Manitoba Public Insurance says it’s putting the brakes on “curbers” involved in the illegal vehicle trade.
According to the Crown corporation, the term “curbers” describes people who sell more than four vehicles in a single year without a dealer permit.
These sellers, MPI said, are often linked to wider fraud networks, as they don’t follow the same requirements as legitimate dealers, including disclosing collision history or keeping any records of the vehicles that pass through their hands.
As of 2024, MPI has had the ability to issue provincial offence notices for illegal sales, with four issued to date — each of which carries a fine of at least $2,500. MPI said it has also sent 30 letters to potential curbers, with 30 more being sent out this month.
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“The ability to issue Provincial Offence Notices to unpermitted dealers goes hand-in-hand with sanctions for dealers, MPI’s Dana Frazer said in a release Thursday.
“Suspended dealers are monitored, and if found to be still operating as a dealer, a notice is issued.
“With this increased oversight over curbers and suspended dealers, we now have increased awareness of fraud networks.”
Legitimate dealers are identified on MPI’s website, the insurer said, and anyone who wants to report fraud anonymously is asked to call the tip line at 204-985-8477 or Manitoba Crime Stoppers.
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