Male drivers usually know what a 'ringer' is -- but only one in ten women car buyers are aware that it is a stolen car that takes the Vehicle Registration Mark (VRM) from a written-off car to disguise it.

Buyers were a little more familiar with the term 'car clone', another term for disguising stolen motors, according to a survey by leading car history-check outfit HPI, with 46 per cent claiming to understand the expression.

For those not in the know, a car clone can either steal the identity of a similar, legitimate vehicle so that there are two cars driving around with the same registration plates, or go a little further by taking both the legal twin's plate and vehicle identification number, which is often etched on windows.

Armed with the poll results, HPI believes it is important to highlight the true extent of such scams existing in today's sophisticated world of car crime.

David Lundholm, managing director of HPI, said: "Cloning and ringing are continuing problems in the UK, and it is worrying that many motorists are unaware of the potential risks from these scams.

"Ringers will have had a plate change -- usually taken from a written-off vehicle. Cloning entails a stolen car adopting the identity of an identical (make, model etc) legitimately-owned vehicle, so that, in essence, there are two identical cars on the road."

A professionally-doctored vehicle can be difficult to distinguish from the genuine article. That's why buyers should always question the circumstances of a private sale and look closely at the documentation as well as the car, especially if they aren't buying from a recognised dealer.

As both ringers and clones are stolen vehicles, any innocent buyer may well lose both the vehicle and the money they paid for it.

In HPI's experience, says Lundholm, clones are often sold below the market price, with sellers requesting cash payment. They usually have a logbook to accompany the sale, but this will almost always have been falsified.

While used car buyers might think they are getting a bargain, the best advice is: if something seems to good to be true, it probably is, so walk away -- there's no shortage of choice in the used car market at present.

Anyone wanting to check a second-hand car's history with HPI can so so online at www.hpicheck.com, or by calling 01722 422 422. The check costs £39.95 online, and £42.95 via the call centre.

You can also now get a quick car history check for the £1.50 price of a mobile phone call. The new Carcheck mobile messaging service means users simply have to text "check", followed by the registration number of the intended purchase, to the short-code 88600, and, within seconds, the vehicle's details are returned to the user's mobile phone.