HPI is warning motorists to be on their guard after the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has again issued an alert listing serial numbers of vehicle registration documents that have been stolen and may be in use by car criminals.
HPI is warning motorists to be on their guard after the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has again issued an alert listing serial numbers of vehicle registration documents that have been stolen and may be in use by car criminals.
The documents are being used by criminals to accompany stolen vehicles that have had their identity changed to match that of a legitimate vehicle. This practice is known as cloning. The cloned vehicles are being sold to unsuspecting members of the public who can suffer significant losses when the vehicles are found to be stolen.
The stolen certificates have a different background colour on the Notification of Permanent Export (V5C/4) tear off slip on the second page, which looks mauve on the front and pink on the reverse. On legitimate documents they should be mauve on both sides.
HPI is the UK's leading independent vehicle information specialist and the only one that includes a Stolen V5 Document Check as standard, confirming the V5 registration document is legitimate and relates to the right car. Urging used car buyers to be watchful, Nick Lindsay, director of HPI, explains: "The theft of these documents is alarming and will undoubtedly add to the growing number of stolen vehicles that are being cloned. The cloned vehicles are sold on to unsuspecting members of the public who suffer significant financial losses when their vehicles are confiscated by the police. As criminals get ever more resourceful, it is vital car buyers safeguard themselves against all types of vehicle fraud."
The HPI Check is available online at www.hpicheck.com/ giving instant peace of mind when buying a car. Not only will it check that the V5 document is legitimate, but it will confirm if the vehicle is on outstanding finance, recorded as stolen, an insurance write off, has had a plate change or has been clocked.
Lindsay continues: "Motorists can limit their exposure to car crime by checking the serial number that appears at the top right hand corner of the registration certificate. If it bears the prefix BG then it may be one from the stolen batch and we would advise you to investigate it further."
An HPI Check is the industry's number one weapon in the battle against car crime. The DVLA press notice giving further details is available at www.dvla.gov.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/070308%2002.aspx
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Originally established in 1938, HPI Limited is a primary source of vehicle information for the UK motor industry and motoring consumer, which since August 2004 has been owned by Norwich Union. HPI encompasses both the HPI database of all UK road registered vehicle descriptions and histories, and the National Mileage Register which holds in excess of 125 million mileage readings.
Together, HPI and NMR represent the UK's largest vehicle information source, combining and interpreting data from government agencies, industry bodies, private organisations, the police and the general public. Registering with HPI helps companies to protect their financial interests in motor vehicles and a wide range of other mobile assets. HPI Checks give purchasers instant confirmation of whether vehicles are correctly described, known to be subject to outstanding finance or serious accident damage, or recorded as stolen or "clocked".
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