The UK’s leading agency for the verification of vehicles, HPI, has conducted a survey that reveals online car buyers are vulnerable to criminal scams. Analysis of the car buying market predicts that 20% of car sales will be made online by 2015, but HPI’s survey reveals that 42% of car buyers believe that they are at no more at risk buying online as they are buying face to face. SBD agree with HPI’s concerns that this is not the case, and that buying a vehicle online without visually inspecting it can lead to unwittingly purchasing a stolen vehicle.
HPI can conduct history checks based on vehicle identities, but an ID provided by an online seller is not necessarily the ID of the vehicle that will be purchased. Inspecting a vehicle should be a vital part of the buying process, because unless the buyer has seen the identifying marks themselves, then a check that the ID doesn’t match a stolen vehicle is worthless.
SBD are also concerned that the reassurance given by identity checks can be easily manipulated. Most vehicle inspections concentrate on the car condition, sometimes mileage, and lastly identity. A basic check of the vehicle registration number and the visible VIN is easily beaten by a thief who has cloned the identity marks from another vehicle with a clear history. This basic check is often all that a potential purchaser will do, and it is insufficient to confirm that a car is not stolen, or indeed does not have some other hidden identity problem such as having been rebuilt after a crash, or have outstanding finance owing.
Many vehicle manufacturers offer additional identity check possibilities, which can reveal the real vehicle ID. Techniques used vary from additional labels with the VIN number printed on them, glass etching using a unique serial number, to electronic storage of VIN or other data within on-board systems. These markings are mainly for use by police or insurance investigators, and include some covert techniques that are not revealed to the general public. The diversity of techniques is also a challenge for professional investigators who need to know the techniques used across the range of brands and models, especially in countries where there is no standardisation the methods approved for use.
SBD offer a further point of caution to make sure that the identifying mark being checked has not been added recently, as it may have been created using the cloned ID as a way of fooling a buyer that they have followed a sound investigation process and are sure that the ID is correct.
The challenge for a vehicle manufacturer therefore is to fit the right level of identification with high tamper resistance to give maximum traceability for police or public, but in a cost effective manner. Fitting ID which is not checked, does not benefit the public or the professionals, and will not act as a deterrent to theft of the vehicle.
Do you want to fully understand the value of additional ID markings, and learn which countries require specific marking types by law, or as a condition of insurance? SBD’s report SBD/SEC/2313 A Global Strategy for Vehicle Identification explains each technique and offers a clear comparison of Added Cost, Tamper Resistance, and Usefulness for an investigator. Get this exciting report by contacting Alessio at ABallatore@sbd.co.uk.