrong. This is why the number plate is blocked out on my profile picture and will be on all social media posts that may involve my van - after I returned from holiday.

Something else to be aware of, if you are burgled at your home address - insurance companies will check for your social media account - most of us are quite easily found - and if they find you have posted "look where I am at the moment" type images - it gives them a strong excuse to reduce the damages paid out on the grounds of "negligence" by advertising you are away from home. Sad I know, as it nice to show others sometimes how good something is at that moment - but we have to take care.

Alter your privacy settings to friends only, that way insurance companies can’t check, anyone who has ‘open’ privacy settings really should be aware

 

[fluff34567]

You were lucky it was only a letter. A colleague at work had a knock on the door and was then escorted to the police station for questioning
All was good in the end.

Probably invited and they complied when they could have said no, otherwise they would need to have been arrested to force a visit to the station.