A FRUSTRATED driver was slapped with an unbelievable six parking fines in a city he'd never driven in - and was even threatened by bailiffs. Ben King was a victim of "car cloning" - a form of vehicle identity theft that's cropping up across the UK. 2 Vehicle cloning is becoming a serious issue in the UK Credit: Getty 2 Criminals may find licence plates on the internet (stock image) Credit: AFP Ben had allegedly been recorded parking across London, accumulating hundreds of pounds worth of fines - despite him never driving in London before.
On the dates that Ben was accused of the fined parking, his hire car had actually been sat right outside his home in Reading. He was a victim of car cloning. Licence plate cloning is where fraudsters copy your car registration number and assign it to another car, usually to carry out illegal activities.
read more in motors MORE FOR LESS Sports car with 190mph top speed is less than Britain’s cheapest new motor CLAIM IT Martin Lewis' MSE explains surprise car finance compensation payouts It means you will be blamed if they are caught committing motor-related offences - just like Ben did. Ben's case was a six-month long battle - despite none of it being his doing. In the bizarre case, it nearly cost the innocent driver £1,000 and even had the threat of bailiffs coming to his door.
He told the BBC: "I started getting these parking notices through from Redbridge Council, five more from the Newham Council. Most read in Motors PARANOID ANDROID .