A driver from Maidenhead has been hit with £8,500 in Ulez fines after his car number plate was cloned. The victim, identified as RJ, received 77 unpaid penalty charge notices (PCNs) from Transport for London (TfL) but insists he never drove his vehicle in the capital.
Cloned Vehicle Matches Make, Model, and Colour
The cloned car is the same make, model, and colour as the victim's vehicle, making it difficult to distinguish. RJ received 17 "order for recovery of unpaid penalty charge" notices, with bailiffs reportedly due to arrive next week. The fines stem from the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) charges incurred by the cloned vehicle.
Rise in Number Plate Cloning
According to the DVLA, car number plate cloning rose by 9% last year. Criminals steal or copy registration plates to attach to similar-looking vehicles, enabling them to evade parking tickets, speeding penalties, and clean air zone fines.
In this case, the cloning coincided with a serious bike accident that required surgeries, preventing RJ from appealing all fines in time. However, TfL cancelled the penalties as soon as he provided evidence that he did not own the offending vehicle.
TfL Advises Drivers to Act Quickly
A TfL spokesperson said: "We would encourage all drivers who believe they have received penalty charge notices (PCNs), as a result of their vehicle being cloned, to get in touch with us as soon as possible, with all the available evidence, to prevent charges escalating." Acceptable evidence includes photos or witness affidavits proving the car was elsewhere at the time of the fine, evidence of discrepancies between the legitimate and cloned vehicles, and a police crime reference number.
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