BLANKING OUT NO. PLATES

[sleepyrascal]

Whenever I posted pics of my car on NMS, I always used to blank out the reg plate. Then I realised I had no idea why I did this, so I stopped.

Why is it safe to drive around with your plates on display, but not post a pic with your plates on display :question::question: ID theft? I doubt it! Why would someone bother going to the hassle of looking for a plate on a website when they could just as easily walk out their front door and look at a road where cars are driving past or are parked.

Someone once said to me that its because you can get info about a car when someone posts a pic becasue they will describe it. Fair enough. But when I describe my car on NMS, I would say....

"its green, it has 17" alloys, Tinted windows, leather seats...."

Does this mean the chap that told me that cant identify these features by loking at a car in the flesh?? I think not!

Can someone answer this bewilderment of mine???????:)

[The Dogfather]

I'm with you, I've never blanked out my plate :D

[ScottishcooperS]

I just gave the exact same explanation to my mate cos he brought this up
when i never blanked out my plate when i posted pics last week on here.
People see my plate every day in car parks, roads etc!

[Scottie]

I don't blank out my plates but then again I don't know how to.:I

[GAJ]

There's one reason people do this. Paranoia!:p

[sleepyrascal]

AH. I was expecting to get a big lecture about confidentiality responsibility etc etc. Glad to see you all share my thoughts..:D

It must stem from somewhere though!?!?!?!?

My guess was that it is, as Gaj said, simply paranoia!

[duncan]

Well, I must be paranoid.

But then again, I've suffered Identity Fraud twice now, through no fault of my own I may add, so i'll take any precaution to prevent it happening a third time.

[sleepyrascal]

Say i did get hold of someones reg number, which cunningly and coinidentally I have:D;). I have used someones reg plate to gain info. But look at the info you get. What use it it????

Obvioulsy this info is not dangerous to have in the public domain and cannot be used for anything sinister as it comes from a reputable organisation!

Manufacturer: MINI
Model: MINI COOPER
Body type: 3 DOOR HATCHBACK
Colour: GREEN
Fuel type: PETROL
Date manufactured: 01 September 2003
Number of previous owners: 2
Last owner change: 13 July 2005

[sleepyrascal]

quote:Originally posted by duncan

Well, I must be paranoid.

But then again, I've suffered Identity Fraud twice now, through no fault of my own I may add, so i'll take any precaution to prevent it happening a third time.


Totally understand if you don't want to talk about it, but how did it happen? Was it related to your reg plate being seen on a website or anything?

I'm just not convinced that the info to be gained from the regplate is of any use to anyone other than to check that the owner isnt telling porky pies when hes selling it.

[duncan]

Its not related to the MINI, or the number plate, but hey, once bitten, twice shy as they say.

The first identity fraud was related to mobile phone bills and the other one was the recent major scam of Her Majesty's Inland Revenue where 4000 Network Rail staff had personal details, such as Dates Of Birth, NI Numbers and such used to defraud the state.

I just don't want to make it any easier for another attempt, and yes, I know its easy to walk about a car park and take down car numbers.

[Scottie]

I may add I might not blank my number plate but I do shred every single bit of mail that I recieve. Also I bet we would be shocked really shocked on how companies handle our credit/debit copies that they keep. Like Tesco's Next M&S. just how well are these companies audited to see how they destroy their copies. How long do they keep them where do they keep them. H'mm I wonder. In a document box in their admin office.???

[monkimagic]

Using a cars reg and paying a £2,50 fee, the DVLA will tell you certain info on a car. the main thorn here is the address where the car is registered.

So if some one sees a nice green Mini with very nice wheels (and sleepys are nice):p then they know where to find them.

I read about this in Ride where bikes are targeted. you may see a nice bike but unless you follow it, its gone, well all you need is the reg, get the details and up you go, in your own time mind... and be off with the nice Ducati that passed you two weeks ago . remembering your notepad incase you see another on your way back.:disapprove:

You request this by post using postal orders and a P.O box.

Saying that I never bother to delete my reg.:approve:

[The Bull]

The only reason I can think of is that there may be some guy in London with a Mini that matches the description of mine and doesn't want to pay congestion charges. He searches a Mini site for one like his and gets plates made up so I get the bill.

Apart from that I can't see any other reason.

[Wul]

I'm with picklehammer on this one - and for the sake of a minutes photoshopping it keeps people guessing how old your car is! :p

[Burple]

quote:
So if some one sees a nice green Mini with very nice wheels (and sleepys are nice):p then they know where to find them.


This, and Picklehammer's reason are my arguments too.
Say you're out looking to nick nice car or set of wheels from a particular type of car, or in some cases a nice sound system or some nice carbon fibre bits (for example) where do you have the best chance of finding them? Randomly driving about the streets, or on a specialised users' forum where there are pics of nice cars all just lined up together?

I'm happy with my paranoia thanks :D:D

[T6 KFR]

quote:sleepyrascal Posted - 30 Jan 2006 : 21:51:06
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Say i did get hold of someones reg number, which cunningly and coinidentally I have. I have used someones reg plate to gain info. But look at the info you get. What use it it????

Obvioulsy this info is not dangerous to have in the public domain and cannot be used for anything sinister as it comes from a reputable organisation!

Manufacturer: MINI
Model: MINI COOPER
Body type: 3 DOOR HATCHBACK
Colour: GREEN
Fuel type: PETROL
Date manufactured: 01 September 2003
Number of previous owners: 2
Last owner change: 13 July 2005


Sounds VERY like my car Ewan!! cheeky cheeky:)

[zimbo]

quote:Originally posted by low_n_loud1


I'm happy with my paranoia thanks :D:D




Me too... I read somewhere recently that some people use other peoples registration plates for driving past the likes of gatso cameras and speed enforcement vans etc and obviously its you or who evers reg details they have on the vehicle that will get the ticket/points etc, then you've got all the hassle of trying to prove that it was'nt you blah blah blah...

Sorry but it's better to be safe than sorry IMO.

[sleepyrascal]

So it would seem that although the risk is relatively tiny, there is still a risk.

Worth thinking about..

[The Dogfather]

There's also a tiny risk of a meteor hitting you as you walk down the street.

Worth thinking about?

[sleepyrascal]

quote:Originally posted by bad dog mini

There's also a tiny risk of a meteor hitting you as you walk down the street.

Worth thinking about?


A METEOR...... HITTING US..... WHAT!!!! :(:eek::(:(:(:question::question:

AS I WALK DOWN THE STREET!!?!??!?!?!?! :eek::eek::eek::eek:

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!



:D

[The Dogfather]

Look out!!!!!! ;) :p

[The Bull]

Mind ya heed!