Driver's loss after clone raiders strike

CAR number plate cloning fraud took a fiendish turn when an innocent driver found himself facing punishing financial losses and a legal nightmare.

- MAISHA FROST

These came to light when he discovered his legitimate vehicle had been recorded as belonging to someone else and was now a write-off, following an accident.

Crooks use cloning to evade road charges and restrictions. In this case, amid the turmoil of falsehoods and complexities, both the identity and clean driving record of motorist Stephen Gray risked ending up in ruins.

The fraud emerged after the driver of the cloned number plate vehicle was involved in a crash. He made a claim against the other driver and their insurer Hastings Direct. It recorded the vehicle as not repairable and a settlement was made with the cheat, who kept the car.