DVLA warns motorists – check V5C registration certificate before buying a used vehicle

Release Date: 17/07/2008

Yet AGAIN the DVLA is warning motorists to check the V5C registration certificate when buying a used vehicle.

Motorists are advised not to purchase the vehicle, and instead report the matter to the police, if the serial number of a V5C registration certificate falls within the following ranges:

BG 8229501 to BG 9999030

BI 2305501 to BI 2800000

Motorists are also reminded not to proceed with any purchase if a V5C has no serial number, or looks to have been altered or tampered with, or the vehicle is accompanied by only a part of the V5C registration certificate.

If a member of the public wishes to check if a serial number of a registration certificate is within the series prior to the purchase of a vehicle, they can call DVLA on 0870 241 1878.

• More about the problem can be obtained by reading the Sunday telegraph article (3rd August 2008) by clicking here

Notes to editors:

DVLA gives a unique serial number to all registration certificates issued. Due to a technical issue in the printing process, the above serial numbers have not, and will not be issued. This series includes some serial numbers, which have been notified previously.

Prospective buyers are urged to check the serial number that appears at the top right hand corner of the registration certificate before buying a used vehicle. Further advice on buying and selling vehicles is available on the DVLA website at direct.gov.uk/motoring.

BikeCrime comment: Why should we beware these numbers? Are the documents simply missing or are they, like tens of thousands before, stolen and in the hands of criminals who will use them to sell on stolen vehicles?

The above serial number range represents the following numbers:

BG 8229501 to BG 9999030 - 1,769,529

BI 2305501 to BI 2800000 - 494,499

Car-Crime comment: Over 2 million documents! Is it still the case with regard to the registration document that the car’s not legit’ without it?

DVLA warns motorists – check registration certificate (V5C) before buying a used vehicle

Release Date: 07/03/2008

DVLA is warning motorists to be on the lookout for stolen V5C vehicle registration certificates when buying a used vehicle.

07/03/2008: Customers are advised not to purchase the vehicle but report the matter to the police if the serial number of the registration document falls within the following ranges:

BG9167501 to BG9190500
BG9190501 to BG9214000
(Previously publicised by DVLA in February and August 2007, respectively)
BG8407501 – BG8431000
BG9282001 – BG9305000
Very recently found to have been compromised)

the above is a total of 92996 serial numbers / documents.

If a serial number is not present, looks to have been altered or tampered with, or the vehicle is accompanied by only a part of the registration document, customers are advised not to proceed.

The stolen documents are being used by criminals to accompany stolen vehicles that have had their identity changed to match that of a legitimate vehicle. This practice is known as cloning. The cloned vehicles are being sold to unsuspecting members of the public who can suffer significant losses when the vehicles are found to be stolen. This activity is outside of DVLA's control and the Agency becomes aware of these incidents only after the event, when the innocent victims of this crime submit the stolen documents.

DVLA is working closely with the police service to help protect the public and is offering every possible assistance in preventing the abuse by criminals of the vehicle registration system.

The stolen certificates have a different background colour on the Notification of Permanent Export (V5C/4) tear off slip on the second page, which looks mauve on the front and pink on the reverse. On legitimate documents they should be mauve on both sides.

Prospective purchasers are urged to check the serial number that appears at the top right hand corner of the registration certificate before purchasing a used vehicle.

If a member of the public wishes to check the validity of a registration certificate prior to the purchase of a vehicle, they can call the DVLA hotline on 0870 241 1878.

March 2007  - Stolen vehicle documents warning issued

• Beware documents that start with the letters BG, followed by a number from 9167501 to 9190500. This a total of 22,999 documents - each of which can accompany a stolen vehicle.

At the start of 2008 we understand that 50% of the inquiries undertaken by a stolen vehicle squad relate to stolen vehicles sold with a false identity, accompanied by one of the batch of stolen V5’s.

1st March, 2007:Norfolk Constabulary has issued a warning to raise awareness of a batch of stolen vehicle registration certificates which are known to be in circulation across the UK.
  
 The police warning follows an alert recently issued by the DVLA.  Members of the public who may be buying a used car should be on the look-out for these stolen registration certificates and are urged to check the serial number that appears at the top right hand corner of the registration certificate.  If the certificate bears the prefix BG and falls within the range BG 9167501 to BG 9190500, the DVLA advice is not to purchase the vehicle. 
  
 Indications are that there are at least several hundred of these stolen documents in circulation and they may well appear in Norfolk.  These documents tend to accompany stolen vehicles that have had their identity changed to match that of a legitimate vehicle, a practice known as cloning. The cloned vehicles are sold on to unsuspecting members of the public who suffer significant losses when these vehicles are then confiscated by the police.
  
 In addition to the serial number these certificates have a different background colour on the Notification of Permanent Export (V5C/4) tear off slip on the second page, which looks mauve on the front and pink on the reverse. On legitimate documents they should be mauve on both sides.
  
 DC Chris Woodcock said: "I would advise motorists to particularly check the background colour of the certificate as this really will give away whether the document is authentic or not. We have seen cases in the past where the serial number in the top right hand corner has been removed to try and disguise the fact that the document is fraudulent.  These documents will characteristically accompany stolen cloned vehicles that will be up for sale, and therefore the old adage that 'if it seems too good to be true, it probably is' should always be applied, and people should simply walk away from such transactions. I would also take this opportunity to remind motorists that the vast majority of these stolen cloned vehicles have been acquired in the first instance because keys have been left in the ignition, so I would clearly always encourage them to never leave their keys in their vehicles for even the briefest of moments." 
  
 If members of the public wish to check whether a certificate is genuine, prior to the purchase of a vehicle, they should ring the DVLA helpline on 0870 241 1878

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