blanking out reg on car ads

fred252

would there be any legitimate reason for doing this?

i'm inclined to be less interested in the car if i see that the numbers on the reg have been blacked out

-Corkie-

+1. It has been discussed here before marginally but I cannot understand it. Unless the car was something I really wanted I would not waste my time enquiring about it. Also some sellers do have a horrible attitude in their advertisments which would turn you off aswell.

pajor

Can't think myself of a legit reason.

Always think that they have something to hide and they don't want you knowing about its dark and murky history!!

Divorce Referendum

It seems that the practice originated in the UK and is done to stop people making a ringer of the car. I know at trackdays they remove the reg numbers as well when they put the photos online. I cant see why you would do it on a banger though.

Abelloid

A neighbour's Impreza had it's plates copied after it was advertised for sale online, the cloned car went on a bit of joyride through Smithfield and the Gardaí here in Cork arrived at his doorstep. That's just one anecdote, I'm sure there are more.

As a buyer I like to see the reg, and I agree, it is a little off-putting to see it blacked out in pics.

bmw535d

to stop people going to commit a crime say a robbery, going online looking for similar cars to the one they intend using and cloning the number plates of another car.

Max_Damage

bmw535d wrote: »

to stop people going to commit a crime say a robbery, going online looking for similar cars to the one they intend using and cloning the number plates of another car.

Or they could just walk down the street...

kirving

They could, but since ANPR, criminals really need a reg number of another car which is exaclty the same, or it could be spotted very easily.

Much easier to do online than trawl the streets looking for a 2006, White, 2.2L, etc, etc..

Hootanany

How do you do it then many thanks in advance

Divorce Referendum

Max_Damage wrote: »

Or they could just walk down the street...

Its open to a much bigger audience on the internet. Think of how many thousand cloners/fraudsters view car sites and how many may possibly live in your area. Plus if he is cloning a particular car he just puts in the make, model and colour and bobs your uncle. Take him a long time to spot a similar car around the locality.

coylemj

Max_Damage wrote: »

Or they could just walk down the street...

Exactly, why does putting your car with the reg visible up on a website suddenly expose you to having your plates cloned when you've been driving it on public roads and parking it in public streets and car parks for years?

The problem is with motor factors producing plates for people without asking for proof that they own a car with that registration.

Any time someone on boards asks how to get replacement plates produced, people like me tell them to go to a dealer or motor factors and bring the reg. cert along in case it's asked for, you then see a raft of snooty replies saying that so and so motor factors produced a plate or plates for the poster without asking for the cert, that's where the problem lies.

Max_Damage

Jesus, you people are paranoid.

Divorce Referendum

Max_Damage wrote: »

Jesus, you people are paranoid.

I never said that I block out my reg plates but there is people that have had their car cloned so you have to understand it.

bmw535d

Divorce Referendum wrote: »

I never said that I block out my reg plates but there is people that have had their car cloned so you have to understand it.

+1 i don't think anyone here does it, i just pointed out why other people do it, as you should know people are idiots.

Max_Damage

bmw535d wrote: »

as you should know people are idiots.

True point.

Abelloid

Max_Damage wrote: »

Jesus, you people are paranoid.

I don't think its paranoia at all, that would suggest there is a very real fear that it will happen, but I think its just taking steps to make sure it can't. You lock your doors at night, right? Paranoid?
I wouldn't have thought plate cloning would be an issue, but one anecdote is enough to change my mind.

Not that I'd bother myself, but I can understand why people do.

Abelloid

Max_Damage wrote: »

Or they could just walk down the street...

If I was cloning a plate I'd choose one from the other side of the country, just to be safe.

Atlantic Dawn

Max_Damage wrote: »

Or they could just walk down the street...

Yes but if you have stolen a 2007 blue Ford Focus ST and are looking for a car to clone unless you are incredibly lucky you are not going to spot one for weeks or months on the streets, instead go on to donedeal or carzone and I have one in 10 seconds, here is my clone if I had the stolen car, this legitimises the car I have stolen for getting around ANPR and I could probably drive it around for months without anyone being the wiser...



http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201049200461408

delly

The funniest is when you see a blanked reg, then see a close up of the nct disk with the reg for all to see.