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Fraud Red Flag

VIN swap

Also known as: ringer, ringing

Replacing or restamping the chassis VIN of one vehicle with that of another, usually to disguise a stolen car.

A thorough VIN swap requires forging the windscreen plate, the manufacturer's plate (typically riveted to the body), the stamped chassis number and the electronic identifiers stored in the ECU and body control module. Most amateur swaps miss at least one — the etched glass on side windows is a common giveaway, as is a stamped chassis number that has been ground flat and restruck.