Kiyatkin
Established
Sorry of this is silly or has been discussed before, but I am always wandering why so many people black out the serial numbers on photos of their gear that posted here or on EBay? I never realized the reason for doing that.
Why people hide serial numbers?
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chris7521
Well-known
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=67000=hide+serial+number#post67000
Post 3 is a good reason
Post 3 is a good reason
Chris101
summicronia
That's a good reason. Also a lot of people buy used equipment, which MAY have been stolen at one time (I'm not saying the current owner stole it, they may have bought it used from someone who bought it used, who bought it used ...). If that were the case, then it might be on a database of stolen gear somewhere, so there could be trouble if it was located.
250swb
Well-known
You mean trouble in that in might end up back with the rightful owner? I guess if there was a database of stolen gear somewhere it would be better not to look at it so you don't have a moral choice to make.....
As regards somebody calling the Police and claiming the otherwise legitimate camera is his, does anybody really think this could happen? All it takes is a receipt, a dealer with records, a warrenty card that had been filled in, and the reportee will be arrested for attempted fraud if nothing else. Scammers may be scum bags, but they tend to want to get away with it.
Steve
Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
Those of us who have experience not only in the matter of having gone through that, there is also that those of us with experience of buying used equipment is this: sometimes only cash is used in the transaction, specially with a low-priced item (it doesn't mean that it's not valuable: flea markets hold treasures many times -- yes, that can happen too) where asking for a receipt or such is often not possible (and where it's not possible, just plain bad manners).
Lastly, common sense from a poster overrides any photo-watcher anxiety about a serial number not displayed on the Internet. Often serial numbers are provided to potential (and, of course, as apparently things need to be spelled out: trusted) buyers online so that they can verify the legitimacy of the product.
It would be nice if the whole world were Denmark, where the honor code is still used for many transactions. But, unfortunately, the Internet is very much the Cyber Wild West.
peterm1
Veteran
I do hide my serial numbers as I have heard horror stories of people making unsubstantiated claims about ownership of items of equipment too. But I have no idea whether such stories are urban myths. Maybe we should call in "Mythbusters".
Sparrow
Veteran
They fear they are handling stolen goods, and don't want to get caught doing something unlawful ... would be one explanation
Ranchu
Veteran
I could be mistaken, but I believe it's 'scumbags' rather than 'scum bags'. That's the way I usually see it, it's relatively rare to see 'scum bags'.
btgc
Veteran
Giving away serials of cameras and lenses is like throwing away soul of gear.
Note, stolen souls of people taken by particular photographic equipment can't replace stolen soul of camera. 😱
Note, stolen souls of people taken by particular photographic equipment can't replace stolen soul of camera. 😱
250swb
Well-known
Yes you could be mistaken, or just need to get out more if you think its worth interrupting a thread about camera serial numbers.
Anyway, just for you
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/scum+bag
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Scum Bag&defid=1218647
Steve ;-)
Ranchu
Veteran
Sorry to be pedantic.
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jsrockit
Moderator
Wouldn't someone, claiming it is stolen, need proof of the serial number?
chris7521
Well-known
I was just giving the OP a quick example. I don't know for sure all the reason not to expose a serial# and that is really all the reason I need.
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tlitody
Well-known
What prompted the question? Are you suspicious if the serial no is not visible?
Any malicious ebayer can cause trouble for a respected seller by saying that a serial number is from a stolen piece without claiming it is theirs. It would be foolish to show serial numbers. And how many second hand buyers know or even care if it something they buy was stolen. They buy in good faith and sell on in good faith. Posting serial numbers is just asking for trouble even if you have original documentation of purchase. I'd rather not have the hassle from exposing myself to any malicious ebayers no matter how small the risk when it is so simple to remove the risk completely.
Any malicious ebayer can cause trouble for a respected seller by saying that a serial number is from a stolen piece without claiming it is theirs. It would be foolish to show serial numbers. And how many second hand buyers know or even care if it something they buy was stolen. They buy in good faith and sell on in good faith. Posting serial numbers is just asking for trouble even if you have original documentation of purchase. I'd rather not have the hassle from exposing myself to any malicious ebayers no matter how small the risk when it is so simple to remove the risk completely.
ampguy
Veteran
perhaps
perhaps
possibly depends on the jurisdiction. maybe a snap from flickr or rff would do ...
perhaps
possibly depends on the jurisdiction. maybe a snap from flickr or rff would do ...
sc_rufctr
Leica nuts
Not divulging your serial number on line is motivated by fear.
Fear of what might happen if you do... It's simply safer not to.
It's the one thing that makes your camera gear unique.
Just a thought... Can a "borrowed" Leica serial number be forged onto another (or stolen) body? I think it could be done but it would be very difficult.
So I don't think the crooks would bother unless it was a serial number from a rare original "Black Paint MP".
A similar example but done for a different reason: If I ever post a picture of my car online I always blur the license plate.
The reason I do this is because crooks can create a number plate using your numbers to put on their otherwise identical car.
And then drive around for about a month with immunity to speed camera traps. This has happened in the UK... I think it's only a matter of time before it happens in Australia.
Fear of what might happen if you do... It's simply safer not to.
It's the one thing that makes your camera gear unique.
Just a thought... Can a "borrowed" Leica serial number be forged onto another (or stolen) body? I think it could be done but it would be very difficult.
So I don't think the crooks would bother unless it was a serial number from a rare original "Black Paint MP".
A similar example but done for a different reason: If I ever post a picture of my car online I always blur the license plate.
The reason I do this is because crooks can create a number plate using your numbers to put on their otherwise identical car.
And then drive around for about a month with immunity to speed camera traps. This has happened in the UK... I think it's only a matter of time before it happens in Australia.
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Well, the snag is that anyone can write down your number plate on the street for the same purpose.
Of course it would be silly to post a searchable description of your car including make, colour and age along with the number plate, as that would be a invitation for lazy crooks on the search for a falsifiable plate matching their existing car. But people searching for number plates of a car of your make and looks are more likely to hit upon your car on the street than on Google, if it merely is among the 645,000,000 anonymous entries for unspecified cars on Google Image.
With cameras, the point is even more ridiculous - on rare collectibles, the serials are often completely known and widely published. And even where not, any reasonably smart forger will try to avoid creating a identifiable duplicate, and pick a number in the same block as but different from the known and published numbers, so your risk of a duplicate of your serial being created should actually be highest if you obscure your number while others have published adjacent numbers...
tlitody
Well-known
Somewhat off topic of the thread but even more ludicrous are people putting their house for sale on the very very very popular house selling sites. Full house layout and photos of all the main rooms and whats in them. Now that is an invitation for burglary. I wonder when the insurers will get wise and invalidate your insurance for doing it.
Chris101
summicronia
Ever tried to recover stolen property which was subsequently sold to a third party? It's not as simple as you might think.
Ken Smith
Why yes Ma'am - it folds
It's not only with camera gear, but with other expensive items also. A serial number is often taken as proof of authenticity, used for dating items, and as mentioned above - ownership. Usually in the bamboo fly rod corner of the world, the first 2 or 3 digits of the serial number will be disclosed in a catalog of used classic tackle. You can't deny that with some items, a serial number speaks of authenticity - the "realness" of a item, especially where serial numbers of certain items are tracked for dating/cataloging purposes. Serial numbers are no different than phone numbers - they identify.
The problem now-a-days is anything under the sun can be replicated in some seedy backroom shack or in a blackmarket factory. A serial number that's identifiable on a publically listed spreadsheet or manufacturing records from a factory gives that fake item an air of credability.
Right now I'm bemoaning that fact that I did not record the serial number on an item. It was sent out for CLA sometime ago and I have yet to receive it back. That serial number was my proof of ownership.
The problem now-a-days is anything under the sun can be replicated in some seedy backroom shack or in a blackmarket factory. A serial number that's identifiable on a publically listed spreadsheet or manufacturing records from a factory gives that fake item an air of credability.
Right now I'm bemoaning that fact that I did not record the serial number on an item. It was sent out for CLA sometime ago and I have yet to receive it back. That serial number was my proof of ownership.
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