VEHICLE identity expert HPI is warning sole traders to protect themselves from the growing threat of van cloning – the vehicle equivalent of identity theft.
Latest research from HPI worryingly confirms that the Ford Transit van is number two in the UK’s top ten cloned vehicles. As the credit crunch takes its toll, HPI is urging sole traders shopping for a used van to take steps to avoid being taken in by what seems a great deal, but turns out to be a clone.
“Criminals are opportunists and will exploit any weakness, whether it’s in a vehicle’s security system or its identity,” explains Nick Lindsay, Director of HPI.
He went on to say: “In the war against the unscrupulous, the motor industry has worked hard to improve the quality and accuracy of the data it holds on used vehicles. Inevitably, this has made selling a stolen vehicle without changing its identity, all but impossible, hence the rise in cloning.
“This has not been helped by further recent news from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) of suspect V5 vehicle registration documents circulating. However, despite this increase, many people are still unaware of the problem and even the police admit they don’t know its true scale.”
The Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter and Nissan Navara are all high on the sophisticated cloner’s shopping list, accounting for 11%, 5% and 4% respectively. Although premium brand cars such as the Mercedes C Class, the BMW 3 Series and the Audi A4 see significant numbers of claims, white van drivers are top targets for cloners. However, it is clear to see that claims for Mercedes Sprinter, as well as the Mitsubishi L200, have dropped significantly over the last four years.
