Do you have a new car, or have you had it customized? People who are proud of their vehicles are often tempted to post photos or videos online.
But if you do want to show off your ride on social media, this expert advises you to blur out your number plate first.
Vincent Iachetta Jr., president of Peppermonkey Media, explains how criminals can exploit pictures of your number plate.
1. Your Vehicle Could Be ‘Cloned’
Every day, criminals are trawling through social media looking for cars of the same model and color as theirs so they can steal license numbers.
Criminals will copy your vehicle’s license number onto a duplicate number plate, and then affix it to their car – meaning they can do whatever they like while pinning all the blame on you.
Vincent says, ‘You’ll be clueless until you receive unexpected fines or penalty charges for vehicle offenses like speeding or illegal parking.’
Additionally, you could be invoiced for unexplained toll fees or accused of driving away without paying for your fuel.
Worse still, you could be implicated in illegal activities such as unauthorized surveillance or robbery.
You’d then have to spend a lot of time and money trying to prove your innocence.
2. Your Identity Could Be Stolen
Your number plate details are a great starting point for thieves to gather more information about you.
It’s also why the UK’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)/USA’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) says it’s imperative not to post photos of your vehicle logbook on selling sites or social media.
According to Vincent, ‘Once thieves have your details, they can find and use your personal or financial information without your permission.’
3. You Could Be Stalked
Do you want your license plate to tell criminals where you work, live, or frequently visit? As well as potentially gaining access to your address by looking up your details with your license plates, your photo itself could contain background landmarks and image metadata that will give away your location.
This could leave you wide open to being burgled or having your car stolen. Alternatively, unsavory individuals could harass and stalk you as you walk home from work or go shopping.
Vincent says, ‘It’s vital to safeguard all your personal data online – even seemingly mundane details such as your car license number. Never post photos of your car on social media unless you first pixelate or obscure the number plates.’
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