Cars 'at risk of ID fraud'
Published On 18 October 2006
Car shoppers are being warned that used vehicles could also be used in criminal activities similar to identity theft.Information solutions firm Experian is reminding consumers that car cloning is a growing crime that is costing the industry some £140 million a year.
Car cloning involves the transfer of the unique details of a currently legitimate vehicle to a stolen one.
This is used to trick potential car buyers into believing the vehicle is genuine and the transaction legally sound.
Those looking to buy a new car should do their homework carefully, urges Rob Walley, the managing director of the automotive division at Experian.
"Once the car has been bought, it is usually too late to do anything about it if it turns out to be a fraud," he explains.
Mr Walley points out that police estimations reckon up to a tenth of stolen vehicles were used for these purposes.
But there are steps to ensure your purchase is legal, the expert says, explaining that shoppers should look out for dubious behaviour of salespeople or anything that looks odd, for example suspiciously low mileage or only one key being available.
"If just one detail appears suspect, then walking away is the best option," Mr Walley says. "After all, it is better to let a dream car fall through than to find yourself out of pocket."
This week marks national ID Fraud Prevention Week. This type of theft is believed to be the fastest growing crime in the UK.
