10 top tips to help drive down vehicle fraud

MERSEYSIDE Police are reminding anyone buying or selling their car to be vigilant and carry out some simple checks to avoid becoming the victim of fraud, as we head into 2016... The warning comes after a number of cases involving victims who have unwittingly spent their money on cars which are clones of another vehicle, and results in them losing thousands of pounds. Members of the public should be aware that criminals can use false number plates and alter out of date Tax Discs (Also note that Tax Discs are no longer issued), logbooks, chassis numbers and other details to sell on stolen vehicles, but help is at hand to highlight key danger signs. Constable Graeme Watson, an Accredited Vehicle Examiner and part of Merseyside Police Stolen Vehicle Squad, said:- "If a deal looks too good to be true, it usually is. A car is the 2nd most expensive purchase most people will ever make, and there are a few simple ways you can protect yourself from the massive financial loss that losing a new vehicle can bring. You wouldn't buy a house without doing research, and a car should be no different." To prevent yourself from becoming a victim of vehicle fraud, take the time to carry out these checks and save yourself what could be a catastrophic financial loss:-

► COVER THE NUMBER PLATE - When advertising a vehicle for sale, always cover your number plate, either using photo editing software, or some kind of towel or cloth, before taking any photo.

► CHECK VALUES - Compare values of similar vehicles for sale across multiple different car valuation sites. If 1 car is several thousand pounds cheaper than a similar age, make and model, treat this as suspicious.

► CHECK PLATES - Genuine number plates will have a dealership name and address across the bottom. A quick Google search will show whether this is legitimate or exists. Blank or incomplete number plates should be treated as suspicious.

► RESEARCH MOT HISTORY - This can be done using the Government's website.

► NEVER PAY IN CASH - There is no legitimate reason that a seller can insist on a cash payment. Use secure methods of payment such as Paypal, Apple Pay, bank transfers or credit cards.

► CHECK THE VIN, DON'T LET THEM WIN - A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) check will assist in determining if a vehicle has been reported as stolen. Use the free National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) website.

► STAY LOCAL - Stay as close to home as possible when buying vehicles. Travelling to an unfamiliar location can leave you vulnerable, especially if carrying large amounts of cash.

► QUESTION MISSING INFORMATION - There should always be at least 2 keys, a legitimate logbook, and a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) V5 form, with a watermark. If not, why not?

► DON'T FEEL PRESSURED - If anything appears suspicious and you are not satisfied with any details, look elsewhere.

► REPORT CRIME - If you have been a victim of fraud, contact:- 101 or ActionFraud.Police.UK, the national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre. anyone with information who does not wish to speak with Police directly can call Crimestoppers anonymously on:- 0800 555 111...

Big leap in clean electricity generated by wind

RENEWABLEUK is highlighting official Government statistics published recently show the increasingly central role that wind is playing in the UK's energy mix. The quarterly figures, released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, show that in July to September, the amount of electricity generated by offshore wind increased by 52% compared to the same period in 2014, while onshore wind generation was up by 30%. In the ⅓ quarter of 2015, wind generated 10.5% of the UK's electricity (5% from onshore wind and 4.5% from offshore wind) due to higher wind speeds and increased capacity. Overall, 23.5% of the UK's electricity was generated by renewables in Q3 this year, up 6% on the same period last year. Wind remains Britain's leading renewable technology, followed by bioenergy (10.1%), solar PV (3.5%) and hydro (1.4%). Coal's share of electricity generation decreased from 21% to 17% and gas generation also fell from 38% to 35% in Q3 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. RenewableUK's Deputy Chief Executive Maf Smith said:- "Today's figures show that the wind industry is continually upping its contribution of clean electricity to British homes, offices and factories. Wind energy is a success story which the 35,000 people who this work in this industry in the UK are proud to be a part of. Our main focus at the moment is driving down the cost of wind energy even further, to help consumers. The more we install, the cheaper the clean electricity we generate becomes. That's why we're keen to see onshore and offshore wind continuing to play a central role in our wide ranging energy mix. The growth of wind energy in the UK is a cause for celebration. We're keeping the lights on, keeping cost to the consumer down, and making sure we deliver on our climate change responsibilities."