The Southeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force is warning the public about a growing issue involving “cloned vehicles” being sold online, often through sites like Facebook Marketplace.
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and Carfax, vehicle cloning has increased significantly in recent years. In these cases, thieves steal a vehicle and replace the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) with one taken from a similar make and model vehicle. A counterfeit VIN plate is installed on the stolen vehicle to hide its true identity from buyers and law enforcement.
Detectives are also seeing cases where suspects use legitimate paperwork from a salvage vehicle to disguise the identity of the stolen vehicle after the VIN has been altered.
Many victims don’t discover the problem until they try to register or inspect the vehicle, when investigators determine the VIN has been swapped and the vehicle is actually stolen.
Here are red flags to watch for when buying a vehicle:
• The seller insists on cash only
• The deal seems too good to be true (for example, a $75,000 vehicle being sold for $25,000)
• The seller avoids meeting at legitimate businesses or inspection locations
• VIN numbers on the vehicle and paperwork don’t match
Remember: A salvage vehicle is one that has been declared a total loss due to damage and must pass inspection before it can be legally registered and driven.
Anyone who believes they may have encountered a suspicious vehicle sale, contact local law enforcement agency or the Southeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force at (409) 842-6341, or by email at autotheft@beaumonttexas.gov.
June 22, 2026
