Why Cover The License Plates in Your Craigslist Ad?

[RallyeMike]

Somebody help me understand: Why on Craigslist do so many people cover their license plates when they take the photo of the car they are selling? They drive it down the street with the plates uncovered. It sits in the driveway with the plates uncovered. If someone comes by to look at it, the plates will be uncovered  

One idiot in a tinfoil hat did it originally, and now every other seller does it. Am I missing something? Did I miss out when everyone drank the Cool-ade?    

[A383Wing]

yea, I don't get it either....guess they are afraid someone will track them down with the plate number and either steal the car or claim it's theirs....

[Alaskan_TA]

Reason 1 - Paranoia.

Reason 2 - Image stolen for a scam ad.

[ws23rt]

Reason 1 - Paranoia.

Reason 2 - Image stolen for a scam ad.

This is it.

This is of one of the many "tells" about the seller. A buyer and a seller are strangers and dance a dance to find a transaction.

[1974dodgecharger]

People like to think they are James bond?  If they can't see their plates while drIrving it must mean no one else can see it.....

[myk]

People go gonzo over these cars.  If people want to take measures to establish their own feeling of safety then so be it.  

"Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you..."
-Kurt Cobain, 1991

[Cncguy]

People do the same with VIN plates. Why?

[Drache]

Many people I know do the same when taking pictures of their firearms, cover up the serial number.

Paranoids all of them 

[RallyeMike]

Many people I know do the same when taking pictures of their firearms, cover up the serial number.

Paranoids all of them  nana

That's totally different! Us smart ones all know all about the software that scans the internet looking for gun serials, connects it to your address, and builds "the data base".  The robots aren't going to get me in the middle of the night!!!   

[Mike DC]

        
I don't know of any risk for having your license plate up online.  

But 20 years from now a scammer on a foreign continent might come up with something.



This is the internet.  You post it up once, and it's out there forever.   I'll take the default position of "hide it."  This goes for license plates and just about anything else.   

[HANDM]

I like when "paranoids" ask about their vin and write it out as XP29G9XXXXXX and then post a picture of the fender tag that shows the whole VIN

[stripedelete]

Great post rallyemike!  I wondered the same thing.  Especially when it's a 96 Taures.   

[stripedelete]

People go gonzo over these cars.  If people want to take measures to establish their own feeling of safety then so be it.  

"Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you..."
-Kurt Cobain, 1991

That one goes back way further than Kurt.

[1974dodgecharger]

You know I get paranoid that my car wont be famous......I ask people to touch my car, lick it, etc....guess what the response I get is, 'is something wrong with your car?' and guess what no one touches it........

nobody knows my car or either cares for it.......its a great reverse psychology trick folks works like a charm......my car is one of the most hated cars on the internet...I post my liscene plate online no one gives a shit....


Its those people who are so paranoid that get their car stolen....because well you make people intrigued by it as in why is this guy so paranoid he must have something valuable and I want to steal it attitude. 

[Lord Warlock]

Its kind of funny, we didn't care in previous generations, but the current one thinks its risky to put it out there...when they post what salads they ate for lunch, and take pictures of it so we can all see, or they post every detail of their day on twitter, but seem to think someone will steal their plate number...make a counterfeit plate, and use theirs and get them in trouble with the law.  
I don't cover my license tag in pictures...in fact I try to get it in frame since its personalized, 2QIK4U   there, go for it, had the tag now since 1984, keep paying extra for it.  

[myk]

People go gonzo over these cars.  If people want to take measures to establish their own feeling of safety then so be it.  

"Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you..."
-Kurt Cobain, 1991

That one goes back way further than Kurt.

Yeah but I don't....

[68X426]

The license plate for my Road Runner is right there, next to this post, look to your left if you are the Bulgarian Mafia.

Obviously I have zero concern that anyone can figure anything evil to do with it.

Life's too short to sweat this one.

[F8-4life]

The internet basically full of strangers. You can't cover your plate in real life but online its a precaution.

[stripedelete]

People go gonzo over these cars.  If people want to take measures to establish their own feeling of safety then so be it.  

"Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you..."
-Kurt Cobain, 1991

That one goes back way further than Kurt.

Yeah but I don't....

Lol.  I'll quote you on that one day...