Number plate cloning has emerged as one of the UK’s fastest-growing crimes, with research revealing thousands of innocent motorists are facing wrongful fines for offences they didn’t commit.
In response, Yellowhite has collected exclusive Freedom of Information data from the DVLA on the number of reported number plate cloning incidents and the number of cases investigated by the DVLA or referred to other authorities.
A shocking case study reveals the reality of these types of crimes, therefore Yellowhite has also issued critical guidance to help London drivers protect themselves from this growing threat.
Vehicle cloning reports have shown a concerning upward trend over recent years, with figures rising from 7,377 cases in 2020 to a peak of 10,461 vehicles reported in 2024 – representing a 42% increase over the four-year period. The data reveals a particularly sharp acceleration from 2022 onwards, with reports jumping from 7,837 in 2022 to 9,848 in 2023, followed by the highest annual total of 10,461 in 2024.
Even more alarmingly, the 2025 figures show that 3,501 vehicles have already been reported as cloned in just the first four months of the year, suggesting this year could surpass 2024’s record if the current trajectory continues.
While vehicle cloning reports have surged dramatically, the number of cases actually investigated tells a different story, revealing significant gaps in law enforcement response. Investigation figures peaked at 136 cases in 2024 – representing just 1.3% of the 10,461 vehicles reported as cloned that year.
The data shows considerable fluctuation in investigation rates, dropping from 112 investigations in 2020 to a low of 60 in 2021, before recovering to 101 in 2022 and 87 in 2023. Even more concerning, with 50 investigations already conducted in the first four months of 2025 against 3,501 reported cases, the investigation rate appears to be declining further, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing authorities in tackling this growing crime.
This data reveals a critical enforcement gap – while thousands of vehicles are being reported as cloned, only a tiny fraction of cases receive formal investigation. This would be valuable information to include in the press release to highlight the need for better resources and processes to combat number plate cloning.
Case Study: Alicia, Devon
“What started as a few unexpected penalty notices quickly spiralled into a nightmare that’s completely turned my life upside down. Since buying my Range Rover off Facebook in March, I’ve received 11 ULEZ charges and 6 PCN fines totalling more than £2,500 – all for areas around Barking and London that I’ve never visited. But the fines were just the beginning.
I’ve had three separate insurance companies contact me about claims for accidents I wasn’t involved in, the Met Police sent me a letter about charges for driving without due care and attention and failing to stop after an accident, and I was even blacklisted from fuel stations after someone used my cloned plates to steal petrol. I’ve spent countless hours on the phone trying to explain to everyone that it wasn’t me.
The police have put a marker on my car, and I’ve already been pulled over twice – once with my autistic son in the car, who was absolutely petrified and traumatised by the experience. I’ve been warned that if I drive into London, there’s a high chance I’ll be surrounded by multiple police cars who then attempt to pull me over. As someone who only passed my test in October, I can’t believe this is happening to me.
“What saved me was that my car is a three-door model while the cloned vehicle is a five-door; you can’t always tell from ULEZ photos. If I’d had a five-door car, it would probably be significantly more difficult to prove my innocence. I even had to send photos of my son with chickenpox to prove we were at home during one of the incidents.
I’ve had to arrange a professional inspection of my car to document that there’s no accident damage, and I’m still waiting to hear back on the insurance claims. The hardest part is that until they find the cloned vehicle, I’m living under this cloud of suspicion. It’s just not fair – I’m being punished for someone else’s crimes, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
