License Plate Concealment

[KevinT70]

I know I'll feel stupid once I get your guys' response to this:

Why do people conceal or remove their vehicle license plates when posting pix on this site and others, like EBAY, etc.? Are people afraid that some whacko is going to report their vehicle was present during a crime? Is it a privacy/identity theft issue?

Since we drive our rigs around everyday with our license plates fully exposed, just don't see what the big deal is.

Just curious...

Thanks

 

[TexasBronco]

I think it has to do with the open files act ( or something like that)...where someone can get your name and home address from your license plate from the DMV

 

[73stallion]

one thing that comes to mind is that some theif may see pics of a really nice bronco, get your address from the LP, and rip off your rig.

 

[asabadin]

I know I'll feel stupid once I get your guys' response to this:

Why do people conceal or remove their vehicle license plates when posting pix on this site and others, like EBAY, etc.? Are people afraid that some whacko is going to report their vehicle was present during a crime? Is it a privacy/identity theft issue?

Since we drive our rigs around everyday with our license plates fully exposed, just don't see what the big deal is.

Just curious...

Thanks

I agree with the thief comment. One less guy knowing where my pony sleeps the better. Last summer they actually busted a bronco thieving ring in southern california. Have you ever added up what a nice rig parted out is worth? Enough clams to motivate some skidmark of a person to try and boost your rig. Not to mention you can stick that thing in a container and sell it for just as much if not more overseas than here. With computer technology what it is today, there is not a document out there that cannot be forged.

 

[roundhouse]

I dont live at the addy my tag is registered to anyway.
I moved and forgot to tell the DMV.

saved my bacon big time many years ago, from an angry/jealous person who had access to DMV records.

He was really pissed after he drove 3 hours to find out the addy was a state park.

My story is in the book.
Not gonna tell ya what page.

http://www.howtobeinvisible.com/

 

[KevinT70]

Thanks for the info.

So, other than having a "friend" at the DMV or in Law Enforcement, can anyone just go to their state's DMV (or website) and get an address based solely on the license plate #? I just didn't realize that was possible.

Regardless, seems like a reasonable precaution to take considering the scope of the Web...

 

[RolledItAgain]

Kevin, I can see you plate in your avitar... I know where you sleep at night. ;D ;D ;D

 

[Steve]

So, other than having a "friend" at the DMV or in Law Enforcement, can anyone just go to their state's DMV (or website) and get an address based solely on the license plate #? I just didn't realize that was possible.

Don't know about any other states, but in CO you can't go to a website or call the DMV to get info about a license plate #. However, keep in mind that if you can get the VIN for any vehicle (quite easy for all vehicles made in the past couple of decades or more) you can get lots of information, including current owner, from a CarFax report.

 

[4x4babygirl]

P-p-p-p-paranoia will destroy ya...

I don't live my life being afraid, I'll post my tag, and have. Wanna come steal my rig? Come on with it. You might find my street sweeper will tell you otherwise. Wanna come bother me at my house? You might get a throat full of German shepherd teeth. If it's risky to post my tag info, then it's just as risky to come to my house.

If someone wants to find out personal info, they will. There's more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[72bronco]

Thanks for the info.

So, other than having a "friend" at the DMV or in Law Enforcement, can anyone just go to their state's DMV (or website) and get an address based solely on the license plate #? I just didn't realize that was possible.

Regardless, seems like a reasonable precaution to take considering the scope of the Web...

No, you cannot just to to a website and put in a license plate number to get the name and address for a registered vehicle. Its not that easy. But lots of government agencies have access to that kind of information and employees of those agencies can pretty much access that info at will. If you have any family member who works in law enforcement or at the DMV you can get pretty much anything. I know having several relatives in law enforcement that it doesn't take much for them to look things up. I have another relative who works for the Department of Water and Power who has access to all kinds of interesting stuff. If I had a license plate number available to me I guarantee that I know at least a few people that could and would be willing to look it up for me.

Plus you can be assured that theft rings that steal cars for a living would have their own contacts as well. I just figure its better to be safe than sorry. No reason to make it easier on the bad guys than you have to.

By the way, a carfax report does not give out information about the owner of a vehicle. It will list the number of owners and title transfers and the city in which the vehicle is registered.

 

[4x4babygirl]

So, it sounds to me like I have more to fear from the folks who are supposed to keep my information safe and secure... What's up with that?

 

[72bronco]

So, it sounds to me like I have more to fear from the folks who are supposed to keep my information safe and secure... What's up with that?

Are you actually suprised by that? The real issue is that too many people have access to the information with little or no safeguards in place.

I'll tell you in interesting, related story that happened to me quite recently. I was selling a car and was contacted by an interested party who operated a local battered women's shelter. One of the things they do to protect some of these women is to provide them with vehicles so that they have basic transportation and can get to and from their jobs. A problem that they often have is that the abuser/stalker will track them down though DMV records to find out where they've moved. Because of this her organization purchases vehicles that are registered under a different name and address in order to protect the women. During my conversation with her she said that by far the number one batterers of women were police officers and they had the most difficulty protecting those women because of their abuser's access to private information.

 

[asabadin]

There is a thin line between a cop and a criminal's mental profile.

 

[Fathom]

Well, all california DMV request are logged.

So if you think someone ran your plate to find out where you live, DMV can do a search and find everyone who ran that plate.

It gets investigated and people get fired for it. Some even get charges filled against them (depending on if a crime is the direct result of the information).

The privacy issue is not taken lightly!

But if you want to see something scary...Go Here!

It had every house I lived, currently live in, and relatives (X-wife) address.

Fathom

 

[KevinT70]

Well, all california DMV request are logged.

So if you think someone ran your plate to find out where you live, DMV can do a search and find everyone who ran that plate.

It gets investigated and people get fired for it. Some even get charges filled against them (depending on if a crime is the direct result of the information).

The privacy issue is not taken lightly!

But if you want to see something scary...Go Here!

It had every house I lived, currently live in, and relatives (X-wife) address.

Fathom

That IS scary. Now I wish I had a more common name. Thanks to all for the info.

 

[Awnrie69]

Fathom, that was just plain scary.. I wished that I did not see that.. I guess I like living in denial... That was way to freaky and on top if it, there is a direct link to map quest to give you directions

 

[Jason TN]

What you guys dont sleep in your Bronco??? And you call yourselves men?!? Just kiddin

I just wanted to take the time to tell everyone here thx again for all the help and making me feel at home here on this forum. Im pretty new but already am impressed with all the brotherhood Ive seen.

 

[feitctaj]

Well, all california DMV request are logged.

So if you think someone ran your plate to find out where you live, DMV can do a search and find everyone who ran that plate.

It gets investigated and people get fired for it. Some even get charges filled against them (depending on if a crime is the direct result of the information).

The privacy issue is not taken lightly!

But if you want to see something scary...Go Here!

It had every house I lived, currently live in, and relatives (X-wife) address.

Fathom

Fathom ,I am pretty sure that is all 50 States, Someone from the Dmv, has to justify runnin a plate, and the Police are documented. But in TAcoma the Police chief ran a few plates to keep stalking his EX, and who she was with, then went and Shot her in front of their kids and then turned it on himself.
She kept saying he was stalking her and the Other folks would not believe her.
Most Police are doing their job, but a few are Barney Fife Types, but they get a couple of clips!

 

[ORVP]

Well mine is right behind me in the Garage. Nice and snuggled up.

No really everything does get tracked everytime a plate gets run every time a cop requests a drivers history ect. everything. In OR anyone can request a vehicle plate info for 5 bucks but only by snail mail. The only way you can really hide yourself is through special permission from the Gov. of your state. And you have to have a damb good reason. But as a friend reciently found out if the cops run your plate and it does not come back have a copy of the letter with your registration. Talk about a long wait on a traffic stop. His wife was driving his car.

Did I every mention my day job has something to do with LE, video is truelly a hobby at this point. As far as scary you are dead right if someone really wants to find you it is easier than one thinks.

 

[rustbucket]

A few years back, when I lived in Seattle, I saw a car parked that I wanted to see if I could buy. I wrote the plate number down, went to the local DMV, filled out a form and handed it to the teller with five or ten bucks. That's all it took to get the info I needed to contact the owner. In my opinion, blurring the plate numbers online is a waste of time. I don't know how many people actually see this info online, but driving around in the real world, hundreds, if not thousands of people have access to it every day just in passing.