Ontario Man Unwittingly Target of Elaborate VIN Fraud Scheme

UPDATE: An Ontario man, Steve Fowler, has been pulled over by police between 20 to 30 times over the past year and a half due to a complex vehicle identification number (VIN) fraud scheme that has taken authorities by surprise. This troubling situation began in December 2023 when police from various regions, including York Region and South Simcoe, flagged Fowler’s 2020 Ram truck repeatedly, claiming issues with his license plate.

Fowler, a truck mechanic, was blindsided by the ongoing police interest in his vehicle. Each time he was stopped, he presented the necessary documentation, and officers, while professional, had no answers for him. “It was almost once every other week, for sure,” Fowler recounted, sharing his frustration. Officers suggested he visit Service Ontario to rectify the situation, but he faced a bureaucratic loop with no resolution.

The shocking twist? Fowler was a victim of VIN fraud, where criminals use legitimate VINs from unsuspecting drivers to disguise stolen vehicles. Dan Service from VIN Verification Inc confirmed the alarming rise in such fraud, stating, “VIN fraud has proliferated so much in the past few years, it’s overwhelmed many organizations’ capacity to address it.” Data reveals that there are 127,000 cars with duplicate VINs registered on Ontario roads alone.

After numerous visits to Service Ontario and police departments, Fowler discovered that his truck’s VIN had been flagged as a duplicate in a Ministry of Transportation database. Investigating further, he found that someone had fraudulently transferred the ownership of his vehicle without his knowledge, all completed through electronic means.

Despite the evidence, Fowler continued facing traffic stops due to the unresolved VIN issue. In mid-August, following inquiries from CTV News, South Simcoe Police finally intervened, inspecting Fowler’s vehicle and confirming its legitimacy. This inspection allowed Fowler to update the Ministry of Transportation database and receive new plates, alleviating the frequent stops.

“The fact that it took a year and a half to resolve is astounding,” Fowler noted, expressing relief at finally being free from the harassment. However, the troubling implications of this case highlight a pervasive issue within Ontario’s vehicle registration system, especially concerning third-party authorizations that can be exploited by criminals.

Authorities need to take immediate action to prevent innocent individuals from becoming entangled in these scams. “This is a big enough problem, and government is in a critical position to do something about it,” asserted Dan Service.

While Ontario has implemented restrictions on certain types of re-vinning, serious questions remain regarding the internal processes at Service Ontario. The agency involved in Fowler’s case has not publicly addressed whether their staff was negligent or complicit in the fraud.

As the investigation continues, Fowler’s experience serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in vehicle identification systems. As this story develops, officials are urged to enhance security measures to protect innocent drivers from becoming victims of VIN fraud.

Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving situation.