In article >,
Mike Romain > wrote:

> jeffcoslacker wrote:
> >
> > Mike Romain Wrote:
> > > Why? Do you run a chop shop and want all the VIN's you can get your
> > > fingers on?
> > >
> > > That would be the 'only' reason I could think of for some internet
> > > freak
> > > to want numbers...
> > >
> > > Mike
> >
> > VIN# tells you everything you need to know about equipment, version,
> > production date, etc. Having VIN numbers would be of no use to a chop
> > shop. It's right in your windshield for the whole world to see, not
> > like it's a big secret...:screwy:
> >
> > --
> > jeffcoslacker
>
> The VIN also gives the country and name and address of the vehicle owner
> and here in Canada any creditors or your banking institution's name. If
> you want your name and address and financing to be public, that might be
> fine, but in this day of identity theft and the fact that chop shops can
> print out 'new' VIN's.....
>
> Folks should be aware just what and how much a VIN gives away....

Be aware, sure, but realize that by law, it's displayed right there in
the corner of your windshield for anyone with a passing interest to
read, copy, or otherwise access for whatever purpose (or none
whatsoever) they might have.

Unless you're a cop, or have a court order, I'd expect that it's *VERY*
difficult, if not impossible, to cross-reference a VIN number into any
information about financial and/or ownership details without being
associated with/having the permission of the leinholder or owner, while
the other info it encodes is mostly pretty easy to look up.

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