West Lothian-based business stole £8.8 million of VAT in employment agency scam
The stolen money funded lavish lifestyles, with cash splashed on gold bullion, diamonds, fast cars and expensive properties.
One director is already serving a six-year sentence for a separate sophisticated VAT fraud
The bosses of a corrupt payroll company that stole millions of pounds of VAT have been jailed for more than 22 years.
West Lothian-based Linear Services handled payroll for 27 employment agencies but didn’t hand over VAT they owed to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) during a two-year fraud.
Graeme Cullen, Leslie Thompson, Graham Newall and Martin Lang ran the firm that charged VAT on invoices totalling £8.8 million between 2015 and 2017. The court heard the gang lived extravagant lifestyles with huge amounts of money spent on expensive homes, holidays, diamonds and even gold bullion.
Thompson is already serving a six-year sentence for his role in an elaborate multi-million-pound tax fraud that led to convictions for a network of 20 corrupt company directors.
The 63-year-old, from Bathgate, West Lothian, was jailed in October, while his wife Beverley was handed a two-year suspended sentence for her role in the elaborate scam.
The gang were caught following a lengthy investigation by HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, who worked alongside partners from Police Scotland’s Specialist Crime Division.
Lang, 68, pleaded guilty on 30 January. Cullen, 54, Thompson, 63, and Newall, 49, were sentenced on 21 April after an eight-week trial at Glasgow High Court.
HMRC urges all businesses to carry out meaningful due diligence on any supply of services and anyone with any information about any type of tax fraud can report it to HMRC on GOV.UK.
The government will launch a review into dramatically reducing the number of police forces in England and Wales.
Consolidating the current model will make the police more cost-efficient, giving the taxpayer more value for money, while also ensuring a less fragmented system that will better serve the public and make them safer.
This is a moment to reset policing’s focus and return to its core principles – restoring neighbourhood policing and tackling local crime by delivering a structural overhaul to meet the demands of the modern world.
National Police Service
A new nationwide police force will be established to fight the most complex and serious crimes.
The new National Police Service will attract world-class talent and use state of the art technology to fight complex and serious crimes, lifting the burden on overstretched local forces and allowing them to focus on catching local criminals.
The service will bring the capabilities of the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing, regional organised crime units, police helicopters and national roads policing under a single organisation.
As one force, it will be better equipped to share technology, intelligence and resources to stop the growing threat from crime that has become increasingly complex, digital, online and with no respect for constabulary borders.
A national police commissioner will be appointed to lead the force and will serve as the most senior police officer in the country.
It will enable local officers to spend more time supporting victims of crime and delivering neighbourhood policing, rather than navigating the forensics system.
This will give victims confidence as their case will be supported by world‑class specialist expertise, and the latest technology, no matter where they live.
Part of the new National Police Service’s remit will be to take on responsibility for forensics from the 43 local forces with direction set centrally from the new organisation.
Demand for specialist digital forensics means there are 20,000 devices awaiting analysis at any time. The service will deal with these backlogs and help the police keep up with the ever-increasing pace of change in technology.
Frontline policing will save £350 million by scrapping outdated procurement approaches, which will instead be used to fight crime.
Under the current localised model, each of the 43 forces often procure technology, equipment and clothing themselves, meaning 43 different teams undertaking the same work.
The new National Police Service will end this inefficiency, taking on the responsibility for shared services, equipment and IT.
The National Police Service will buy equipment once on behalf of all, saving money through economies of scale and reinvesting the savings back into frontline policing to go after criminals.
Accountability and standards
Ministers will be handed new powers to intervene directly in failing forces, sending in specialist teams to turn them around so they fight crime more effectively.
If crime solving rates or police response times are poor, the Home Secretary will be able to send in experts from the best performing forces to improve their performance, so they catch more criminals.
The Home Secretary will restore the power to sack failing chief constables. New laws will hand ministers statutory powers to force the retirement, resignation or suspension of chief constables if they are poorly performing.
The forces will also be directly accountable to the public, with new targets on 999 response times, victim satisfaction, public trust and confidence. These results will be published and forces graded so communities can compare.
To further reinforce accountability, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire & Rescue Services will gain statutory powers to issue directions when forces fail to act on its recommendations.
Alongside these force-wide measures, the government will also ensure the highest standards from individual officers. To strengthen safeguards and ensure those unfit for policing are kept out of the profession, the government will introduce laws to impose robust, mandatory vetting standards for all police forces, ensuring the public is protected.
These new standards will enable forces to exclude those with a caution or conviction for violence against women and girls offences from policing.
Stronger requirements on forces to suspend officers who are under investigation for these crimes will also be introduced.
Police officers will be required to hold and renew a licence throughout their career so they learn new skills as criminal techniques evolve.
The Licence to Practise will ensure officers are best equipped with problem solving and technological skills they need to catch more criminals.
Drawn from other professions such as lawyers and doctors, officers will have to demonstrate that they have the skills needed to fight crime. Those who fail to reach the required standard, following opportunities to try again, will be removed from the profession.
Neighbourhood policing
Under new reforms, response officers will be expected to reach the scene of the most serious incidents within 15 minutes in cities and 20 minutes in rural areas, and forces will be expected to answer 999 phone calls within 10 seconds.
These new targets will ensure that all forces provide the same level of police response to crimes.
Currently, data on response times is collected differently across forces, and police are not held accountable if targets are not met. Reforming the system will create more transparency and consistency across the country.
Where forces fail to deliver, the Home Secretary will send in experts from the best performing forces to improve their performance, including when unmet response‑time targets are part of broader systemic failing.
To fight everyday crime, the government will ramp up its pledge to restore visible neighbourhood policing and patrols in communities through an extension of its Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.
This has already placed named, contactable officers in each neighbourhood. Under the extension, every council ward in England and Wales will have its own named, contactable officers, creating more local points of contact and giving officers a deeper understanding of the issues in their area.
Police forces will also recruit the brightest and best from universities in a new recruitment drive to cut crime and catch more criminals.
Modelled on Teach First, the government is investing up to £7 million to attract top students from universities into specially trained graduate neighbourhood police officer roles in England and Wales.
Retailers across the country will see a major crackdown on organised crime gangs thanks to £7 million in new government investment aimed at dismantling criminal networks from the ground up.
This funding will supercharge intelligence-led policing to identify offenders, disrupt the tactics used to target shops, and bring more criminals to justice.
Technology
The government is making the largest investment into state-of-the-art police technology in history, with over £140 million to be invested to roll out technologies to catch more criminals and keep our communities safe
The number of live facial recognition vans will increase five-fold, with 50 vans available to every police force in England and Wales to catch violent and sexual offenders.
The government will also roll out new artificial intelligence (AI) tools which will help forces identify suspects from CCTV, doorbell and mobile phone footage that has been submitted as evidence by the public.
A new national centre on AI – Police.AI – will be set up to roll out AI to all forces to free officers from paperwork, delivering up to 6 million hours back to the frontline every year – the equivalent of 3,000 police officers. This means more police on the streets fighting crime and catching criminals.
More tech specialists will work in police forces to outsmart modern criminals and put more fraudsters and organised crime bosses behind bars.
The move will enable police forces to uncover more vital hidden evidence on phones and laptops to secure more convictions of professional criminals and keep people safer from crimes such as child sexual abuse.
Public order
A new senior policing role will be introduced to lead the police’s nationwide response to public disorder, and galvanise and co-ordinate responses to major incidents.
The senior national co-ordinator role for public order policing will sit within the new National Police Service. They will not be responsible for local public order responses, which remain within the remit of chief constables, and instead sit at a higher strategic level of oversight, with responsibility for decision-making over the most significant national public disorder, such as the widespread disorder seen in the summer of 2024 and the riots that started in London in 2011.
While local policing responses will stay the responsibility of chief constables, the new role will provide national oversight and decision-making on mobilisation and resourcing, with enhanced powers to:
direct resources under mutual aid arrangements and require forces to contribute during major disorder
ensure mandatory data sharing between forces
set a national strategy for public order policing
monitor and implement relevant recommendations from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
Officer wellbeing
The government will expand the roll out of the dedicated Mental Health Crisis Line so all officers and staff can access mental health support, and have committed to its funding long term.
Officers and staff in front-facing and high-risk roles will also be offered psychological risk screenings each year so officers suffering can be signposted to the best support when they need it most.
Trauma tracker software will be made available to every force and ensure senior leaders can identify and support staff at the highest risk and intervene at an earlier stage.
Mandatory training around resilience and mental health for new recruits and supervisors will be introduced and treated as protected learning time.
Special constables
Experts in cybersecurity and technology are being encouraged to join the Special Constabulary, as police forces across England and Wales ramp up their efforts to tackle modern crime.
Since 2012, the number of special constables in England and Wales has fallen year-on-year to just 5,534 as of March 2025. This is down 73% from 20,343 in 2012.
To reverse this decline, the Home Office will work with policing to streamline the recruitment process for Specials, making it easier for people to volunteer, while maintaining consistent high standards of vetting and training. Steps will also be taken to ensure existing Specials are incentivised to remain in the role, by better integrating them into the wider police force.
Job seekers are being warned of fake delivery driver work being listed over the festive period, enabling insurance details to be stolen by fraudsters.
Stolen identities are highly valuable to fraudsters, who use them to carry out harmful scams such as Crash for Cash and Ghost Broking. Cases of identity theft reported to the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) have risen annually, with a sharp 42% increase in the past year alone[1]. Amid this trend, several insurers have told the IFB they’re finding more people are having their personal information stolen through fake delivery driver roles for insurance scams.
With Christmas and the January sales bringing a rise in courier vacancies, job hunters are being urged to be extra vigilant and report any evidence of insurance fraud to the IFB’s CheatLine.
Nicola Smith, Intelligence and Investigations Manager at the IFB, said: “We’re concerned that more people are being caught out by fake delivery driver jobs and having their insurance details stolen for organised fraud.
“With more of these roles appearing in the run-up to Christmas and January sales, it’s crucial for those looking for delivery work to be aware and stay vigilant.
“Victims are misled into believing they’ve secured a job and are encouraged to hand over copies of their insurance certificate, driving licence and other sensitive documents. The consequences are serious – fraudsters may take out multiple insurance policies in victims’ names, third parties can pursue them for costs, and their credit scores can be badly damaged.
“Young people may also be more vulnerable to this scam, as fraudsters exploit their need for work and they may be less aware of how important it is to protect their personal information.
“We want everyone to recognise the value of their personal information and protect it at all costs. We’re working closely with the industry and law enforcement to tackle this issue. If you believe your details have been stolen for an insurance scam, report it to our confidential CheatLine.”
Mike Haley, CEO of Cifas, added: “The rise in fake job adverts targeting delivery drivers is part of a broader trend of identity fraud that continues to dominate the fraud landscape.
“In the first half of 2025 alone, Cifas members reported a record 217,000 fraud risk cases, with identity fraud making up 118,000 (55%) of all filings.
“These figures underline how quickly criminals adapt to exploit seasonal opportunities. Our advice: apply only through official job sites, seek a second opinion on offers, and never share sensitive details under pressure.”
How does the scam work?
Insights show that fraudsters advertise courier roles on social media and classified ad websites. Applicants are told their application has been successful and are then asked for personal details – including their name, address, date of birth, car insurance information and a copy of their driving licence – supposedly to set them up as delivery drivers.
Fraudsters may use this data to take out policies in the applicant’s name and resell them as doctored policies, by posing as fake insurance brokers in a fraud known as Ghost Broking. This is a scam that tricks people who struggle to afford cover into buying fake car insurance online.
The fraudsters may also hijack genuine insurance policies to stage fraudulent claims in a scam known as Crash for Cash, which involves causing deliberate collisions for compensation. A type of this activity known as moped scams – which has been rising across London and Home Counties – is often driven by identity theft.
In such cases, the fraudster will use details stolen from the job seeker to fraudulently admit liability in their name, while the fraudster or an accomplice of theirs acts as the injured party. Doctored images and documents are then used to support the claim, often exaggerating damage, injuries and costs to inflate the payout.
The warning comes as the IFB recently announced cases of ID theft linked to organised insurance fraud have risen year on year, with levels in the past year now over seven times higher when compared with 2021. To help tackle the issue, the UK’s top policy fraud hotspots were revealed following an analysis of 2.4 million insurance policies, to highlight areas where people appear to be at greatest risk.
The rise also follows a recent announcement by Cifas, a not-for-profit organisation which protects public, private and voluntary sectors from fraud, reporting a 25% increase in insurance fraud linked to identity theft and false applications.
How can I protect myself?
People who are looking for delivery driver roles are encouraged to be vigilant, apply to reputable companies and ideally through their website to help ensure personal information is kept secure.
Simple measures can also protect personal information:
Create strong, unique passwords for personal accounts.
Avoid sharing personal details on social media.
Shop only on legitimate retailers’ websites and never give bank details to unknown parties.
Keep devices secure by installing software and app updates promptly and enable two-factor authentication where possible.
Watch out for phishing and vishing attempts – never click on suspicious links, open unexpected files, or reveal personal details to unsolicited calls or text messages.
Report insurance fraud
The IFB is a not-for-profit organisation which leads the insurance industry’s collective fight against insurance fraud. Evidence of an insurance scam can be reported to the IFB’s confidential CheatLine online or via its phoneline (powered by CrimeStoppers) on 0800 422 0421.
Advice is available for anyone who believes their identity has been stolen in an insurance scam.
Hourglass Charity Warns of 2.6 Million Victim-Survivors with numbers set to increase, as National Summit Convenes
The UK’s older people are losing more money to abuse than was stolen in the largest ever cash heist, with projections showing over 1.5 million people could become victim-survivors annually by 2030, the charity Hourglass revealed today.
The Tonbridge Securitas depot robbery of 2006 – which saw armed criminals steal £53 million – has long stood as the UK’s most audacious cash theft. Yet new analysis from Hourglass, the only UK-wide charity dedicated exclusively to ending the abuse of older people, reveals that fraudsters and abusers have stolen that amount from older victims across the UK.
The sobering figures emerge as ministers, safeguarding experts and frontline practitioners prepare to convene virtually for the Safer Ageing Summit 2025 on 12th November, where they will confront what Hourglass describes as “the most under-recognised safeguarding crisis of our time.”
According to Hourglass projections, by 2030, almost 4 million older people across the UK could experience abuse annually – encompassing physical, psychological, sexual, and economic exploitation and neglect. The charity warns that whilst these crimes rival organised heists in scale, they receive only a fraction of the attention, resources, or political priority.
“The reality is stark: abuse of older people is rising, but recognition, resourcing and political attention are still lagging behind,” said Richard Robinson, CEO of Hourglass. “We can’t keep treating older people as an afterthought in safeguarding policy.
“By 2030, almost 4 million older people could be victim-survivors every single year. That should be a national wake-up call.”
Expert panels will tackle critical issues including: Economic abuse and urgent legal reforms to powers of attorney; the intersection of housing, health, and systemic ageism; the sexual abuse of older people – what experts call “one of the last taboos in safeguarding”.
The summit will feature powerful testimony from Laura Johnston-Brand and Karen Lee, founders of the Willie’s Law campaign through their own lived experience, who are championing urgent reforms to prevent the financial exploitation of vulnerable older people through misused powers of attorney.
Hourglass is demanding immediate government action including: Stronger legal protections against economic abuse of older people; mandatory age-disaggregated data collection across all safeguarding services and a coordinated UK-wide strategy to end abuse in later life.
Richard Robinson added: “We hope our Summit will not only remind people of these sobering statistics but drive urgent action to put the abuse of older people at the top of the political agenda where it belongs.”
The Eric Liddell community day care service in Edinburgh recently held a scam awareness session for their clients living with dementia and their care partners.
They decided to organise this session due to some clients being duped by fraudsters going door-to-door and online. The session was organised by day care manager, Caroline Heenan and was run by PC Stuart Fraser from the Community Policing Team at St Leonards Police Station.
Peta Randall, day care officer, said: “It was very interesting and makes you think how prepared fraudsters are”.
Carmel Riley, admin assistant, added: “I feel more equipped to deal with the nuisance calls I get.”
Christine, 82, said: “My husband gave money to a gardener but he made a mess and never came back.”
Beverley, 73, added: “I was scammed online, but I now understand how it can happen”.
Caroline, day care manager, said: “For others who are thinking about holding a session, I’d say go for it!
“Police Scotland are more than happy to facilitate these sessions.”
Motorists across the UK are being urged to stay vigilant as “crash-for-cash” scams continue to rise – with fraudsters deliberately causing rear-end collisions to cash in on bogus insurance claims.
According to the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB), over 170,000 claims linked to suspected crash-for-cash incidents have been made in recent years – costing the UK industry hundreds of millions and pushing up premiums for honest drivers.
Legal expert Adam Jones from HD Claims warns that these staged accidents are often designed to make innocent drivers look responsible, particularly by slamming on brakes in congested traffic or at roundabouts.
“Many of these scams are carefully choreographed to leave you thinking you were at fault,” says Jones. “You may feel you were too close or distracted, but in reality, the collision was intentional. It’s financial exploitation – and in some cases, extremely dangerous.”
Telltale signs you’re being set up for a rear-end scam:
The other car’s brake lights are faulty or deliberately disabled
The driver is erratic, braking sharply or hesitating at junctions
The car is full of passengers – who all later claim whiplash
The other driver tries to talk you out of calling the police
They provide pre-written insurance details or urge you to use their “preferred” repair garage.
Other roadside scams to watch out for in 2025:
False damage claims: Fraudsters may claim you scraped their car in a car park, showing fake dents or photos from a previous incident.
Staged pedestrian accidents: A person may jump in front of your slow-moving car to fake injury.
Vehicle obstruction thefts: Drivers are blocked in by a second car while someone tries to steal valuables from the passenger side.
Fake breakdown helpers: In remote areas, con artists may offer help then demand cash or card payment on the spot.
What to do if you suspect a scam:
Stay calm and don’t admit fault at the scene
Photograph everything – car positions, damage, number plates, road signs, passengers
Call the police if anything feels suspicious
Never accept cash offers or sign anything without checking it first
Report it to your insurer and the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) Cheatline
“Crash-for-cash fraud doesn’t just cost drivers money – it can cause injury, anxiety, and serious legal consequences,” Adam Jones adds.
“If something feels off, document everything and get legal advice immediately.”
Gig-goers have been urged to be wary of scams when purchasing last-minute tickets on social media after £1.6 million was lost to ticket fraud in 2024
On the eve of Glastonbury, British music lovers are being urged to take caution over last-minute tickets for sale on social media, after new figures revealed that the amount lost to ticket fraud more than doubled to £1.6m in 2024.
The government has issued the warning as part of its wider crackdown on scammers and online fraud, designed to ensure money is kept in working people’s pockets, as part of the Plan for Change.
With a host of tours and festivals due to take place this summer, including the Oasis reunion tour kicking off in July, new Action Fraud data released by the Home Office today finds the public lost more than £1.6 million in scams related to concert tickets in 2024 – more than double the figure from the previous year.
Around 3,700 gig ticket fraud reports were made to Action Fraud in 2024, with almost half of them referring to offers made on social media platforms. The government has called on tech companies to go further and faster to protect the public from the fraudulent offers being advertised on their platforms.
The data shows that people in their twenties were most likely to become victims of ticket fraud last year, accounting for 27% of all victims, and the government has urged people to follow the government’s Stop! Think Fraud campaign advice to ensure they are protected from scams ahead of a busy summer of gigs and festivals:
If you’re offered tickets for something in high demand don’t let the fear of missing out rush your decision. Take a moment to stop, think, and check if the offer is genuine.
Only buy tickets from the venue’s box office or an official ticketing website.
Never move away from an official payment platform to make a direct payment via bank transfer or virtual currency. Use the site’s recommended payment methods to stay protected.
With fraud the most commonly experienced crime in the UK, affecting 1 in 15 adults each year, the government is taking further steps to crack down on the scammers behind the surge in fraud over the last decade, including through a new ban on SIM farms, technical devices which facilitate fraud on an industrial scale.
The UK is also driving the response to fraud internationally through the adoption of the first ever UN resolution on fraud and has launched the first ever Insurance Fraud Charter to reduce fraud against the sector and consumers. The government will go further by publishing a new, expanded fraud strategy before the end of the year, which will place raising public awareness and working with tech companies at its heart.
This follows government plans to tackle greedy ticket touts through new measures announced earlier this year which will put a cap on the price of resold tickets for concerts, live sport and other events, to put the power back in the hands of fans.
Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said: “Fraud is an absolutely shameful crime and today’s data shows that anyone can be a victim.
“While millions of Britons are getting ready to attend concerts this summer, the scammers are getting ready to exploit the desperate search for tickets, posting fake messages on social media sites offering to resell tickets they can’t use, or making last-minute offers from fake ticket companies.
“That is why our campaign is called Stop! Think Fraud, so no matter how real a deal looks, we all need to take a moment to think: am I being ripped off? So, let’s all stay cautious, stay alert, and stay protected from fraud. Don’t let the scammers ruin your summer.”
Tor Garnett, City of London Police Commander for Cyber and Economic Crime, said: People go to gigs for that ‘once in a lifetime’ experience – especially at sold out concerts and festivals, where the atmosphere is unmatched.
“But the excitement can vanish in an instant when fans discover their tickets are fake or they’ve been scammed through social media or resale sites. The loss isn’t just financial – it’s deeply emotional, turning anticipation into heartbreak.
“Criminals are targeting those looking to snap up last minute or resale tickets for sold out and highly in-demand concerts this year, and Action Fraud reporting data highlights this increasing issue. That’s why we encourage everyone to stay alert and recognise the tactics fraudsters use to commit ticket fraud this summer.
“Key signs of ticket fraud include unsolicited messages with ticket offers and deals, or requests for payment via bank transfer. When buying tickets, use a reputable or official ticket-selling site. Always take a moment to double check offers for tickets and pay using a credit card. Follow the advice from Stop! Think Fraud site on how to protect yourself from fraud.”
National Coordinator for the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, Mike Andrews, said: “Every summer music fans desperate to see their favourite artists at festivals or stadium tours are left distraught and considerably out of pocket at the turnstiles as they discover the tickets they bought in good faith are in fact part of a fraudulent scam.
“Recent National Trading Standards prosecutions have led to serious jail time for ticket touts, which should send a message to all those who choose to engage in fraud that there are severe consequences.
“Fans should avoid buying from unofficial ticket sellers, but we know fans desperate for tickets will try to source them via any means possible. For fans who do risk using secondary sites, always use a credit card and never pay by money transfer or buy tickets on social media channels.”
Founder of face-value ticket resale platform Twickets, Richard Davies, said: “We’ve seen firsthand how fraudsters attempt to exploit high-demand tours. In recent weeks alone, we’ve had to warn fans about multiple fake Twickets accounts and websites set up to trick Oasis fans into handing over money for non-existent tickets.
“Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often mimicking trusted resale platforms like ours or creating convincing social media profiles. It’s vital that fans stop and think before making a purchase. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Always check that the platform is an official resale partner, never buy tickets from unofficial sellers on social media or marketplaces and avoid anyone asking for payment via personal bank transfer.
“Twickets was created to give fans a safer, fairer way to buy and sell tickets at face value, and we’ve already helped thousands of Oasis fans do just that ahead of the band’s upcoming tour. We’re committed to protecting fans and will continue to work hard to ensure ticketing remains transparent, trustworthy and scam-free.”
Motorists are being warned of the rise in car cloning crimes, amid a worrying increase in vehicle identity theft.
Car insurance comparison experts from Quotezone.co.uk have urged drivers to stay alert, avoid posting images of their car online and park in garages when possible to minimise the risk of car cloning.
This comes after an investigation revealed a 64% surge in car cloning in London alone.
The crime is a form of fraud and involves stealing or copying another person’s car registration plates, allowing criminals to run up fines for speeding, driving through low emission zones or to hide the identity of stolen or salvaged vehicles.
Number plates can be physically stolen or purchased through fraudulent suppliers.
Those who have fallen victim to car cloning will start to receive fines for crimes they have not committed, and proving innocence can be difficult, so it’s important to understand ways to prevent cloning.
The car insurance experts also say people can fall victim to car cloning through buying a used cloned vehicle, which can lead to significant legal and financial problems which could see motorists losing the car and the money they paid for it.
Motorists are not able to completely prevent car cloning, but there are some things which can help minimise the risk, including parking in a garage whenever possible, or using a car cover so your number plate is not easily visible.
The experts are advising motorists to be careful with what they post online, as images including number plates can make your vehicle more susceptible to criminals.
Those buying used cars must also be careful and make sure to check all car details beforehand. Make sure all VINs on the vehicle match each other and those in the logbook.
Anyone concerned they may be buying a cloned car should run the registration number, make and model of the car through the DVLAs vehicle enquiry service.
Greg Wilson, CEO and car insurance expert at Quotezone said: “The sharp rise in car cloning across London is very worrying and highlights a need for more awareness around the crime, as all drivers are susceptible to this growing type of fraud.
“Car cloning is not just a minor inconvenience – it can have serious legal and financial consequences for victims, who often find themselves receiving fines or penalty points for offences they had no part in.
“In some cases, people have unknowingly bought cloned vehicles and lost both the car and the money they paid for it. An increase in penalty points can also increase insurance premiums from 5-25%, depending on the number of points accrued.
“Unfortunately, there is no way to completely prevent car cloning, but there are ways motorists can minimise the risk. It’s also not sensible to share pictures of your vehicle online where the number plate is clearly visible – social media can be a goldmine for those looking to illegally copy registration details.
“While insurance companies can’t prevent car cloning, some may offer advice and assistance with legal expenses – which may help if you’ve unknowingly purchased a cloned vehicle, just be sure to check the policy details to see what’s included.
“If you suspect your vehicle has been cloned it’s important to report it to the police, DVLA and your insurer immediately and consider getting a new registration number.”
Stop: Take a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information. It could keep you safe.
Challenge: Ask yourself, could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
Protect: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve been scammed and report it to us.
Type don’t tap!
