showing the plates when listing a car on line?

[Tom7227]

Anyone ever have a problem while showing plates in photos on a car that is for sale on line? My daughter had a guy that was a little hinkey contact her and he seemed to know more than he should.

[ted4887]

I've never heard of problems regarding showing the plates. Although, I do see people blur the plate portion for what I assume is some sort of safety precaution. I'm not entirely sure what information someone could get from a plate number that could be harmful though. I believe that even looking up through the state DMV system, you need more than just a license to get personal information off of.

However, if you put the VIN # out there, then it's possible he pulled the information from the manufacturer or Carfax. I still wouldn't worry too much about it though.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

the only thing I can think of is someone with a similar vehicle, color can fab your plate and slap it on their car, commit a crime, and have it come back on you... I dunno

[JohnMickish]

I figure you can see plates all day long on the road, what is the difference?

[Shack]

The general rule of thumb when concealing plates in images that are used for selling purposes or advertisement is so would be thieves cannot trace back the residence/place the car or truck is most likely kept at.

Yeah, you can see plate on the street but why have an extra thousand or two lurkers viewing it online.

Generally this is done with cars and trucks of high value and high potential of theft but also could be used to gain the identity of the owner and further information based off some of the identity the DMV has stored about the owner. I am sure there are DMV info sites you can pay to have access to these days.

[JONOV]

Dealing with wierdos is part of selling stuff online. If the VIN was posted, the guy could have pulled a Carfax or Autocheck that could have had TONS of information. For example, The car could have been bought in Arizona, traded in to a dealership, sold again, registered in Minnesota, had the transmission checked at Luther Hopkins Honda, had the oil changed in June at Richfield Bloomington Honda, had the breaks done and the oil changed in December again in Richfield, and then March had the oil changed and a recall addressed at another dealership. It would also give you a good idea of how valid the tags were. So, from the Carfax, which most people wouldn't buy a car without, you could deduce "you bought the car in 2007, had the oil changed every xxxx miles at XYZ location, had such and such issue addressed at xxxxx miles, and the tags are going to be good til October." It could come off as quite hinkey.

[Tom7227]

JONOV - thanks for the info. That eases my concerns considerably and makes me realize that the stuff the guy had was exactly all those details. Tom