EXCLUSIVEThe new car clocking scam 装置: 'Untraceable' mileage blockers pause a 乗り物's miles when 運動ing - 専門家s 警告する they could be 'deadly'
- Mileage blockers 封鎖する a 乗り物's odometer from rising as it is 存在 driven
- The plug-in 装置s are 合法的に 存在 sold online in the UK for around £200-£250
- Falsifying a car's mileage could put 買い手s £5k out of pocket and lives at 危険
Car clocking is making a dangerous 復帰: 乗り物 history check service HPI has 警告するd that 'mileage blockers' that 隠す a 乗り物's true 量 of use but can 合法的に be sold in the UK and could have 'deadly' consequences
運転者s?are 存在 advised not to 落ちる foul of a new type of 乗り物 clocking scam, which 専門家s say 'could 証明する to be deadly'.
Cheap 'mileage blocker' or 'mileage freezer' 装置s sold online are able to lower and even pause the mileage of a 乗り物 when it is 存在 driven to 示唆する it has been used far いっそう少なく than it truly has.
UK 販売人s of these 製品s are taking advantage of 合法的な (法などの)抜け穴 s around clocking 装置s by caveating that they are 'for off-road or 研究 use only'.?
However, they are also advertised as '全く untraceable' and '99 per cent undetectable',?raising serious 関心s that fraudsters can use them to falsify a car's mileage before selling for an 不正に inflated price.
In fact, a 最近の 熟考する/考慮する shows that UK 買い手s overpay by around £5,000 when they unsuspectingly 購入(する) a clocked car.?
Use of these blockers also puts oblivious 運転者s at 危険 because a 乗り物's parts will often be 大幅に more worn than the 偽のd mileage 示唆するs they should be.?
What are 'mileage blockers?'?
Mileage blockers and freezers are 存在 advertised for sale around £200 to £250 online with 明確な/細部 attachments for individual car models.
These are dif ferent to more 従来の mileage 調整 道具s, which 許す fraudsters to electronically 勝利,勝つd a 乗り物's odometer 支援する to 現在の it as covering いっそう少なく miles than it really has.
Instead, mileage blockers pause the car's odometer and peripheral modules from 機能(する)/行事ing as designed.?
This means it literally stops new miles driven from ever 登録(する)ing with the 乗り物.
乗り物 data 専門家s HPI - who first raised the 問題/発行する to This is Money - say the practice is 特に unscrupulous because an owner can still 供給する a 完全にする service 記録,記録的な/記録する history with 偽の mileage that looks 本物の and 合法的な.
It also means that there will be no obvious discrepancies in the MOT 記録,記録的な/記録する when the blocker is used, as miles will be paused rather than 減ずるd, 誤って 示唆するing the 乗り物 hasn't been used for 長引かせるd periods.?
Already 広範囲にわたって 利用できる in the US, a number of 商売/仕事s across the UK are now selling these 製品s online, either 供給(する)ing the 装置s with 指示/教授/教育s or 申し込む/申し出ing 取り付け・設備s 儀礼 of 'fully qualified 専門家技術者s'.
Checking 場所/位置s that appear on the first page of Google searches, three reviewed by This is Money do 明言する/公表する that the 装置s are 違法な for use on public roads.?
However, this (警察などへの)密告,告訴(状) isn't 供給するd up 前線 and is often the last point in a 'frequently asked questions' section, usually lower 負かす/撃墜する on their pages.?
What is advertised up 前線, though, is that any use of these plug-in 製品s is almost 完全に untraceable.
One (人命などを)奪う,主張するs: 'Real (警察などへの)密告,告訴(状) is not 蓄える/店d in any memory or module, thus no diagnostic testers is able to trace the mileage that was stopped while using our Mileage 是正 道具'.?
Another 明言する/公表するs online: 'Our mileage blockers are 99 per cent undetectable although some 'main 売買業者s' may be able to (悪事,秘密などを)発見する it if you have not 始める,決める it to 'deactivated' 方式. Diagnostic testers cannot (悪事,秘密などを)発見する the mileage has been frozen.'
Some also advertise the fact that the mileage blocker can be adjusted, meaning 使用者s can manipulate the mileage covered, for instance to show 50 per cent of actual miles covered or to stop any miles 存在 追加するd at all during the period it is used.
Testimonials from 顧客s published on the 場所/位置s 含む examples of 使用者s (人命などを)奪う,主張するing to use the blocker 装置s on 跡をつける or when 運動ing off-road to stop the accumulation of miles they felt 'did not 代表する the car's 基準 usage', にもかかわらず these miles likely 追加するing an 増加する in wear and 涙/ほころび on parts compared to 運動ing on public roads.
Are mileage blockers 違法な??
CarVertical 見積(る)s that clocking fraudulently 追加するs 29 per cent to the price of a second-手渡す car in the UK today.?
Based on an 普通の/平均(する) used car price of?£17,064 (based on AutoTrader's December Price 索引), 買い手s overpay by £4,949 when they unknowingly 購入(する) a clocked 乗り物.?
Yet, under UK 法律, the 行為/法令/行動する of altering the mileage on a car is not 違法な.
However, it is 違法な to?sell that car without 公表する/暴露するing any known mileage discrepancies to the 買い手.?
It is also possible for 乗り物 仲買人s to be 起訴するd for mileage 詐欺 under the 消費者 規則 行為/法令/行動する, though only if a 犠牲者 can 証明する that they have clocked a car for 財政上の 伸び(る).
As you can already tell, calling the 法律 around clocking a 'grey area' is an understatement.?
The last time the 政府 本気で looked into the activity was in?2016.
This [oddly] was part of a 協議 paper on?road worthiness 実験(する)ing in tractors, which also raised 関心s over clocking and the activities of mileage 調整 companies in general 乗り物s.
John Hayes, then 大臣 of 明言する/公表する for 輸送(する), said the 返答s to the 協議 would help make changes to 法律制定.
'We are aware of some 最近の 関心s in the マスコミ that the 巧みな操作 itself is not 違法な, only the その後の sale of the 乗り物,' he said.?
'We are keen to understand 回答者/被告s' 見解(をとる)s on this 事柄.'
However, in September that year, the Department for 輸送(する) 問題/発行するd a 非,不,無-committal 返答 to the car clocking 問題/発行する, 簡単に 明言する/公表するing: 'The 政府 will consider その上の what 対策, if any, are needed.'
The 返答 drew 批評 from さまざまな 消費者 権利s groups, car-貿易(する) 商売/仕事s and the?借り切る/憲章d 貿易(する)ing 基準s 学校/設ける for failing to 本気で 演説(する)/住所 the 問題/発行する at the time.
And it is (疑いを)晴らす from the 最新の online activity around mileage blockers that 商売/仕事s continue to take advantage of the (法などの)抜け穴s today.
This is Money asked the DfT about its 未来 計画(する)s to 取り組む 乗り物 clocking, though received the に引き続いて lacklustre 返答.
A spokesperson said: 'When buying second-手渡す cars, 消費者s can check the MOT history - 含むing mileages 記録,記録的な/記録するd at the 年次の 実験(する)s - on gov.uk.'
They 追加するd that '施行 is a 事柄 for the police and 法廷,裁判所s' and any company 嫌疑者,容疑者/疑うd of 供給するing fraudulent services can be 報告(する)/憶測d here.
Jon Clay, 身元確認,身分証明 director at HPI, said: 'Mileage 詐欺 and odometer tampering remains a grey area as far as the 法律 is 関心d.?
'The difficulty is that in the 注目する,もくろむs of the 法律, to sell a 乗り物 with an incorrect mileage and 活発に encourage it, as is 存在 done with mileage blocker 装置s, isn't a 罪,犯罪.?
'It's the 非,不,無-宣言 that it is incorrect where the offence has been committed, which can be very difficult to 証明する.'
Jon 追加するs: '潜在的に, a reputable 売買業者 could be liable for selling a car with 誤った mileage after 存在 unwittingly duped by a scammer, but there is seemingly no direct 大勝する to 起訴 against the person who altered the mileage in the first place, with a 装置 such as a mileage blocker.'
This is Money has 接触するd UK 商売/仕事s that sell mileage blockers. Here's what they had to say...
What UK 販売人s of mileage blockers have to say?
This is Money 接触するd three UK 商売/仕事 it 設立する to be selling mileage blockers online.
While one failed to 答える/応じる to our request, two 問題/発行するd comments on the sale of these 製品s, both with?'we 負担 the 弾丸s but don't pull the 誘発する/引き起こす' 声明s.?
CarCode, based in?Mildenhall, Bury St Edmunds, told us: 'As the 供給者 of mileage blocker 装置s, we would like to 明らかにする that the wa y our 顧客s use these 装置s is 完全に out of our 支配(する)/統制する.?
'While we 認める that use of a mileage blocker can be 議論の的になる, we also want to 強調する that there are several 合法的な and fair 使用/適用s for the 装置 we sell.
'Our 製品 is designed to 供給する high 質 and reliable 解答s to the general public. It is important to 公式文書,認める that the 責任/義務 lies with the individual to use the 装置 in 一致 with the 法律 and 倫理的な considerations.
'We do not 容赦する or support any 違法な activities. We encourage our 顧客s to use our 製品s responsibly and within the 境界s of the 法律.'
TorxTuning in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, explained: 'Our mileage blockers are 供給(する)d and fitted for 実験(する)ing 目的s only, and we want to 強調する that we do not 容赦する the 違法な use of these 装置s to deceive 可能性のある 買い手s.?
'The について言及する of 存在 '99 per cent undetectable' is 目的(とする)d at 最高潮の場面ing the 科学(工学)技術's 有効性 for 合法的 目的s, such as 実験(する)ing and diagnostics.
'It's 決定的な to 公式文書,認める that the 装置 is designed to 凍結する the mileage for 実験(する)ing 目的s/diagnostics. Or if a new 器具 cluster with higher mileage, than the cars actual mileage is fitted, this 装置 will 凍結する the mileage from going up until the 訂正する mileage has been reached.?
'This is a very ありふれた 解答 for people who retro fit 事実上の 器具 clusters into their 乗り物s as it is 極端に difficult to alter the mileage 陳列する,発揮するd, so you must use a blocker to 回復する the 訂正する lawful mileage. We 堅固に discourage any 違法な activities associated with tampering or falsifying mileage for deceptive 目的s.
'We are committed to 促進するing 倫理的な practices within the 自動推進の 産業 and encourage 使用者s to 固執する to 合法的な and transparent 取引 when using our 製品s.
'Anyone who uses this 装置 to carry out any 違法な or unlawful activities Is 事実上の/代理 on their own (許可,名誉などを)与える and is not the 責任/義務 of Torxtuning.'
Any 行為/法令/行動する of 隠すing a 乗り物's true use can have dangerous consequences if owners are unaware that 構成要素s are more worn than the falsified mileage 示唆するs
Clocked cars: the hidden 危険s
Jon Clay from HPI says that while a 乗り物's mileage is?intrinsically linked to its value, the 誤った readings given as a result of use of 封鎖するing 装置s often correlate to mechanical 問題/発行するs and faults later 負かす/撃墜する the line.
While this can lead to hefty 修理 法案s, 隠すing a car's true mileage is also incredibly dangerous and can 潜在的に be deadly.
'All the safety features and modules in a modern car, such as airbags, ABS and ignition, 料金d (警察などへの)密告,告訴(状) into the 乗り物's central computer system,' he said.?
'Each time an 問題/発行する arises, such as a fault 警告, ? a 'snapshot' of the 乗り物's mileage will be logged.?
'Unless a 乗り物's mileage is 負傷させる 支援する by a clocker who knows to alter the mileage readings on all modules 同様に as the odometer, these will be out of sync.?
'This will lead to 問題/発行するs with safety 警告s ? making it 潜在的に very dangerous for the driver, 乗客 and other road 使用者s.'
We need tighter 支配するs around clocking 装置s, 専門家s say
モーターing 専門家s, road safety groups and 貿易(する)ing 基準s officers are all in 協定 that 法律s around clocking 装置s need 緊急の attention.?
Jack Cousens, 長,率いる of roads 政策 for the AA, said: 'Clocking cars is a tried and 実験(する)d 違法な scam which puts older, more dangerous cars in the 手渡すs of unsuspecting drivers.?
'にもかかわらず websites 明言する/公表するing that mileage blockers should only be used for '研究 and 乗り物 実験(する)ing' 目的s, the fact that they 誇る about their 欠如(する) of (犯罪,病気などの)発見 最高潮の場面s the real 推論する/理由 someone may buy in the 製品.
'We'd like to see tighter 支配するs around the sale of these 装置s と一緒に car 重要な cloning 部隊s, so that only those with a 合法的 need to 購入(する) them can do so.'
RAC 広報担当者 棒 Dennis said the fact mileage blockers are 存在 sold so 'shamelessly' is a 'real 原因(となる) of 関心'.?
He told us: 'The advertised price of a used car is often 決定するd by its age and mileage ? while there's no way to disguise the former, the fact it appears to be so 平易な to turn odometer readings 支援する and make a ひどく used car look as though it's been driven a lot いっそう少なく can't be 権利.?
'Drivers could unwittingly 結局最後にはーなる 支払う/賃金ing 井戸/弁護士席 over the 半端物s for cars that have been driven far more than the 偽の mileage 示唆するs.?
'There's also a very good chance they'll have a 汚い surprise after buying the car 予定 to problems associated with the number of miles a 乗り物's 現実に been driven.
'We'd encourage 貿易(する)ing 基準s and police 軍隊s to 割れ目 負かす/撃墜する on these unscrupulous outfits ? 偽の mileages on cars are in nobody's 利益/興味s apart from those individuals trying to sell cars for far more than they're 現実に 価値(がある).'
Owen Kennedy, a 上級の 貿易(する)ing 基準s officer at City of Doncaster 会議, told us: 'These 装置s can 原因(となる) other problems than 簡単に changing the value of a car.?
'Service and 維持/整備 schedules are all based around the age and mileage of the 乗り物, and so a 乗り物 that has had the mileage 減ずるd in any way may not have undergone 決定的な checks and 交替/補充s.?So, there can be safety 関心s raised 同様に.'
Mr Kennedy 追加するd: 'With regard to mileage blockers and 調整 services, there are few 合法的 uses for these, and so they could be controlled.'
IAM RoadSmart director of 政策 and 基準s Nicholas Lyes, told This is Money: 'The 合法的な and moral 問題/発行するs aside, a 乗り物 with more wear and 涙/ほころび than the mileage 示すs could be a death 罠(にかける) on wheels .?
'In 2022 alone, there were almost 500 serious or 致命的な 衝突/不一致s because of a 欠陥のある 乗り物 with ブレーキ and tyre faults the biggest 犯人s.?
'In 2016, the 政府 said it would consider making changes to the 法律 on 乗り物 clocking, but we are yet to see anything 相当な that's been brought 今後.'