Why do people cover the serial when taking a picture?

[Zopx-]

I've seen a lot of people who erase or cover the serial of their watches or in the card, when taking a picture.

Why is that? Is there any risk when people know your serial?

Thanks in advance.

[Capt. Alex]

Paranoia I suppose.. If the counterfeiters want a serial number to match a reference number its not all that hard to get.. Generally they are sloppy and lazy with the quality of stuff they produce.

As an aside, people here cover their license plate numbers when taking pictures of their vehicles, this is silly as your tag as seen every time the vehicle is out on the roads.

[THC]

Originally Posted by Capt. Alex

Paranoia I suppose.. If the counterfeiters want a serial number to match a reference number its not all that hard to get.. Generally they are sloppy and lazy with the quality of stuff they produce.

As an aside, people here cover their license plate numbers when taking pictures of their vehicles, this is silly as your tag as seen every time the vehicle is out on the roads.

so true about the cars..

[Dusko.Popov]

Originally Posted by Capt. Alex

Paranoia I suppose.. If the counterfeiters want a serial number to match a reference number its not all that hard to get.. Generally they are sloppy and lazy with the quality of stuff they produce.

As an aside, people here cover their license plate numbers when taking pictures of their vehicles, this is silly as your tag as seen every time the vehicle is out on the roads.

I'll play ...

When you're driving down the road, the calculated objective is to get to point "a" or back to point "b." No one is driving down the road to find people.

The calculated objective of searching for an item on the Internet is to find a someone to ascertain a something that you want. When a person is looking for a car, or a watch, or to buy that boat second-hand, they're looking for someone to transfer some thing to them. Given that, with your plate number now exposed, you've given that person (who by the very function of their action, being on Craigslist, is looking for someone) a way to both find what they're looking for and where exactly to find it. The Internet, unlike driving to work, opens up your existence to an infinite amount of people who would like to make your acquaintance because you have the exact something that they're looking for. And with a plate number one can get an address in about the time it takes for a browser to refresh.

That's a good idea why again?

If I sell a car, I'm taking my plates off and they're not coming to my home to facilitate the transaction because my family lives in my home with me. Hypothetically if I sell my car at 2:30 on a Saturday for $8000 cash, I've now advertised that I have $8000 cash in my home somewhere. People have been burgled for less sadly.

And in truth, I'm not sure that it would be the most difficult thing in the world to source information about someone from a unique serial number on a watch ... especially when half the folks here have their location indicated. Or I can see a scammer creating a fake as essentially a twin of your unique piece. That would suck. Err on the side of caution - cover your serial number up and hide your license plates. Just good practice.

[rick101]

I thought it was obvious but it's due to a fake watch maker using a legit serial number on his fake piece which if checked could potentially then come across as genuine.

[busytimmy]

Originally Posted by rick101

i thought it was obvious but it's due to a fake watch maker using a legit serial number on his fake piece which if checked could potentially then come across as genuine.

+1

[77T]

There are good reasons...
One is to protect the new buyer from the risk that a fraudster could use the s/n to report it "stolen" and make life miserable while attempting to "recover" it.

On the cars, if you're showing pics on internet you don't want online crooks knowing where they could steal it. Simple to use plate number to determine owner and addy.

Sure it is prolly long shot any could happen - but an ounce of prevention isn't paranoia.

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by 77t

there are good reasons...
One is to protect the new buyer from the risk that a fraudster could use the s/n to report it "stolen" and make life miserable while attempting to "recover" it.

x2

[brookish]

Originally Posted by 77T

There are good reasons...
One is to protect the new buyer from the risk that a fraudster could use the s/n to report it "stolen" and make life miserable while attempting to "recover" it.
.

Can 'anyone' just report a watch stolen? Like if I now see someone's s/n, surely I can't just call Rolex and report it stolen??? That seems a bit 'too' easy...

[77T]

Originally Posted by brookish

Can 'anyone' just report a watch stolen? Like if I now see someone's s/n, surely I can't just call Rolex and report it stolen??? That seems a bit 'too' easy...

Yes, anyone.
But it starts with a police report first.

While I understand some scoffing, I'd say the #1 rule for personal safety is "security via obscurity". It gives flying under the radar a nice side benefit.

[flathead59]

Originally Posted by brookish

Can 'anyone' just report a watch stolen? Like if I now see someone's s/n, surely I can't just call Rolex and report it stolen??? That seems a bit 'too' easy...

Could someone report a watch that you owned as stolen? I guess, but to what end???? What would the point be? Are they going to get the police to come to your house, take your watch, and deliver it to them? Without any proof of ownership or provenance? Possible, I guess, but probably less likely than getting hit by a meteor.

As far as the bad guys duplicating your serial number to give the watch the appearance of legitimacy, I ask again, what's the point? Yes Rolex has a data base of watches that are reported to them (not to the police, to Rolex) as stolen, but short of taking the watch to an RSC there is no way for Joe Public to check if a watch is on their list.

Bottom line, I believe it's done (or at least it started this way) by the resellers to protect the retailers they buy from. The practice has been adopted by many because they see it being done by others. That's the only thing that makes any sense to me.

Mark

[Old Expat Beast]

There are a couple of practical reasons as stated above, although the chances of a fake manufacturer using your serial must be immeasurably small. Most people hide the serial because they see everyone else doing it, and/or so they don't get loads of "hide your serial" comments, IMO.

[KenNethcole]

Another reason for blurring the serial on a watch is so Rolex can't use it to trace to which ad is selling to a reseller/grey.

The blurring of car plate is so law enforcement can't identify a illgally modded vehicle. The main point is to protect the accessories on the vehicle since most people posting pics of their car tend to have modded them.

[speedolex]

Originally Posted by KenNethcole

Another reason for blurring the serial on a watch is so Rolex can't use it to trace to which ad is selling to a reseller/grey.

I also thought the reason was to prevent forum bad guys from reporting your legitimate watch as stolen and causing you trouble in the future and/or someone in the forum doing a trace and discovering that the vintage watch you bought legitimately from a third-party was years earlier reported stolen and someone might demand it back.

[Dusko.Popov]

Double post

[flathead59]

Originally Posted by KenNethcole

Another reason for blurring the serial on a watch is so Rolex can't use it to trace to which ad is selling to a reseller/grey.

I have no empirical proof of this, but I think this is the single biggest reason. Then, the followers on started to mimic the practice, and we're where we are today with the majority doing it. The only entity that has any record of serial numbers is Rolex.

Mark

[kromdom]

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...ghlight=serial

[joli160]

These hidden serial numbers always make me chuckle. The arguments for doing so holds no ground imho. Seems more like an urban myth;

A faker really does not care, especially with the now random numbering, besides many numbers to be found easily at an AD anyway.
And how could anybody possibly claim to be the owner of a watch knowing its number only ? I have dated purchase receipts together with the warranty cards on my name. Nah, I don't think so.

[jban5]

In the spirit of "show and tell" it's easy to do a little bit too much of both. It's possible that a person's watch collection has been posted, enough about their life divulged and then their automobiles with a lic plate that can be linked to a street address.

That could end badly.

[ny_yeti]

I am so glad someone asked this question, I have been wondering this same thing!!

[m j b]

I'm with joli160. I show serial numbers, license plates, and I've even had people buy stuff from me on Craigslist - meeting me at my house! And I'm not dead yet.

Not even close.

Well, there was that one crazy woman who bought a mattress from me, but she was just plain nuts, not dangerous.

[Dusko.Popov]

Originally Posted by m j b

I'm with joli160. I show serial numbers, license plates, and I've even had people buy stuff from me on Craigslist - meeting me at my house! And I'm not dead yet.

Not even close.

Well, there was that one crazy woman who bought a mattress from me, but she was just plain nuts, not dangerous.

Fairly certain that's a game I'm not comfortable playing, but I hope that it continues to work out for you.

[modee]

I don't believe in license plates, and you won't find one on most of my cars. Registered, up to date, but paper plate only except on my classics where I can't get away with the paper ones. Rarely bothered over it.

[captain_NEMO]

In this technology age we're in, anonymity is now a necessity rather than a luxury, especially on forums and ESPECIALLY in Cringelist.

Sort of related, I find it funny how my neighbors hardly ever close their curtains, just so they can showcase their homes.

But, to each his/her own.

[Dusko.Popov]

Originally Posted by captain_NEMO

In this technology age we're in, anonymity is now a necessity rather than a luxury, especially on forums and ESPECIALLY in Cringelist.

Sort of related, I find it funny how my neighbors hardly ever close their curtains, just so they can showcase their homes.

But, to each his/her own.

Agreed 100%

[imcarnuts]

Ask somebody for their checking account number. They'll freak out. It's only on the bottom of every check you write.

[captain_NEMO]

Originally Posted by imcarnuts

Ask somebody for their checking account number. They'll freak out. It's only on the bottom of every check you write.

True, but 99.9% of the time, you are giving that check to someone who will harmlessly cash it and never give it a second look. Back to the bank it goes to be scanned and shredded.

I'm sure you wouldn't have the same fuzzy warm feeling if someone asks for your account number off the street.

The ol' adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" comes to mind. Just the amount of hassle you're liable to get is enough for me to be paranoid.