Have I been cloned?

[Clickem]

Sorry this is not particularly Motorhome, more just vehicle related

Three weeks ago, when we returned from a longish trip in Europe I had a "Notice of Intention to Prosecute" from Manchester Police. A car had been photographed doing 40 in a 30 speed limit. The notice was for a person with the same initial (but different name) and same surname as me and sent to my address - not perfectly, but close enough to get delivered. Not me or my car

I contacted Manchester police and explained. They said that they took the address from the MID insurance database, where the car was insured in mid September to my address. They also said that I should report it to "Action Fraud". Action Fraud would not issue a crime number as no actual fraud had been committed

Today I received a letter from a well known insurance company demanding about £900 be paid, or the Direct Debit be re-instated, or they would cancel the insurance on the 20th of November and issue a Cancellation Fee of £45. I have spoken to them and explained. They also initially suggested Action Fraud and that I return any future post to "Sender"

I thought that the original con was to insure the car with a wrong address so that he was untraceable, but he now appears to have cancelled his DD after 2 months. I do not know what Manchester police have done - presumably they can trace him through the DVLA, using his registration number, rather than the MID database

I wonder if he also has a driving licence registered to my address.

I frequently monitor my Bank and CC accounts. Can anyone see where this might be going and if there is anything else that I can do to protect myself?

 

[pappajohn]

I do not know what Manchester police have done - presumably they can trace him through the DVLA, using his registration number, rather than the MID database

Sorry but I can't understand this bit
The car is registered and insured at your address in your name (or near enough) regardless of where the info comes from.... MID or DVLA.... So what difference is that going to make.
I would expect the police would have used the DVLA database to confirm the details anyway.

 

[Two on Tour]

Sorry this is not particularly Motorhome, more just vehicle related

So why not start the post in "The U Shaped Lounge" then

 

[Badknee]

It’s your number plate that’s been cloned not you. I don’t understand the insurance bit though.

 

[MikeD]

If the vehicle is registered at your address I would have thought the Log book would have been sent to you.

Is someone intercepting your post as well?

A friend of mine sold a motorbike and got caught like this. The home owner lived in a block of flats and someone had I assumed ordered a range of documents in the homeowners name and just made sure he got to the post box first.

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[Clickem]

Sorry but I can't understand this bit
The car is registered and insured at your address in your name (or near enough) regardless of where the info comes from.... MID or DVLA.... So what difference is that going to make.
I would expect the police would have used the DVLA database to confirm the details anyway.

Like you I would have expected the police to use the DVLA to trace a vehicle to serve a speeding notice, but they definitely said that they used the MID database, which showed my address. I do not know at what address the car is registered with the DVLA and whether they have been able to trace the chap through that

Edit
Just checked the Email from Manchester Police and they used the term "National Vehicle Insurance Database" where they got the name, address and DOB of the vehicle owner - wonder if a "lookup" is cheaper than DVLA

 

[Clickem]

It’s your number plate that’s been cloned not you. I don’t understand the insurance bit though.

Not my car or my reg number. Just my address and using a very similar name

 

[hilldweller]

Edit
Just checked the Email from Manchester Police and they used the term "National Vehicle Insurance Database" where they got the name, address and DOB of the vehicle owner - wonder if a "lookup" is cheaper than DVLA

Maybe you can get information out of "National Vehicle Insurance Database" using freedom of information act.

Here is a hint of what it is.....

 

[Hollyberry]

I found out the previous owner of my house ( sold to me 2014) was using my address for car insurance. Only realised when I mistakenly opened a letter addressed to him and it was a " reinstate your DD as your insurance is in arrears". I contacted the insurance company but I don't know how you can resolve this.
I did also have my car plate cloned almost 3 years ago but I was sent a photo by Cardiff City Council showing a car with my plate. I had to send them a photo of my car pointing out a different radio aeriel, National Trust sticker and local Torbay parking permit.

 

[Spriddler]

Today I received a letter from a well known insurance company demanding about £900 be paid, or the Direct Debit be re-instated,......

Sounds like a wayward youngster being 'clever'. I doubt that any of us (older) folk pay £900 in a whole year to insure a car.

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[hilldweller]

I had to send them a photo of my car pointing out...........

Guilty 'till you prove yourself innocent eh !

 

[Speve]

So why not start the post in "The U Shaped Lounge" then

Not all of us are totally savvy with all the different forums I had one moved only last week to u shaped lounge.
Please have a bit of patience and understanding?

 

[Deneb]

Like you I would have expected the police to use the DVLA to trace a vehicle to serve a speeding notice, but they definitely said that they used the MID database, which showed my address. I do not know at what address the car is registered with the DVLA and whether they have been able to trace the chap through that

Edit
Just checked the Email from Manchester Police and they used the term "National Vehicle Insurance Database" where they got the name, address and DOB of the vehicle owner - wonder if a "lookup" is cheaper than DVLA

They would have used the registered keeper information from PNC (DVLA) as a matter of course. But if there is currently no registered keeper for the vehicle, or the address has proven to be false, NIP returned not known at this address etc, they would then use the insurance database if the vehicle is shown as currently insured, as the next method of obtaining information relating to a person linked to the vehicle.

Quite a few vehicles running round with no or false keeper details, sometimes as pool cars used by ne'r do wells, but they invariably get insurance because of the risk of being captured by ANPR. It's one thing being stopped and having your car seized for no insurance if you're an otherwise fairly upstanding citizen, quite another if you're also up to no good and maybe the car contains equipment for use in crime or the proceeds thereof, or you know you can't produce the necessary verification to get the car back if it is seized.

They obtain insurance under false details, make a single down payment by way of instalment, and leg it. By the time the insurer has caught up with sending out letters for missing future payments etc. etc, they've had several months of the car being insured on MID and just repeat the exercise once it's dropped off the system.

 

[mitzimad]

Sounds like a wayward youngster being 'clever'. I doubt that any of us (older) folk pay £900 in a whole year to insure a car.

not that young initial insurance for a young driver is normally 2k plus now

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

I bet the baddies give a false date of birth the bu####s.

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[Spriddler]

not that young initial insurance for a young driver is normally 2k plus now

Yes, I'm aware of that, but a 'youngster' to me is anyone under 35

 

[Clickem]

Yes, I'm aware of that, but a 'youngster' to me is anyone under 35

I believe the DOB given by the insurer was 1981, so 37