License Plate Blur
- Thread starter Skahn21
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ChrisT0pher
New member
Its really easy to look up people's info (including addresses) from plate numbers. Locally, its not a big deal, but posting a pic to 7.6 billion people online changes things.
The general "rule" is: Your car, you choice; someone else's car, blur it. When in doubt, blur it out.
It's like your phone number. Putting up some flyers in town probably won't hurt, but if you post your phone # online, you're gonna get signed up for some lists you don't want on. haha
The general "rule" is: Your car, you choice; someone else's car, blur it. When in doubt, blur it out.
It's like your phone number. Putting up some flyers in town probably won't hurt, but if you post your phone # online, you're gonna get signed up for some lists you don't want on. haha
BlackCloud
Member
In Maryland, any resident can pay a nominal fee to the DMV to have their records blocked. In this day and age, I think it much more likely that a road-raging a-hole would go to the DMV so s/he could learn your identity and do who knows what from there. I recommend that everyone pay the fee if your state so allows.
But the idea that you're exposing yourself to internet demons just by posting a picture of your vehicle's plate online doesn't seem to resonate with me. One poster commented that a particular vehicle with expensive parts might thereby become a target of theft.
Folks, you all drive T4Rs. And no matter how much you love them, and no matter how much junk you put on them, they still don't qualify as expensive, luxury or whatever. Put another way, no matter how much lipstick you put on the pig, it'll never be a Thoroughbred!
But the idea that you're exposing yourself to internet demons just by posting a picture of your vehicle's plate online doesn't seem to resonate with me. One poster commented that a particular vehicle with expensive parts might thereby become a target of theft.
Folks, you all drive T4Rs. And no matter how much you love them, and no matter how much junk you put on them, they still don't qualify as expensive, luxury or whatever. Put another way, no matter how much lipstick you put on the pig, it'll never be a Thoroughbred!
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Snickel Fritz
Guest
I don't want to give anyone ideas, lurker or member... but yes, there are bad things that can come of posting plates online.
I urge everyone to blur out all plates, unless they plan on cancelling them before the pic is published.
If they really are all out to get you- are you still being paranoid?
:tinfoil3:
I urge everyone to blur out all plates, unless they plan on cancelling them before the pic is published.
If they really are all out to get you- are you still being paranoid?
:tinfoil3:
RocketCowboy
New member
On the flip side ... a quick google search on top stolen cars presented a report from the City of Houston ... Toyota trucks are #9 on the list. Toyota cars are #4. It's not the price of the car that makes it a high theft target, it's how quickly they can offload the car/parts for profit.
I used to blur out the license plate for car/motorcycle pictures, but haven't been bothered to anymore. Whatever makes you feel safer online, I suppose.
I used to blur out the license plate for car/motorcycle pictures, but haven't been bothered to anymore. Whatever makes you feel safer online, I suppose.
BlackCloud
Member
People keep saying this, but does anyone have any specific examples, news stories, etc.? I think WallYP's link is right on....
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Snickel Fritz
Guest
Personal experiences, and those of friends. No, I'm not going to be more specific than that, the reason I was vague in the first place is because I don't want to give someone ideas- these posts can be read by anyone with internet access, and show up in search results. It's how most of us found this forum, I imagine.
Sure, your plates are exposed to all manner of people on a daily basis- in your locality. Put it online, and the things that those few (rare) local jerks can do, suddenly become available to countless people around the world that have internet access, and internet jerks are pretty much impossible for you to trace unless they are really stupid. If you catch a local person taking pics of your plate, then you can at least identify the source of mischief should it arise.
But hey, if you wanna post *your* plates online, knock yourself out. I would still advise against it though.
Jbatman
New member
Unfortunately that article doesn't cover all the bases (to be honest I'm not sure if any Doug Demuro article does). As someone else pointed out, not all states shelter that information from the general population. Take TX for example where everything is public record and a license plate number can lead to your driving record, criminal record, address, drivers license #, etc. Sure, there is nothing stopping someone in the car behind you from taking down your information at a stop light and performing the same lookup, but we're talking about a drastic reduction in risk by taking 10 seconds and blurring a number. Case in point... scroll through the TRD FJ Kit suspension thread and you'll find countless people who skimmed craigslist ads and FJ forums for other people's VIN #'s to give to dealers that required an FJ VIN to order. That was a fortunately benign act that was made possible by people posting their VIN #'s online (which is also available to anyone willing to walk up to the vehicle). People will always try and game a system, just because you or I can't think of a reason why someone would do something doesn't mean they won't.
As someone commented earlier, our vehicles are not luxury or exotic but to be fair, those aren't the vehicles that are being stolen either. Thieves will ALWAYS go for the lowest hanging fruit with the best return. Look at the Tahoes/Yukon's where someone can pop the window on the rear hatch and yank the 3rd row seat in less than a minute and sell it on craigslist for $500 all day long. A $1,500 gobi rack held on by a few screws? no problem. How many times do you see someone post that their ditch lights or light bar were stolen?
The point is, why take on the extra risk when it's such a simple act to blur an identifiable number?
As someone commented earlier, our vehicles are not luxury or exotic but to be fair, those aren't the vehicles that are being stolen either. Thieves will ALWAYS go for the lowest hanging fruit with the best return. Look at the Tahoes/Yukon's where someone can pop the window on the rear hatch and yank the 3rd row seat in less than a minute and sell it on craigslist for $500 all day long. A $1,500 gobi rack held on by a few screws? no problem. How many times do you see someone post that their ditch lights or light bar were stolen?
The point is, why take on the extra risk when it's such a simple act to blur an identifiable number?
