One investigation led authorities to revoke or droop licenses for 32 sellers throughout a number of states
January 13, 2024 at 16:00
One third-party investigation has now led to at the least 32 sellers getting shut down for violating short-term registration guidelines. The sellers have all seen their licenses both suspended or revoked altogether and a few are going through felony investigations. It seems that those that deal in faux paper tags are going through much more scrutiny in numerous states throughout the nation.
Temp tag fraud is an issue throughout the nation. Sellers will fraudulently print paper tags for a price and the chances for drivers are considerably nebulous. In essentially the most mundane instances, the tags enable the client to increase the time they’ve til they should pay to register the automotive and get correct metallic tags. In essentially the most excessive instances, the tags are primarily faux however look actual and folks can use them to commit crimes whereas driving round with tags that don’t lead wherever.
Now, the 32 dealerships throughout New Jersey and Georgia are going through over $150,000 in enacted or proposed fines. Three extra dealerships are on probation over the scenario. Of the sellers concerned, seven are beneath felony investigation.
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Extra: NYC’s Sheriff Workplace Seizes 76 Automobiles For Having Counterfeit Paper License Plates
Based on StreetsBlog, an enormous array of those faux “ghost tags” have ended up in New York. They’ve allowed drivers to keep away from tolls, to drive with out insurance coverage, with out registration, or to commit extra critical crimes with out exposing their identities. Its investigation discovered that one supplier in New Jersey, F&J Auto Mall, issued 36,000 tags in 2021 earlier than it was shut down for fraud. F&J Auto Mall confronted solely a $500 superb over the scenario.
In complete, regulators recognized over 11,600 illegally issued temp tags as a part of this newest investigation. Lawmakers in each New Jersey and Georgia are working towards creating new legal guidelines and rules that would assist to stem the tide.
This isn’t the primary time Carscoops has reported on the existence of ghost tags. As early as June of 2023, Texas had set a plan in place to ban paper tags starting in July 2025. Add that state to the listing of others right here who’re all placing the crunch on this shady scenario. Fraudulent sellers and companies that offer black market ghost tags have to be feeling the warmth at this level.