Hy Octane

Subject: Vehicle ID #s and car theft Hmmm!! You would
think the Dealerships would require verification
first.
Seems that car thieves have found yet another way to
steal your car or truck without any effort at all.
The car thieves peer through the windshield of your
car or truck, write down the VIN # from the label on
the dash, go to the local car dealership and request a
duplicate key based on the VIN #. I didn't believe
this e-mail, so I called a friend at Chrysler Dodge
and pretended I had lost my keys. They told me to
just bring in the VIN #, and they would cut me one on
the spot, and I could order the keyless device if I
wanted.
The Car Dealer's Parts Department will make a
duplicate key from the VIN #, and collect payment from
the thief who will return to your car.
He doesn't have to break in, do any damage to the
vehicle, or draw attention to himself. All he has to
do is walk up to your car, insert the key and off he
goes to a local Chop Shop with your vehicle.
You don't believe it? It IS that easy.
To avoid this from happening to you, simply put some
tape (electrical tape, duct tape or medical tape)
across the VIN Metal Label located on the dash board.
By law, you cannot remove the VIN, but you can cover
it so it can't be viewed through the windshield by a
car thief.
I urge you to forward this to your friends before some
other car thief steals another car or truck.
I slipped a 3 x 5 card over the VIN # .

apenay

when i got my used car i ordered a spare but i do remember dealer asking to see registration

apenay

thanks for the advice though... =)

ECMEsq.

...but my registration is locked in my car.

kkemp

This little email gem is more hyperbole than truth. Check www.snopes.com first when you get "advice" like this in your email before you take it to heart.

While it is true that it's theoretically possible for a thief to get keys made for your car using just your VIN, covering the VIN on the dash is not an effective way to stop them. The VIN is written all over the car, and in some states you can look it up with just the plate number. In many places, covering your VIN is specifically illegal, and you can get ticketed by a meter maid for doing so.

P.S. The "N" in VIN stands for number, so "VIN #" is redundant. sorry, just a pet-peeve of mine, like "ATM machine" ;-)

BasicSlvr

........Old news. Many reputable dealers are very hip to this scam.

paulroad

You could have a keey cut to fit.. but if its not programmed for the car you are not going anywhere. Security sytems do abound. Even my old Explorer and Sable would not work without a programmed key.

Mike4.2CBW

... from the Department of Redundancy Department.

CEB

...the only time I got a spare key cut without the registration info is when the shop locked the keys to my car into my [running] car and I wouldn't let them slim-jim it. That was my old Ford Granada.....

skapan

Never leave anything with your home address in the car - the thieves could pay you a visit at home! Registration and insurance stays with the driver, not the car.