The Phantom Fleet: Unmasking a Global Epidemic of "Ghost Cars" New York City's reputation as a haven for out of state plates is more than an urban legend.
Data suggests thousands of vehicles registered elsewhere are being used in the city full time, a phenomenon known as "garage fraud" that's not unique to the Big Apple or even the United States.
In New York City, analysis of city violation data found nearly 21,000 vehicles registered outside the tri state area accumulated at least one violation each quarter.