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General Motoring News

Car clones multiply

29th July 2008

A vehicle information company is urging dealers to prevent themselves from the growing threat of car cloning.

HPI, in its latest review of clone claims, confirms that many car insurance customers are still falling victim to criminals who perform the motoring equivalent of identity theft.

The report reveals that premium brands are high on the cloner's shopping list, with Mercedes and BMW accounting for 26 per cent of all insurance claims.

Offender's duplicate by replacing the number plates and VIN on their car with a stolen identity from an almost identical vehicle of the same make, model and colour.

Daniel Burgess, automotive director of HPI, said: "Criminals are opportunists and will exploit any weakness, whether it’s in a car’s security system or its identity.

"Many people are still sceptical of the reality of problem and even the police admit they don’t know its true scale."

HIP combine and interpret data from government agencies, industry bodies, private organisations and the police to give motor vehicle purchasers instant confirmation of a car's authenticity. ADNFCR-1602-ID-18706614-ADNFCR