Aussie grandma faces $1000 in speeding fines after 'stressful' Facebook mistake
Daniela Pobega believes she is the victim of number place cloning.
An Aussie grandmother has been hit with $1,155 worth of of speeding fines but remains adamant she is not at fault — instead claiming she been a victim of a Facebook Marketplace scam.
Daniela Pobega, 71, is on the verge of losing her licence with nine demerit points registered, after it is believed an unknown offender cloned her car's number plates and put the fakes onto a car that looks just like hers.
"It's been really stressful. It's really hard — who can you trust these days?" she said to 7 News.
The Victorian grandmother recently placed an ad to sell her white Audi online and included images of her visible number plates. It wasn't long until she began to receive speeding fines through the door.
Unknown offender dodges speeding fines
The location of the speed camera that flagged the offence is in Ardeer, almost 110 kilometres away from her home in Rosebud. However, due to the speed camera clocking the vehicle's number plates from behind, the driver is not visible in the images attached to the fine.
Aussie driver caught twice by 'sneaky' placement of speed camera on highway
New mum 'gobsmacked' at $1161 fine for using her breast pump in car
Pobega sold her car last month, and the new owner started to receive incorrect penalties and speeding fines before he decided to change the number plates.
“The same thing was happening to him, he was getting invoices from Linkt,” she said.
Simple solution to help drivers avoid similar situation
Many motorists who sell their car online choose to show the number plates in listings as it allows prospective buyers to gather information regarding the vehicle's registration and insurance policy. However, it also exposes sellers to scams similar to what Pobega has experienced.
Instead the vehicle identification number (VIN) can be included in the listing, allowing buyers to check background information without concern of number plate cloning. The VIN can be easily found in the doorjamb or on the outside of the windscreen.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
