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       #Post#: 91772--------------------------------------------------
       Re: PCN received but driver is adamant he was never there
   DIR By: fraser.mitchell
       Date: September 27, 2025, 3:26 pm
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       The recipient of the postal PCN need not be the driver "on the
       day". So the keeper as per the V5C can say he wasn't the driver,
       but it seems the car was, (or a car with his registration). So
       once it has been determined that the keeper getting ready for
       his holidays had the car within his sight and the keys to drive
       it were in his possession, then it could be a cloning of the
       numberplate. If this is the car, the cloning is a criminal
       offence and a crime has been committed, so the owner needs to
       contact the police. But do this only when all other avenues have
       been investigated and turned up nothing.
       Of course, your friend may be under the impression that as he
       wasn't the driver they can do nothing, but this is not so. The
       legislation and regulations that go back to 1991, place
       responsibility for decriminalised motoring offences onto the
       owner of the vehicle, and this is assumed the keeper on the V5.
       #Post#: 92432--------------------------------------------------
       Re: PCN received but driver is adamant he was never there
   DIR By: robbieuk
       Date: October 1, 2025, 3:18 pm
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       I took a picture of the car number plate. It looks similar
       writing but the screws are in different position than the ones
       in the picture? Or is it just me imagining things?
  HTML https://ibb.co/Q36wZ9PL
       
       imgur does not work in UK  since 30th September :(
       #Post#: 92433--------------------------------------------------
       Re: PCN received but driver is adamant he was never there
   DIR By: RichardW
       Date: October 1, 2025, 3:24 pm
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       The one from the PCN clearly has screws at the end of the plate
       whereas your pic doesn't - looks like a clone. Need to report it
       (although someone else here had trouble getting a crime number
       out of them). Expect more PCNs....
       #Post#: 92451--------------------------------------------------
       Re: PCN received but driver is adamant he was never there
   DIR By: fraser.mitchell
       Date: October 1, 2025, 6:19 pm
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       --- Quote from: RichardW link ---
       >
       > The one from the PCN clearly has screws at the end of the
       plate whereas your pic doesn't - looks like a clone. Need to
       report it (although someone else here had trouble getting a
       crime number out of them). Expect more PCNs....
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       +1
       Definitely a clone, as the council photo of the numberplate
       clearly shows the two mounting screws at the end of the
       numberplate whereas your friend's car has the mounting screws
       much further in.
       #Post#: 92463--------------------------------------------------
       Re: PCN received but driver is adamant he was never there
   DIR By: Enceladus
       Date: October 2, 2025, 12:03 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: RichardW link ---
       >
       > The one from the PCN clearly has screws at the end of the
       plate whereas your pic doesn't - looks like a clone. Need to
       report it (although someone else here had trouble getting a
       crime number out of them). Expect more PCNs....
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       You need to report the cloning to the Police and get a crime
       reference number. If the Police give you the run-around then try
  HTML https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
       . That's what a another
       recent poster had to do
  HTML https://www.ftla.uk/civil-penalty-charge-notices-(councils-tfl-and-so-on)/car-reg-got-cloned-met-won-t-issue-crime-reference-number-lambeth-council-won-t-/msg89696/#msg89696.
       You also need to inform the DVLA, try phoning 0300-790 6802 as
       I'm not sure you can report online, who will put a marker on the
       VRM. The DVLA will want the crime reference number. Then prepare
       to be stopped by the Police yourself as their ANPR will flag up
       your car as a possible clone.
       The fraudsters will likely look for another VRM to clone after a
       couple of weeks, to avoid being stopped by the Police.
       The differing screw positions suggest that the clone is not the
       exact same model as yours. Take some close-up reference photos
       of your car. All sides of the car.
       #Post#: 92467--------------------------------------------------
       Re: PCN received but driver is adamant he was never there
   DIR By: robbieuk
       Date: October 2, 2025, 1:40 am
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       Thank you very much, I will ask the friend to get the ball
       rolling. Will ask him to get the police crime reference number,
       also contact DVLA, I assume as it is the hire purchase car, the
       finance company needs to be informed too? As the hire companny
       is the vehicle owner would they not need to contact dvla?
       Also, once they get the crime reference, contact the council
       with the numberplate pictures (also small writing underneath
       registration), but I have feeling the council will not be very
       supportive and this may go all the way to adjudicators?
       #Post#: 92480--------------------------------------------------
       Re: PCN received but driver is adamant he was never there
   DIR By: H C Andersen
       Date: October 2, 2025, 4:10 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       As the hire companny is the vehicle owner would they not need to
       contact dvla?
       The finance company are not the vehicle owner (as in title)
       because they did not purchase the car from A N Other on 8
       August(my previous post refers). Neither are they a 'hire
       company'. But don't let your friend get distracted by this.
       Notify them anyway, what's to lose?
       Also, once they get the crime reference, contact the council
       with the numberplate pictures (also small writing underneath
       registration), but I have feeling the council will not be very
       supportive and this may go all the way to adjudicators?
       There's every likelihood. In his 2023-2024 Annual Report the
       Chief Adjudicator wrote that in the absence of clear guidance
       from government adjudicators were likely to continue to have to
       deal with appeals on this point(see page 16:
  HTML https://www.londontribunals.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Annual%20report%20202324.pdf)
       Pl reinstate all imgur links as they're no longer accessible.
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