Obscured number plates on sales pitches

[Lester H]

Is anyone else put off by this Increasingly common ploy ,especially by wannabe classic dealers? It stops any mot checks by potential buyers ( occasionally if you click on the overall site you can see the car in the background, in its normal state). The whole thing looks pretentious at best and devious at worst. If the cars are as “pristine” as described, what is there to be shy about? I know the so called carriage trade have done this for years under banners like ‘The Hon Jeremy Scot - Chetwynde and Stepsons’ but a 1936 Rolls 20/25 is a bit different from a Focus.

Edited by Lester H on Friday 11th December 22:25

[ChrisH72]

When I sold my car a few months ago I did obscure the plates in the pics. Reason was I had heard of scams where scumbags would clone cars from classified ads which is very easy to do. If anyone was interested in the car all they need to do is phone and ask for the reg so they can check the cars history. I don't think it's necessarily a ploy or hiding anything, just trying to keep safe really.

[Colonel Cupcake]

ChrisH72 said:

When I sold my car a few months ago I did obscure the plates in the pics. Reason was I had heard of scams where scumbags would clone cars from classified ads which is very easy to do. If anyone was interested in the car all they need to do is phone and ask for the reg so they can check the cars history. I don't think it's necessarily a ploy or hiding anything, just trying to keep safe really.

How do you tell the difference between a prospective buyer calling you and a cloner phoning you?

[Elliot2000]

Colonel Cupcake said:

How do you tell the difference between a prospective buyer calling you and a cloner phoning you?

I think he means a scammer/cloner will just go off the reg in the pics so cover them up.

But people who phone up are more likely to be genuine and then you can give them the reg for them to do their checks

[ambuletz]

There are so many other cars for sale that don't have the license plate obscured. A potential plate cloner will just get the reg off another listing rather than call up. so obscuring is a perfectly vaild thing to do.

bit like a bike theif going for the bike with the least security/crapper locks

[craigjm]

ChrisH72 said:

When I sold my car a few months ago I did obscure the plates in the pics. Reason was I had heard of scams where scumbags would clone cars from classified ads which is very easy to do. If anyone was interested in the car all they need to do is phone and ask for the reg so they can check the cars history. I don't think it's necessarily a ploy or hiding anything, just trying to keep safe really.

Because they can’t do that when your car is parked in the street with the plate on show for everyone to see?

[Graveworm]

craigjm said:

Because they can’t do that when your car is parked in the street with the plate on show for everyone to see?

The number of people with that intent, who might pass the car in the street will be far fewer than could search the classifieds for a make and model.

[Burgerbob]

Obscuring the reg puts me off. One of the first things I do when browsing for cars is check the mot. If I can't see the reg then I can't do this...

I can understand dealers of higher end cars doing this, but unless there is something to hide then I think it's a mistake for a seller to obscure the reg.

[Wagonwheel555]

Burgerbob said:

Obscuring the reg puts me off. One of the first things I do when browsing for cars is check the mot. If I can't see the reg then I can't do this...

I can understand dealers of higher end cars doing this, but unless there is something to hide then I think it's a mistake for a seller to obscure the reg.

Exactly this. I want to do the MOT check beforehand to see if it’s a shed and/or the mileage adds up. I tend to just skip by if they have obscured the plate.

[brightonpad]

I do this, I just makes the cars look better in the photos IMHO. That does depend somewhat on the quality of the over plates and their application, but if done correctly then I think it looks fine.

I do list the reg in the text so that MoT history can be checked, but for those dealers that don’t, I’m sure a phone call would result in the info being supplied....

[Richard-D]

I find it a bit irritating but I understand why people do it. In reality I think it's unlikely to result in your car being cloned but logically it must increase the risk. If I was wanting to clone a car that's where I would look. I don't do it when I sell a car as that would make me a hypocrite.

[Drezza]

I wouldn't buy a car with it covered, makes it appear as if they're hiding something.

[ClaphamGT3]

It's a definite off-putter from me.

The sort of people who conceal their car's registration in an advert are going to be exactly the sort of tin-foil hat wearing Norbert Fannybatter types that life is just too short to have to deal with.

[craigjm]

dibbers006 said:

It's easy to shop for stealable models with the internet...

• • Search classifieds for Golf R
• • Use reg HERE
• • ???
• • Profit

The DVLA won’t tell you who owns it and where they live unless your request meets very strict criteria which for a private individual is pretty much never

[Hutch33]

I got scammed by someone who rang up to view the car. I was asked if it was on the road and insured for test drive. A week later I was apparently in a crash in the centre of Manchester. It took six months to prove it was a scam. Unbelievable but true. Hence you need to see my cars in future if you want to buy.