Over 31,000 Vehicle Owners Activate New Ownership Transfer Block Within 24 Hours in Israel

Within less than 24 hours of its launch, over 31,000 Israeli vehicle owners have activated a new ownership transfer blocking service introduced by the Ministry of Transportation. The service aims to prevent fraudulent vehicle ownership transfers conducted through the postal system by criminals using forged documents and identity theft. The Ministry expects demand for the service to grow significantly in the coming days as more vehicle owners join.

The new digital service allows owners to easily block unauthorized ownership transfers via mobile phone or computer, without needing to visit licensing offices or post offices. The block can be removed anytime through a simple online process. The Ministry clarifies that the block does not prevent legitimate sales through the official online ownership transfer system, where both buyer and seller verify their identities via the national identification system.

This initiative responds to a recent rise in fraudulent ownership transfers detected by the Ministry’s security division, which has identified dozens of cases and an increase in related legal proceedings. A common scam involves fraudsters posing as buyers who request photos of the vehicle registration to check insurance or financing costs, then use forged documents to transfer ownership without the real owner’s consent.

The Ministry warns vehicle owners not to share photos of their registration, ID cards, or other personal documents with unknown individuals. Initially, the service is available only for privately owned vehicles registered to a single owner and excludes stolen or dismantled vehicles. Plans are underway to extend the service to vehicles with multiple owners and company-owned vehicles.

Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, Miri Regev, praised the rapid public response, emphasizing the Ministry’s commitment to providing simple, secure digital tools that protect citizens from fraud. Ministry Director-General Moshe Ben Zaken highlighted the successful launch as part of ongoing efforts to enhance digital services, improve public security, and simplify transportation-related interactions for Israeli citizens.