Why do we disguise license plates?

This is just a random question, wasn't sure where to put it, but since the 4th generation crowd is the most intelligent I thought I'd throw it up here.

 

Why, when posting pictures on the internet, do we disguise the license plate number? Especially on a forum where you are generally an anonymous screen name?

 

I'll admit I'm guilty of doing it myself. But honestly, anyone walking down a street or driving down the highway can see your plate number. I can't imagine that you can use the plate info to trace anyone down (unless of course you work for the right department and are a shady gov't employee, but if that's the case you could use car type and color with general location just as easily). Is everyone afraid someone will file a false complaint on the number? or create a fake plate with your info? If that's the case, someone you pass on the highway could do the same....

 

Just something I've been wondering, curious to see what the reasons are. I'm not saying you should'nt disguise it either, just curious why.

I've wondered why anyone bothers too. I never covered mine for the few pics I put up. I post on a shooting forum quite a bit and pretty much everyone there blurs the serial numbers of their guns when they post close-up pics, which makes more sense, but still overrated I think.

So it'll be that much harder for thieves to find out where you live and steal all those expensive mods on your car. Or your entire car. Or rob your house. Or...

To make it harder For the police since they are starting to use YouTube to catch street racers

 

Who knows they may start using google to profile for illegal modifications like tinted tail lights

So it'll be that much harder for thieves to find out where you live and steal all those expensive mods on your car. Or your entire car. Or rob your house. Or...

 

This ^

 

Its one thing to see your car on the street. Its completely different when someone knows whats in it, mods, etc. Thieves can just go in a local forum, find the cars that they know will have some good parts, do their homework by just searching a few keywords to locate you and BAM, your car is gone.

Here's my build thread.

Here's what is on my car and how much it cost.

Here's my plate so you can use your thieving ways to figure out where I live.

Here's my build thread.

Here's what is on my car and how much it cost.

Here's my plate so you can use your thieving ways to figure out where I live.

 

...and since I can afford a few nice toys, don't forget to hit the house...

That's why I use fake plates all the time...

So it'll be that much harder for thieves to find out where you live and steal all those expensive mods on your car. Or your entire car. Or rob your house. Or...

 

I understand that logic, but my follow up question is HOW can they find out where you live with your plate number? And they could just as easily see your car in a parking lot and see the FMIC, and peek in and see a nice stereo setup, notice the nice upgraded exhaust and expensive rims and make the same inference.... It seems to me that someone with the means to get your personal info from a license plate will have means to find nice houses to hit without trolling internet forums and looking for a nice car in hopes to find a plate number that may be close enough for them to hit.

 

To make it harder For the police since they are starting to use YouTube to catch street racers

 

Who knows they may start using google to profile for illegal modifications like tinted tail lights

 

Now this could very well be legit and understandable.

 

I read a story a while back (I think it was linked on here) where a kid bragged on a BMW forum about how fast he was driving and the police posted on the forum asking for clues and hunted him down and arrested him.

 

Again I'm not trying to undermind the practice or say it isn't a good idea, just looking for some concrete reasons why.

Since mods can view your IP address, cant the smarter thieves use that to find you too?

 

Should I be viewing this through a proxy???

I understand that logic, but my follow up question is HOW can they find out where you live with your plate number?

They'd have to be law enforcement or work for the DMV to have access to that information.

Or find someone bribable at DMV.

 

Over here it's accessible to the public. Send a text message with the plate number and get back what you need.

 

You can even get some of the stuff online.

I understand that logic, but my follow up question is HOW can they find out where you live with your plate number? And they could just as easily see your car in a parking lot and see the FMIC, and peek in and see a nice stereo setup, notice the nice upgraded exhaust and expensive rims and make the same inference.... It seems to me that someone with the means to get your personal info from a license plate will have means to find nice houses to hit without trolling internet forums and looking for a nice car in hopes to find a plate number that may be close enough for them to hit.Again I'm not trying to undermind the practice or say it isn't a good idea, just looking for some concrete reasons why.

 

There are plenty of services that will allow you to do a license plate lookup.

 

In the end, you want to make it more difficult for thieves to target you so they'll move on to an easier one. It's the same reason why you lock your door. If a thief wants in, he's getting in. You lock your door hoping he'll move on to the guy that didn't.

 

Another reason is retaliation. Do you want someone that you got into an argument with on the internet easily recognizing your car so they can vandalize it? I don't. I can go on and on with the reasons why you should blur out your plates, but there's no reason not to.

^ Valid arguments. Good point with the door locks. I agree 100% on that. If they want in, they'll get in, but if it's quick, easy and quiet they're definitely getting in.

 

I guess I just don't think people will go to the trouble, when there are easier ways to find a car to target. I guess you can't blame someone for being overcautious.

The OP brings up a great point. If I thought anyone wanted to jack my car I'd throw a pic up of the license plate and say if you find it you can have it. I'm calling bullsheviks though.

Since mods can view your IP address, cant the smarter thieves use that to find you too?

 

Should I be viewing this through a proxy???

I use Tor on everything!

I used to have an Integra I had fully modded to run in the old STS class at auto-x. I posted every single one of my mods with photos, walkthroughs, etc. on a couple different forums, never blurred my plate. Then one day I notice a car following me home from school. Took a bunch of different random turns, he stuck with me, so I drove to the police station. Needless to say, he didn't follow me into that lot. I filed a report on it and the officer that took my report asked me if I posted pictures and info of my car online. I told him I did and he told me to go home and remove any pictures with my plates in them. He told me there was quite a few instances popping up of vehicles being targeted by thieves/chop shops based on things posted online. Easy bang for their buck. 10 minutes of online research and they can find a car worth their time instead of spending hours and hours driving around blindly looking for something that might be worth their time. This was about 6 years ago so I can only imagine it's gotten worse with time.

or you could do it on purpose and sit at your window with a 22...

Easy bang for their buck. 10 minutes of online research and they can find a car worth their time instead of spending hours and hours driving around blindly looking for something that might be worth their time.

 

Exactly. Pretty much evey forum will have several cars with some serious cash put into them.

or you could do it on purpose and sit at your window with a 22...

 

30-06...

^.308

12 gauge and .45 but I've always liked things more personal.

guy guys...you still want him to have to explain to the police why he was there lol unless all of you are sharpshooters.

 

that reminds me, and sorry OP for the quick change of subject, remind me again why were not allowed to have any type of antitheft that could injure the person committing the crime?

Some of us will remember when a member from this board busted an Audi Forum member for reckless driving (excessive speeding on public roads). The Audi guy was bragging, sharing photos and I believe had a video of his actions on the streets. A few LGT members thought it would be a good idea to put a stop to this guy as he was endanger other people. So, one of the members was able to get his license plate #, SN, and discriptions from the Audi forum and turned it into the local police where the Audi guy lived. Long story short, the Audi guy got busted by the police. Thanks to him for sharing all his information on the forums.

I use Tor on everything!

 

You are more patient than I am.

 

Generally, if I can do something simple to improve my security or if it's a generally accepted practice, I'm cool with it. Do I think it's trivial to use the license plate from photos? Not really.