Fake MOT certificate scam

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Thu 27 Dec 2012 21:53
Fake MOT certificate scam - MikeTorque

Does anyone know of any incidences of the following MOT scam ?

There has been a lot of fake MOT certificate scams. For any given vehicle a MOT certificate is being issued that may be fake, whereby either the fake MOT certificate has been issued but no MOT has actually been done or the MOT certificate has been obtained or photocopied and false information entered.

Proof of a valid test is kept online by the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency, VOSA. MOT paper certificates are no longer proof of existence of a valid MOT certificate.

When considering buying a used vehicle which requires a MOT certificate always check online to ensure the MOT certificate is valid. If a seller won't let you check a vehicle's MOT online before you buy, walk away and report the matter to VOSA.

You can check MOT records through the VOSA website :
http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/onlineservices/onlineservices.htm

VOSA contact details : http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/contactus/contactus.htm

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 27 Dec 2012 22:25
Fake MOT certificate scam - Avant

Many thanks for that Mike.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 27 Dec 2012 23:57
Fake MOT certificate scam - Bobbin Threadbare

Has this come about because they have changed the appearance of the certificates? They look as though it'd be easy to mock up one on a pc, rather than being the colour coded sheets.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 28 Dec 2012 08:36
Fake MOT certificate scam - RT

It's not a "certificate" anymore, just a printed sheet of paper.

The appearance changed when the MoT system when online - the electronic record is the key thing - the paper document is just printed for information and nowadays should never be taken as evidence of anythging.

The electronic record also has the advisories recorded - so they can't be hidden now.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 28 Dec 2012 11:08
Fake MOT certificate scam - tony g
Hi,
The provision of a printed sheet of a4 ,instead of a difficult to copy MOT certificate ,will prove to be a major problem for used car buyers who buy privately .

The option to check MOT details on the VOSA web link seems to be unknown to most car buyers . Because buyers don't know about VOSA , unscrupulous sellers will alter alter the details on an expired mot sheet.

To see if it was possible to alter an mot sheet I've scanned one using a simple Epsom printer/scanner .Once I had the details on an equally simple dell laptop .It was easy to delete the existing dates and mileage and substitute the false ones .
When the A4 was printed it was indistinguishable from the real article .

Inevitably a buyer will only find out he has a problem when he needs to tax the car or he's stopped by the police .
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 28 Dec 2012 13:37
Fake MOT certificate scam - Chris M

The new MOT certificate makes it quite clear that it is a receipt and that it only records the condition of the vehicle on the day of test. It refers anyone who can be bothered to read it to visit the VOSA website.

Any crook that wants to sell a car with false documents will be able to forge whatever documents they want to, so I believe the decision to make the new certificate not look like a certificate (if that makes sense), was a good one. There needs to be more education for buyers to check the website, as that is the only sure way to tell.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 28 Dec 2012 14:58
Fake MOT certificate scam - tony g
(The new MOT certificate makes it quite clear that it is a receipt and that it only records the condition of the vehicle on the day of test. It refers anyone who can be bothered to read it to visit the VOSA website.)

I regularly come across car owners who don't know what an HPI report is ,so theirs not much chance that car buyers will do a VOSA check

(Any crook that wants to sell a car with false documents will be able to forge whatever documents they want to, so I believe the decision to make the new certificate not look like a certificate (if that makes sense), was a good one. There needs to be more education for buyers to check the website, as that is the only sure way to tell.)

I've never bought a car with a forged old style mot certificate or seen one ,this newer receipt is just too easy to forge .Problems are inevitable .
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 28 Dec 2012 16:37
Fake MOT certificate scam - Pondlife
I've never bought a car with a forged old style mot certificate or seen one ,this newer receipt is just too easy to forge .Problems are inevitable .

I agree with Chris M here. I think it's better to move away from certificates and towards unique numbers to check against a website. And moving away from things that look like a certificate is part of that.

Internet access is becoming ubiquitous, and having people check on a website will finally put a stop to certificate forgery as happened with the old lost V5 forms. And the website includes additional details like past milages, which makes clocking more difficult.

There does need to be more education though - in the old days you'd have a public information film like the one warning about mixing radials and cross-plys.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 28 Dec 2012 16:30
Fake MOT certificate scam - Bobbin Threadbare

Any crook that wants to sell a car with false documents will be able to forge whatever documents they want to, so I believe the decision to make the new certificate not look like a certificate (if that makes sense), was a good one.

Guess it uses a lot less paper!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 28 Dec 2012 21:11
Fake MOT certificate scam - MikeTorque

The more the public are educated about this issue the better. That's where forums like this one can be of help. If everyone using this forum tells everyone they know and others pass on the word the better it will be everyone concerned.

Perhaps HJ could highlight this issue in his newspaper column. Word soon gets around once it becomes a hot topic.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 28 Dec 2012 23:29
Fake MOT certificate scam - Avant

Good idea - if you have a moment write to HJ at letters@honestjohn.co.uk

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 29 Dec 2012 22:00
Fake MOT certificate scam - MikeTorque

I've sent a request to HJ.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 2 May 2013 17:55
Fake MOT certificate scam - jc2

You'd need to get the letter in the "Sun,Mirror or Sport" not the Telegraph!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 2 May 2013 16:51
Fake MOT certificate scam - PeteWW

Hi, unfortunately I think I am currently a victim of this scam. The car was advertised on Autotrader as having done 90000 miles.

I got there and the odometer reads 97000~ I thought it was out quite a bit, so I had £50 knocked off the asking price.

So today, (the day after I had purchased it) I thought I would trust my gut instinct and do some research on this car.

I found out on the VOSA website, the vehicle has done in excess of 171000 miles, when the MOT 'reciept' says 84000~. Both of the MOT (online & paper) dates coincide with each other too.

However, upon close inspection of the MOT reciept, I can see that it is a photocopy; and probably not of the original either.

I have since contacted the Citizens Advice Bureau, and they are passing the details of the 'so called' company that I have purchased it from to Trading Standards. (the company is not listed with Companies House either).

As I write this, I have been in contact with the seller, and given him an ultimatum. I either go further along with trading standards, or I get my money back and return the car. I have also sent him the MOT reference number, along with the vehicle registration, so that he can check it out himself on the VOSA website. (As if he didn't know already???)

I will keep you all updated as soon as I learn any more...

Pete.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 3 May 2013 18:43
Fake MOT certificate scam - Andrew-T

So basically - ask any seller for the unique test number from the latest MoT 'certificate'. If he won't divulge that for you to check on-line, look elsewhere.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 4 May 2013 14:02
Fake MOT certificate scam - Hamsafar

I think it's better with the new system.

No longer should people be seduced by stuff that's 'all officially typed up and everything'.

Plus, you only need the reg. number and a number off the V5 to check all of the computerised MOT history, not just the present year's.

When I am buying a car, I take a photo of the VIN at the bottom of the winscreen, any labels such as in the wheel well, and then ask to see the papers and look at the V5 which I also photograph and say it is for a HPI check, I can then check them online with my mobile phone or at home with the computer. It's just another empowering aspect of the internet.

You can check VED status here...

www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/EvlPortalApp/app/home/in...v

MOT here...

www.gov.uk/check-mot-status-vehicle

Insurance here (if applicable)...

www.askmid.com

Edited by Hamsafar on 04/05/2013 at 14:03

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 7 Oct 2013 16:54
Fake MOT certificate scam - FB1

Hi Pete

Sorry to hear about the issues you had with your purchase.

I'm making a programme for BBC1, and one of the areas i'm looking at are Fake MOT certificates and i'm interested to talk to you about your experience.

Are you able to drop me a message?

Best

Bob

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 7 Oct 2013 18:44
Fake MOT certificate scam - skidpan

There is no such thing as an MOT certificate these days. All you get is a sheet of plain A4 paper with the deatils of the garage etc.

The details of the MOT are held electronically. All you have to do is visit this site www.gov.uk/check-mot-status enter your details and in an instant you have confirmation about the vehicles MOT status.

Don't think that would make for a very exciting 1/2 hour on the BBC

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide