Crusader: Driver facing huge loss in number plate | European Markets

The scourge of fraudsters cloning car quantity plates took a fiendish new flip when an harmless driver discovered himself going through punishing financial losses and a legal nightmare.

These got here to gentle when he found his reliable vehicle had been recorded as belonging to another person and was now more likely to be unrepairable and “written off” following an accident.

Crooks use cloning to evade highway expenses and restrictions. On this case, amid the turmoil of falsehoods and complexities, each the id and clean driving document of motorist Stephen Grey risked ending up in tatters.

When you’ve been affected by this concern or really feel you have been a sufferer of injustice, please contact shopper champion Maisha Frost on [email protected].

The damaging fraud emerged by probability when Stephen tried to promote his Volkswagen Passat. This occurred after the driving force of the cloned quantity plate vehicle had been concerned in a crash and had determined to make a declare in opposition to the opposite car insured by Hastings Direct.

It recorded the vehicle as unrepairable and a settlement made with the cheat who saved the wrecked car.

Stephen solely discovered his car didn’t exist in some official quarters – so nugatory – when weeks later he tried to promote it. He had obtained a number of valuations earlier than being advised by the vendor it had a CAT S (write off) marker in opposition to it.

As this had been utilized by Hastings Direct solely it may take away it.  The loopy circumstances made it extremely dangerous for Stephen to drive his motor regardless of it having been registered with the DVLA and lined by insurance coverage.

“My car was nowhere near the place where the accident happened and I can prove that. But from being worth £7,500, its value is now zero,” a determined Stephen revealed to Crusader.

Misplaced in mire of intermediaries, claims handling and officialdom, Stephen and his dad Tom who was serving to him defined how they have been “still in no man’s land despite spending hours with insurers, the DVLA and the police”.

Apart from whom ought to have checked what, Hastings Direct was requested if it may free Stephen from the bureaucratic stranglehold and depreciation spiral so he might be completely legit again. It responded and the CAT S was eliminated.

It was additionally confirmed that the difficulty had not affected Stephen’s own no-claim bonus which had been one other concern.

However whereas slips occur and the actions of fraudsters exert big pressures for which all of us pay the price, Stephen had additionally undoubtedly misplaced out materially.

Hastings Direct re-examined the matter, coming to a a lot fairer conclusion. Stephen has now accepted a goodwill gesture of £750 for the misery and inconvenience plus £109 for the car’s worth loss.

A Hastings spokesperson stated: “: “Fraud takes many forms and can sometimes be difficult to spot but ultimately it deceives innocent people and companies. As road users, we should all work together to be vigilant and report any unusual or suspicious activity to help combat fraud. 

“As a company, we continue to make significant investments in counter fraud data, technology, and people capabilities to protect honest customers from criminal activity which, in turn, saves our customers money.”

“I realise what happened to me is a rare occurrence, but I felt at first I would never escape the nightmare,” added Stephen. “Crusader was vital in getting my problem understood and my getting a just hearing.”

 [names have been changed]

House owners beware:  one of the methods car cloning crooks operate is to look out for automobiles left stationary on drives for long intervals. That was the case for Stephen’s car and he’s now contemplating masking up the quantity plate when not in use.