by New Metal Plates in Texas and Their Counterfeits
In July, Texas officially abandoned paper license plates, replacing them with metal versions with red stripes. However, just two months later, law enforcement discovered counterfeit versions made from a cheap material similar to car wrap film. Experts warn that demand and fraud could reach scales similar to the paper plate crisis.
Fighting Crime and New Challenges
As soon as law enforcement tries to make life harder for criminals, the latter find new ways to circumvent the rules. In Texas, where temporary metal plates were recently introduced, their counterfeit counterparts have already appeared. The state government seems to have encountered a new problem—stickers that imitate official plates.
Texas abolished paper plates two months ago, hoping to improve road safety. Paper plates are often linked to crime, and dealers across the country have found themselves in difficult situations due to their illegal use. The state believed it had solved the problem by introducing temporary metal plates through the DMV and car dealerships. However, as reported by representatives of the Harris County law enforcement, the system is not perfect.
The Case of the Counterfeit Plate
A Honda CR-V was recently stopped with plates that looked like legitimate temporary tags with red stripes. However, upon inspection, it turned out they were completely counterfeit. According to investigators, the identification markings were made from a material similar to car wrap film. When law enforcement ran the plate, it came back as a 2012 Ford Focus. The driver admitted to buying the fake plate for just $120.
The state introduced plates with red stripes along with three other colors to denote different types of temporary tags. John Ames, the Dallas County Tax Assessor-Collector, reports that demand for them has doubled compared to paper permits: in Dallas alone, nearly 7,000 such plates were issued in two months. Over 91,000 plates have already been distributed statewide.
The Return of Fraud Problems
Sergeant Jose Escribano, one of the state’s leading experts on license plate fraud, is not surprised by the quick response of counterfeiters. He noted:
Instead of car thefts, we might enter the era of wraps. If you see the color red, check it, because it could be a wrap, and you need to make sure the plate matches the data.
For now, officials claim there is no evidence of widespread fraud with the new system. However, given the thousands of red-striped plates already distributed, some fear that Texas could repeat the paper plate crisis, but this time with counterfeit wraps instead of ink.
The introduction of metal plates was meant to be an effective solution, but the rapid emergence of counterfeits indicates that criminals are adapting to changes faster than expected. This highlights the complexity of fighting auto fraud and the need for continuous improvement of security measures to prevent past mistakes from repeating.
