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Cloned Vehicle - insurers to chase us for money!
Comments
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Ok so after speaking properly to my partner last night as it was him BMW spoke to, I’m now thinking that the insurers they are speaking about are BMW’s insurers & not the insurer who paid out on the stolen vehicle.
Has anyone heard of this before??
You're a consumer and had no guilty knowledge the vehicle was stolen. BMW are the experts when it comes to buying and selling vehicles. If they have such an insurance policy against buying a stolen vehicle they'll either pay out or refuse the claim. If they did come after you then they'd need to prove you had a guilty knowledge of the vehicle being stolen. The only suspicious thing is the short time you've owned it but you an honest explanation.0 -
You're a consumer and had no guilty knowledge the vehicle was stolen. BMW are the experts when it comes to buying and selling vehicles. If they have such an insurance policy against buying a stolen vehicle they'll either pay out or refuse the claim. If they did come after you then they'd need to prove you had a guilty knowledge of the vehicle being stolen. The only suspicious thing is the short time you've owned it but you an honest explanation.
Yes, if BMW didn't immediately spot it as a cloned vehicle then why should your average man or woman in the street have been expected to.
It really is a case of pass the parcel and BMW were the unlucky ones to be holding the 3 ton 'parcel' of stolen vehicle when the virtual music stopped.0 -
Wow. Makes you think though, if a company like BMW can get caught out by unknowingly buying in a "hooky" vehicle what hope do the rest of us have for avoiding such scams??!!
Out of interest, how long had the previous owner owned the car before selling to you? Can you remember?
Speed in "passing the parcel" seems crucial in these cases.How's it going, AKA, Nutwatch? - 12 month spends to date = 2.60% of current retirement "pot" (as at end May 2025)0 -
So, stolen, or reported stolen, 2 weeks before they bought it.
I was wondering if the V5 said the same? ie a purchase date around then.
Do the DVLA work that quick in issuing new V5s.
It's the second scam I've read about on here which relies on the super efficiency of the DVLA. Maybe they should slow down a bit!! Give the original crime time to be uncovered.How's it going, AKA, Nutwatch? - 12 month spends to date = 2.60% of current retirement "pot" (as at end May 2025)0 -
So, stolen, or reported stolen, 2 weeks before they bought it.
I was wondering if the V5 said the same? ie a purchase date around then.
Do the DVLA work that quick in issuing new V5s.
It's the second scam I've read about on here which relies on the super efficiency of the DVLA. Maybe they should slow down a bit!! Give the original crime time to be uncovered.
The speed of the dvla won't change a thing other than to delay the advertisement and sale of the vehicle.0 -
The speed of the dvla won't change a thing other than to delay the advertisement and sale of the vehicle.
How does that work??!
Surely if vehicles are reported stolen, they are flagged up on a central database. Are you saying DVLA are not party to any such database?
These scams seem to happen because the dodgy seller is able to present the buyer with kosher documents and get shot of the car PDQ.
Or am I missing something here??How's it going, AKA, Nutwatch? - 12 month spends to date = 2.60% of current retirement "pot" (as at end May 2025)0 -
How does that work??!
Surely if vehicles are reported stolen, they are flagged up on a central database. Are you saying DVLA are not party to any such database?
These scams seem to happen because the dodgy seller is able to present the buyer with kosher documents and get shot of the car PDQ.
Or am I missing something here??
Yes, it is not the stolen car (and it's registration) that the kosher document is obtained for, it is the legitimate vehicle whose identity is being used (hence the term cloned). I've no idea how they do that and it's probably best not to discuss it on here.0 -
How does that work??!
Surely if vehicles are reported stolen, they are flagged up on a central database. Are you saying DVLA are not party to any such database?
These scams seem to happen because the dodgy seller is able to present the buyer with kosher documents and get shot of the car PDQ.
Or am I missing something here??
Car ABC123A gets stolen and given the identity of ABC@123B. They apply for the documents for ABC123B, that seller has no intention to sell that vehicle and are unaware of the second identity.
New buyer comes along to look at ABC123A with the identity and paperwork for ABC123B. They do their checks that come back clear and buy the car.
Car goes into a garage and the identity is revealed with the thief long gone.0 -
So have I got this right...
Car A is stolen to order.
Criminals already have genuine car B with its real documents, keys etc.
They clone A to match B's details.
They sell A using B's documents.
Criminals still have the real B, but no documents, but do have buyers money!!
Criminals ask DVLA for replacement "lost" docs for real B. repeat!!!How's it going, AKA, Nutwatch? - 12 month spends to date = 2.60% of current retirement "pot" (as at end May 2025)0
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