Often times when people talk about serial numbers, either on this board or on the B&S, they hide the last few digits of the serial number. Why is this? It's not a credit card or a social security number. What are people trying to protect against?
It's the internet and there are disturbed individuals that could work a scam knowing specifics AND having a picture to go with.
It's not paranoia, rather a sign of the times...protecting what's yours, Ariel.
trenchmonkey wrote:
It's the internet and there are disturbed individuals that could work a scam knowing specifics AND having a picture to go with.
It's not paranoia, rather a sign of the times...protecting what's yours, Ariel.
Remember TM just because you're paranoid doesn't mean you're not being followed.
Stunnaz wrote:
What about car license plates... why do people blur out those? I mean, it's on full display during the day, why cover it when posting it online?
Because a license number linked with a user name and other personally identifying info on the Web is more of a security risk than a license number seen by random motorists.
Maybe Canon will offer a rebate for a future upgrade 3 years later upon registration of your old serial No...
Or perhaps some can photoshop the serial no to show a photo of a stolen item for sale on the web...
In the case of your car, the registration No (no on the No Plate) is public but the unique identifier is actually the engine No/Chassis No which is kept private. Its quite common for carsto be stolen and taken to another country/region and the thiefs usually try to obliterate the engine no/chassis No. this used to happen a lot in Hong Kong some years back.
Or somebody thinks it would be 'funny' to put that serial number on one of the stolen gear databases, then a year later I decide to sell that lens . . . .
Ariel Bravy wrote:
Often times when people talk about serial numbers, either on this board or on the B&S, they hide the last few digits of the serial number. Why is this? It's not a credit card or a social security number. What are people trying to protect against?
Probably a combination of being anal, paranoid and an inflated sense of self-importance. Or maybe they think the SN can be used to steal their photographic mojo and thereby render them an aimless point 'n shooter?
I am not paranoid! I've just heard too many stories of scams from my police friends. It's just unbelievable what people will do out there.
Now if you will excuse me....I'm going to put on my tinfoil hat. The CIA mind control satellite will pass over the Northeast US in a couple of minutes.
