Ontario dealers have long known about the nefarious practice of re-vining or “cloning” stolen cars to try to trick dealers and consumers into buying them. Once a fake title trail is created, it can be easier to pass the vehicle off to innocent buyers.
Now it seems Ontario lawmakers are finally catching up to the bad guys!
News outlets report the Ontario government plans to crack down on Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) fraud.
The Ford government is set to introduce stiff penalties for thieves who rip off legitimate VINs and apply them to stolen vehicles.
While multiple levels of government have thrown hundreds of millions towards cracking down on the auto theft crime wave, politicians have also been warned about a second layer of crime targeting a vehicle’s unique 17-character identification number, known as a VIN.
The code, which includes information about a vehicle’s make, model, year and manufacturing location, is widely considered to be a fingerprint for cars. The VIN has increasingly become a target for thieves looking to legitimize a stolen vehicle.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada says the process of “reVINing” has been “particularly pronounced” in Ontario and has called on the Ford government to implement a suite of reforms.
During a 14-month period in 2023 and 2024, ServiceOntario investigated 615 cases of fraudulent vehicle registration, the govern- ment documents stated, requiring new tools for police officers to target the growing issue.
The Ford government plans to introduce legislation to create a new Highway Traffic Act (HTA) offence for knowingly providing the Ministry of Transportation with a false VIN, with possible fines and jail time for convicted fraudsters.
The proposed legislation would create a new provincial offence under the HTA for knowingly providing a false VIN when applying for a vehicle permit. Penalties would be up to $100,000 for convictions, the possibility of up to six months in jail and up to one-year driver’s licence or vehicle permit suspension.