HEADS UP!!!!!

[Gene Chaltry]

This is true. I have several people who checked this out.



>Your "VIN" (Vehicle Identification Number) should be covered.
>
>
>
>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 #. 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. You can also slip

>a 3 x 5 card over the VIN #...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 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 as well using

>the same VIN.

[Sunshine]

Thanks for the heads up! The VIN #'s on our vehicles will be covered before they leave the place again.

[Chester]

Thanks Gene and Rose. I just copied your note and sent it to my friends.

[Jeff Heiser]

This is an old one but true to some degree. Go to the following link for more information: http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/vin.asp

Jeff Heiser
Merritt Island Florida

[rames14]

Jeff -
You beat me to it, great post. I usually go to hoaxbusters. As the article said, yes it can be done, but the thief is drawing attention to himself in numerous ways. And some really dumb one will probably pay for the key with his charge card.

[sreigle]

As the others say, I'm sure some can get it done that way. When my brother first sent this to me quite awhile back I asked our Ford dealer about it. He said when someone comes in wanting a key they require not only the vin but also put that vin into the computer to see who is the registered owner and then require photo id to verify the requester is the owner. I suppose some dealers or some part time clerk in a dealership might not be so careful.

[Theadamsfamily]

I lost the keys to my expedition last year and had to go to the Ford dealer to get a new set. As Steve indicated, I had to provide the VIN number as well as my ID. They also looked in their computer system to confirm I was the owner.