Overview
- The NGOs Defendamos Buenos Aires and Defendamos la República Argentina estimate over 80,000 cloned vehicles nationwide, with roughly 80% being pickups, 4x4s, and medium or large pick-ups.
- The criminal setup typically splits tasks between a group that steals vehicles by force and another that fabricates titles, cédulas, insurance proofs, and police verifications to mirror legitimate twins.
- Fraudulent listings on Facebook Marketplace and OLX are identified as key channels used to advertise and sell these vehicles.
- Victims commonly pay before proper checks and discover the fraud only at the Registro de la Propiedad Automotor, where stolen status and forged documents are flagged.
- Using or selling a cloned car carries Article 292 penalties of three to eight years in prison, and victims are advised to consult a lawyer and present the vehicle to the prosecutor’s office.