Vehicle information provider HPI has warned that personalised number plates could be being used in order to hide a cars illegitimate past.
An analysis of HPI checks from 2014 revealed that one in five cars checked had undergone a plate transfer. However this proportion was substantially higher for performance cars and hot hatch backs, or which 56% had received a new plate. Roadsters and cabriolets were also likely to have had a plate change, at 42%, along with coupes, at 41%.
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While many of these plate changes may have been made innocently, HPI warned that some may have been conducted to hide a vehicles true history.
Neil Hodson, managing director for HPI, said: ""Whilst they can be a great gift or purchase to stand out from the crowd, it is really important that used car buyers recognise that personalised plates can be hiding more than they may think.
"For example, the vehicle may be a stolen car, which has had a legitimate number plate applied to conceal its stolen status. This is commonly known as car cloning. Buyers can find themselves out of pocket if they have mistakenly purchased a stolen car, as the police can remove the vehicle from their possession, resulting in them losing both the car and the cash they paid for it."
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By GlobalData
