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Obscured license plates in posted pics????

Crush

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Ok. I have to ask and i may not the sharpest knife in the drawer but, why do so many people cover or blur their license plates on for sale ads? Its not like it is your SSN or anthing. You drive around all day where thousands of people can see it, so cover it up for pics. Im gettin real tires of seeing everyones thumb or a dirty rag covering it. I just doesnt make sence to me. Its like they are trying to hide where the vehicle actually is located instead of where the ad is. Also its not just in for sale ads. Sometimes its even those that post in forums. The funny part is they will cover up their personal plate on a pic but when a thread is about personal plates they show it proudly. Lol. Not a big deal just wonderd if anyone could give a logocal explanation of concealing the plate.
 

BajaBronco

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I too think it's funny. I have no answer for you. There's people around that I just dont even try to understand. "it takes all kinds."
 

WheelHorse

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Joined
Nov 22, 2004
Messages
2,491
Well, for those who don't do it all the time, then that's on them. Registration can be tracked to an address and possible attached driver. While it's illegal to use this info for personal use; who knows the true capability of the criminal element. It would be easier to use the photo's attached info for gps coordinates if you really wanted to steal something or someone.

Give the insurance industry time to start to assign partial or total responsibility for posting a ride on the internet and not having wiped the metadata or registration if the vehicle is taken.
 

SteveL

Huge chevy guy
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Jun 24, 2001
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11,613
Loc.
Hawthorne ca
With all the scams out there it's probably not a bad idea. Lots of sketchy people have connections at the dmv to run plates and get personal info.
 

sykanr0ng

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Aug 11, 2014
Messages
5,363
With all the scams out there it's probably not a bad idea. Lots of sketchy people have connections at the dmv to run plates and get personal info.

But then you send them an anonymous email through the CL system and they send you their name, address and phone number.
 

SHOBRONCO

Full Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2009
Messages
198
Plates

I agree, it doesn't make sense to me either. I asked the same question on another forum and was told it was for security reasons. I don't get it, because its against the law to ride down the road with them covered up. Its not like its private confidential information.
 

Slowleak

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Sep 12, 2013
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I can understand it. Suppose you are a criminal searching for a particular vehicle, or parts from one. You could ride around for weeks and not see one. Craigslist will help you find exactly what you are wanting to steal and you can narrow it down to a city. If you have access to people with vehicle registration information you can easily get the address and owners name.

A little more googling will give you the owners occupation and maybe a LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter account where he is dumb enough to babble about the conference he is attending next week in Dayton Ohio. Then you are all set.

Thieves take orders for parts, and vehicles, and then go out and find them. I had it happen to me years ago. Came home from a business trip and one of my cars was on blocks. They caught the guys in a sting a few weeks later. They had orders for specific BMW wheels and tires like I had.

So, if you are paranoid, or concerned about being targeted by thieves, you cover the plate, and don't give out any personal info.

You know there are lowlifes looking at Craigslist right now thinking, "Dang! look at those rims..... I wish knew where that car was....."
 
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OP
OP
Crush

Crush

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Ummmm. Ok. But craigslist/ebay/racejunk etc. all have locations about where they are. Sooo. All u need to do is go to that town and look around. Even ask a few people. There are usuually not that many of a desireable car in each cutt/town. So if you go somewhere and ask the guys a napa about a guy that has a red 69 camaro and u are looking to buy some parts off the guy then chances are they will point you in the right direction. We drive around with our plates visible at all times. Makes no difference if we hide the plate in our pics or not. The theives are still gonna get them if they want them. Inthink that if you cover ur plate then you are just a paranoid as the conspiracy thoerists. Lol
 

Nothing Special

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2016
Messages
804
I used to block out my licence plate, but I stopped doing it. The reason I did it was because it just seems too easy for people to get personal information over the internet and why make it easier? The reason I quit is that it just seems too easy for people to get personal information over the internet so why bother fighting it?
 

Slowleak

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Georgia
Ummmm. Ok. But craigslist/ebay/racejunk etc. all have locations about where they are. Sooo. All u need to do is go to that town and look around. Even ask a few people. There are usuually not that many of a desireable car in each cutt/town. So if you go somewhere and ask the guys a napa about a guy that has a red 69 camaro and u are looking to buy some parts off the guy then chances are they will point you in the right direction. We drive around with our plates visible at all times. Makes no difference if we hide the plate in our pics or not. The theives are still gonna get them if they want them. Inthink that if you cover ur plate then you are just a paranoid as the conspiracy thoerists. Lol


I don't disagree. Just saying I can understand the reason for the paranoia.....not saying I think it's necessary. Here's my tag.
14d9db44e632616ace15df1c33cf155c.jpg
 
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5001craig

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Nov 3, 2013
Messages
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Nice bumper sticker Slowleak.

I never understood blocking out the license plate either. I live on a pretty secure street so I'll post mine (I wish they would let me have one more letter)...

Y4zh3LyyHOYnOVosSQ7dhN2fFYrrgXyABjshV64rtHcWlS-BxlCHjLym0nHSw0ZIemOFPK5-p5LN890nfE2BO-zqzJiPnwgh9-jcLJp7OSSA28EsJIQCBJYZg76sZiaCyBgmUx0EitNMnF5HD2N874KmXjuz0R1NGCZxoodMQ92nnCnPn_fcS5nqEBHgASe7cH9ogCEifQgshL3MjBc1230ZCI1OpjbW9teS7YhHntmQBSXO0TEjbhrDT1STtZBUbeODnFtIp4Yin1KBx9qEP35BsILPLU31NkG0hD9ssXEGZGmEsz82_rxE40nmNwYNISOkG4_Icy8o4t0kTGniiEKIaZqj4SKCAX8NL_Jx7yHV1gXsJHOFgMgwOwXB-_mPITgh7kJDcP3ahOx8iV4TpI_zr8Sns8qSrqorg8xp6i9WwVwTCWyVmJcjE3IdBgi2vfB56Y0BrK_oaLSdg-iKGz3w2Wp7lrL3ByZsvX3ZaQx2wxaOYnIdMs95i8HlDbTg7dmd3I0HQrBb7ciFc_XRoKOHrIuJa8L7Zfa_-ZcFGJpnC-gZzrRacoAMIpVxK1_lax9AO-B5RaZrozAMo7K1TPunOLIMrbjPUqDBTtrffaLXMaCDKJyx2TqboA=w1765-h993-no
 
OP
OP
Crush

Crush

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Greenbottom, WV
Some funny replies. Try googling your license plate number and see what you get. I cant get anything on mine.

Hey Slowleak. Is PPG9741 your paint code?
 

DirtDonk

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It's been an accepted practice for 50 years or more. Seen it in pics, adverts, wherever since I was a kid.
And it was not always illegal, or even hard to get the DMV's of various states, including here in CA, to give out whatever was asked.
At one point they started making you fill out an info card to obtain someone's info, but finally stopped it altogether for regular civilians.
It wasn't always about the car being stolen either. Think stalker type or ex-husband trying to find her and "bring her back" or make sure she never sees another. Or think OJ if you prefer.

Just too many reasons for someone with a bad attitude towards you and your junk to let it go. A lot of parents taught their kids to do that by example, and it's expanded through the generations. We just see it more now.

Watch certain TV programs and you see the plates and door signs and even t-shirts blurred out. Sure, most of it's to avoid advertising someone's stuff for free, or getting sued for giving someone's name a black eye, but often as not it's a security thing.

Old habits die hard on both sides of the bars.

Paul
 

Slowleak

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Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Messages
3,732
Loc.
Georgia
Some funny replies. Try googling your license plate number and see what you get. I cant get anything on mine.

Hey Slowleak. Is PPG9741 your paint code?


No. It sure looks like a paint code. Just a coincidence. My blue truck is PPG9740.
 

Slowleak

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Messages
3,732
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Georgia
At one point they started making you fill out an info card to obtain someone's info, but finally stopped it altogether for regular civilians.
It wasn't always about the car being stolen either. Think stalker type or ex-husband trying to find her and "bring her back" or make sure she never sees another. Or think OJ if you prefer.


The Drivers Privacy Protection Act stopped it back in the abortion protest days. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver's_Privacy_Protection_Act

You can often find a lot of info by googling a Vin number. I've been checking vins recently on 2015-2016 vehicles that I am interested in purchasing. Many of them turn up purchase information including the sale date, sale location, and owners name.
 

WheelHorse

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 22, 2004
Messages
2,491
What it ultimately comes down to is mitigating risk.

It's illegal to conceal registration on the street and no insurance agent could argue that simple fact. What could be, and will probably happen in the future is what is being debated right now, what could have the owner done to mitigate risk of over exposure on the world wide web. Sure, registration tags are posted in magazines and other sorts of rags, but with how the whole risk assessment has been going with the insurers with percentages of at-fault, I can only imagine that it is a matter of time before they try this with posting pics on the internet. Someone will cry that too much profit is being bled and then the mucky-nutty brown liquid flows down hill.

An honest person won't ever think of a fraction of what the criminal element could/would will with nothing but time on their hands.

A lot of gun slingers or well-insureds will say, "Well, take it, or if I catch ya they'll pay the ultimate price, or I'll take the insurance money." Criminals will watch you for months before they make a move and it will involved the least confrontation. Check your mail, obtain your name, find you and your family on facebook and find out when one of you post a great vacation pic and strike while the iron is hot.

If someone wants it, they will get it. Point of this convo or at least my point is, mitigating risk.
 

73azbronco

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Nov 11, 2007
Messages
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I don't worry about it.
spartan2molonlabe.jpg


Didn't know carrying made someone a "gun slinger".
 
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