How scammers re-register Israelis' cars through the post office

Israel's Ministry of Transport is introducing a digital tool to protect car owners from fraudulent vehicle re-registration through the post office. The system allows owners to block ownership transfers at Israel Post branches. The move follows a surge in cases where scammers obtained photos of vehicle registration documents under the guise of buyers and executed fake transactions. The ministry recommends conducting deals online via the government portal with digital identification. In 2024, 42% of transactions (about half a million) were conducted online.

Israel's Ministry of Transport has announced the introduction of a digital tool to protect car owners from fraudulent vehicle re-registration through Israel Post branches. The key feature is a preemptive block on ownership changes at post offices, activated via a personal online account. The move follows a surge in cases where scammers found sale ads, contacted sellers posing as buyers, and asked for photos of the vehicle registration document supposedly for insurance or a loan. Once they obtained the data, they executed fake transactions and transferred the car to straw men. The ministry recommends conducting all transactions online through the secure government portal with simultaneous login by both parties and digital identification. Experts advise keeping the postal transfer block permanently enabled, disabling it only when actually selling. In 2024, 42% of ownership transfer transactions (about half a million) were conducted online.