SPOTTED - 'Was it you?' thread

[Kind of Blue]

Years ago we used not to publish someone’s registration plate and yet mow frequently it is included. however usually when people publish there own vehicle the registration plate is hidden or edited out. This comment is not aimed at any particular poster because it is a trend that is happening else where also.

There may be many reasons why people may not want there number plate image published while some may not object at all. I do know if mine was put up I would not answer. Years ago on some forum it was considered against the rules.

 

[soldas]

Who you hiding from @Kind of Blue ?

 

[Kind of Blue]

Who you hiding from @Kind of Blue ?

You may like to know, but I could not possibly comment.

 

[soldas]

This isn't a loaded question, I don't actually know.

What information can you find out from a reg? MOT, tax etc

But can you find any personal/location info?

 

[Bav]

This isn't a loaded question, I don't actually know.

What information can you find out from a reg? MOT, tax etc

But can you find any personal/location info?

I don't think the issue is what info people can obtain from a VRN - as you say, MOT details and VED status is about the sum of it - but some unscrupulous folks may want to use your van's VRN to hide the true identity of their own vehicle.

 

[Sasquatch]

But can you find any personal/location info?

Only the dibble or authorised busineses (parking enforcement firms or the like) can get an address.

If you're a bobby/ex bobby and have worked in certain sensitive or high-risk roles you'll be PNC "blocked" and it won't be given to anyone other than police forces dealing with motoring offences, and they'd get it directly themselves anyway. Take the pith with this and they'll remove the privilege, but the occasional parking ticket will stop dead there for the lack of a name and address.

Theoretically, if a van has finance and you knew the name of the finance company you could nobble an employee and perhaps get it that way.

 

[EAN]

You can get the registered name and address from a registration number if you have “reasonable cause”, even as a private individual.
There’s a form for it: V888.

The following gives details of what is “reasonable cause” and what supporting info is required with the form V888.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/673b5b23ed0fc07b53499b10/mis546-giving-people-information-from-our-vehicle-record.pdf

You don’t have to be Police or an authorised business, but you do need to have an acceptable reason for requiring such.

 

[Sasquatch]

Aye, but the rejection rate is ferocious. For example, theyll tend not to give it private individuals no matter how good their excuse (although not universally) but they'll be more likely to give it to solicitors working on behalf of such individuals - solicitors by the nature of their being and code of practice (generally) won't lie and will substantiate the reason for the application.

 

[Kind of Blue]

I would like to see a policy adopted on this forum requiring number plates not to be reproduced or quoted because some of the reasons quoted above and for basic privacy. Besides the forum could potentially be putting its self at risk for damages in worse case scenario. In the past I have been on forum where posers where asked not to post registration details in the first instance and to remove them and if it was not speedily adhered to the the post was removed as a matter of policy post haste so to say. When people posted there own number they where reminded of the risks. In any case it is a matter of privacy.

 

[Martinw]

I think the two most concerning things are unscrupulous people using a duplicate set of plates they have seen to disguise their own van, or questions being asked if someone's van is seen not where it should be at the time...

 

[DaveD]

My view is that if post a pic of my T6 on here with the plate visible any issues I have as a result are 100% my fault, not the fault of the Forum.
I certainly would not post a picture of any body else's van with on here.
Any criminal could go on Autotrader or EBay any very quickly find a matching vehicle of the correct colour to clone the plates onto a stolen vehicle.