[dallascajun]

OK, my wife and I have gone back and forth on this one, so I thought I'd put the question out to the group and get your thoughts on it.

Her Thought Process:
* Don't show your car with plates on the internet as it is a personal security issue as people can look up your personal info (address, etc) for either theft or other internet crimes.

My Thought Process:
* It doesn't matter is my plates show up on the internet because hundreds of people see my car/plates everyday on the road (and can/have take pictures if they so please) and therefore can initiate the same type of criminal activity just as easily.

Am I missing something? How careful are you about posting pictures of your car(s) with the plates being visible (not blurred/hidden)? If you do hide them, what is your reasoning?

Let me also preface that I'm not looking for any explanations of HOW people might go about performing malicious efforts based on Plates/Models, just what the concerns are. In my mind, being 'ignorant' on HOW is better for me. But being 'educated' on WHY is not a bad thing.

[TeutonicCarFan]

You used to own all those porsches? Definitely don't post your plate.

[DJ]

This:

"My Thought Process:
* It doesn't matter is my plates show up on the internet because hundreds of people see my car/plates everyday on the road (and can/have take pictures if they so please) and therefore can initiate the same type of criminal activity just as easily."

[Jeff_NJ]

Correct me if I am wrong, but unless the person is in law enforcement or can prove a legitimate need for the info to the state's DMV, I know of no way to get personal info from looking up a license plate. In fact, it is illegal (DPPA), so any website claiming to be able to do it is breaking the law or scamming you. A very few people may be able to get it surreptitiously, but the average Joe has no access.

[Dutchnick]

I always hide license plates. Once something goes on the Internet it stays there forever.

[Tsar]

Yea, I don't bother hiding my license plates.
1. Like you said, hundreds of people see it every time I drive somewhere.
2. When someone wants to steal your crap, they will.

[Erppa]

I got my warranty voided due to pictures on my car on the track.

[dallascajun]

Thanks for the responses. The one issues that makes the most sense is that fact that anyone into these types of crimes know to look on these types of sites due to the concentration of potential targets as opposed to sheer luck. But I guess someone could easily hang out around a car dealership and see all the cars coming in and out of service to collect the same type of information in a much more concentrated environment,

I think protecting the car is one thing, but by extension there's more concern for residential and identity theft. Anyone driving a high-end car probably lives in a nice place with a fair amount of nice material items and decent finances to target.

I've heard that DMV-like info is available for a fee in some states, but no real knowledge of such 'services'.


Now, losing your warranty because it's been tracked is BS. Hopefully it wasn't a Porsche as they do so much to promote tracking their cars...but I'm sure the devil is in the details.

[flatcrank]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ »

It doesn't matter is my plates show up on the internet because hundreds of people see my car/plates everyday on the road

There's not much you can do aside from avoid driving in bad neighborhoods, but that's no reason to extend the risk to the Internet when there's zero advantage in leaving the plates visible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff_NJ »

\I know of no way to get personal info from looking up a license plate. In fact, it is illegal (DPPA)

The "background check" services do find personal information in public records and of course, criminals, in the business of breaking the law aren't hampered by what's illegal or unethical. Suffice to say that with little more than your name and any recent address, a $100 background check will reveal every detail about you even if you've gone to some lengths to protect your personal data, even if you've moved overseas or paid hundreds and thousands to have your personal data obscured, buried or expunged.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutchnick »

I always hide license plates. Once something goes on the Internet it stays there forever.

That's the only fact of the matter -- once information is on the Web, it's in permanent copies and archives by numerous companies that profit from data aggregation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tsar »

Yea, I don't bother hiding my license plates.
1. Like you said, hundreds of people see it every time I drive somewhere.
2. When someone wants to steal your crap, they will.

There's no sense in a fatalistic approach ("something bad always happens sooner or later") or a defeatist resignation ("why lock my doors, they'll only break in the windows.") The issue and the decision is first and simplest to ask whether there's any advantage whatsoever to publicizing your car's plates.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erppa »

I got my warranty voided due to pictures on my car on the track.

This used to be a conspiracy theory, but it's also happened to me that PCNA commented on my track driving with PCA and registration with local track event operators. That kind of Orwellian Big Brother behavior is not part of what I'd call a healthy relationship between customer and vendor.

I'd suggest everyone use a fake name, generic vehicle description (just put something like your time trial designation rather than year/make/model) and obscure the plates and VIN (no kidding, tape it over ... it's even visible when the wing is up on the 991 Carrera) before attending any event.

[ECB]

to prevent stuff like that

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike S »

To elaborate on that.

One day, my one dealer asked me if I know this particular person. Which clearly didn't ring any bells, but apparently this guy was ranting on about all my recent automotive purchases and knew what I have under my roof.

A bit creepy IMO.

Another time I had a note left on my windscreen asking "Is that you Mike?" with their contact details.

So hence my random choices of locations, at least it might put any new lurkers off.

EDIT: Sorry for the thread jack, back on topic!

privacy is very important,..especially nowadays when customers,employers,neighbours etc creep around the interwebz for personal info about you