Let's examine a situation that a law-abiding driver wishing to buy a car may encounter.
There are usually several reasons prompting such a step:
- the desire to save money (it is known that cars with a "problematic" history are sold at a big discount),
- lack of information about the existence of a car twin (the seller may not know about it himself or may keep silent),
- the appearance of a second such car after the purchase has already been made.
On the internet, there are plenty of offers to sell cars "without documents" or with documents that may raise questions. Such a car can actually be bought for 30-40% of the price of a similar "clean" option. In such situations, the seller openly warns about the risks and even advises not to appear in certain regions.
But such a purchase is always playing with fire, and one should not forget that the miser pays twice. In the case of a "problematic" car, perhaps even three times, or you might even be left without a car altogether.
In any case, a deliberate purchase of a "twin" or its unexpected appearance after the purchase is a big headache for the car owner.
How twin cars appear
Such "clones" arise as a result of fraudulent schemes aimed at legalizing and selling stolen or uncleared cars.
It looks something like this: having a real lost vehicle registration certificate, fraudsters find a car of the required model and body type, and the numbers on the units are re-stamped to match those specified in the document.
Or a blank form is used, into which the data of the owner of a similar car is entered (information is taken from traffic police databases). The numbers on the "clone" are also forged.
As a result, two externally identical cars appear (same model, color, body) with the same numbers and units, but with different owners. At the same time, troubles await both the one who bought such a car and the one whose data was used.
When selling, fraudsters usually issue a power of attorney (through a familiar notary or on fake forms). Let me remind you that a power of attorney giving the right to transactions is still valid, despite changes in traffic regulations.
If the car is registered, this also does not happen without the assistance of "their own" people.
There is another scheme: the real numbers of the units are entered into a genuine vehicle registration certificate (this cannot be done without the help of traffic police officers). Then the owner of such a car will be able to drive calmly only until the first check against the database (for example, when trying to sell or during the special operation "Cobra"), because a car with such numbers simply does not exist in the database.
Simply put, many people are involved in such machinations, including officials.
What consequences this leads to
Both owners — of the "original" and the "clone" — may suddenly learn that there are two identical cars.
The owner of the real car (whose data was used) may unexpectedly start receiving summonses for fines for violations they did not commit, or court summonses regarding accidents. Problems may also arise when selling their car.
The buyer of the "twin" may discover "re-stamped" numbers during an examination, for example, when trying to sell the car or install gas equipment.
If the documents are not issued based on real data (and, accordingly, they are not in the traffic police database), then you can drive such a car only until the first check of the numbers.
After that, the car will be sent to an impound lot, and the buyer will have to prove their good faith through court, and then try to legalize the car.
If the numbers were not re-stamped and the car is not stolen, there is a chance of success, but this will require a lot of time, nerves, and money (possibly having to pay customs duties as well), which will negate all the benefits of a cheap purchase.
If the numbers are re-stamped, it will not be possible to register the car, and the only option will be to dismantle it for parts or replace the units with altered numbers. And replacing the engine or body is not a cheap pleasure.
What to do
If the owner of the "original" car suddenly discovers their "twin", they have several options.
First: change the numbers or re-register the car to a relative (in this case, the license plate, vehicle registration certificate, and registration certificate change) and continue driving, or simply sell the car to another person.
Second: contact the district police department or the traffic police department with a statement about the found "clone", describing the situation and asking for an investigation.
Third: leave everything as is and hope that the existence of the "twin" will not create problems in the future.
But the owner of the "cloned" car can only behave as inconspicuously as possible, avoid contact with the traffic police, and not try to sell the car.
Conclusion
In this situation, it is much easier to prevent it from happening than to later prove in court that you are an honest buyer. Therefore, it is worth following simple rules:
- Do not buy a car at a price significantly lower than the market price. Saving on a "problematic" car can result in loss of time, nerves, and money.
- Before buying a used car, be sure to check the unit numbers for theft.
- At the slightest doubt, order an examination of the numbered units (from 400 UAH) or refuse the deal altogether.
And take care of your vehicle registration certificate.
