VIN etching

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In the United States, VIN etching is a countermeasure to motor vehicle theft, that involves etching a vehicle's VIN onto its windows to reduce the value of a stolen vehicle to thieves. The Federal Trade Commission includes VIN etching on a list of upsold services including extended warranties, service and maintenance plans, payment programs, guaranteed automobile or asset protection, emergency road service, and other theft protection devices, and warns consumers about the practice of upselling when buying a vehicle. [1]

Description

VIN etching uses a variety of methods, commonly a stencil and an acidic etching paste, to engrave a vehicle's vehicle identification number (VIN) onto the windshield and windows. Most parts on a vehicle already have at least a partial VIN stamped onto them, and many auto parts buyers will not purchase parts that carry identification numbers. Should a thief try to sell the parts from a vehicle for profit, those marked parts carry a higher risk for the thief and the auto parts seller. Since automotive glass generally does not have identification numbers and is often interchangeable among many different years and models of vehicles, it usually yields a much greater profit for a thief compared to other components on the vehicle; because a vehicle's windows are stamped with the VIN, thieves would need to discard the glass before "parting out" the stolen vehicle, thus reducing or eliminating their profit. [2] VIN etching can also increase the odds of recovery of a stolen car by police. [3]

VIN etching is recommended by police departments, insurance agencies, and government automobile/vehicle theft prevention agencies [4] [5] This service is sometimes offered free of charge at sponsored events. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

Vehicles with VIN-etched windows may be eligible for insurance rate reductions of as much as 15% in some US states. [10] [13] [14] [15]

Some automobile dealers try to include VIN etching as an extra service to boost their profit margin when selling a vehicle; [16] [17] they may even pre-print a charge for VIN etching on the bill of sale, as if to suggest that VIN etching is mandatory rather than an optional, add-on service. [16] [18] [19] Inflated dealership fees of $200 to $2,000 for VIN etching are not unheard of. [16] [17] [20] However, consumer advocates note that while some states do require that dealers offer VIN etching, no states require that consumers purchase it from the dealer. [21]

Consumers who want to have the VIN etched on their vehicle windows but are unable to find a free etching service in their area can often save hundreds of dollars over the dealership fee by using a do-it-yourself VIN etching kit purchased from an Internet retailer or a local auto parts dealer, for as little as $20–25. [16] [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motor vehicle theft</span> Theft of vehicles

Motor vehicle theft is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle. Nationwide in the United States in 2020, there were 810,400 vehicles reported stolen, up from 724,872 in 2019. Property losses due to motor vehicle theft in 2020 were estimated at $7.4 billion. There were 505,100 car thefts in the EU in 2019, a 43% decrease from 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carjacking</span> Crime of stealing a car from a victim by force

Carjacking is a robbery in which a motor vehicle is taken over. In contrast to car theft, carjacking is usually in the presence and knowledge of the victim. A common crime in many places in the world, carjacking has been the subject of legislative responses, criminology studies, and prevention efforts. Commercial vehicles such as trucks and armored cars containing valuable cargo are common targets of carjacking attempts. Carjacking usually involves physical violence to the victim, or using the victim as a hostage. In rare cases, carjacking may also involve sexual assault.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Car dealerships in the United States</span>

In the United States, a car dealership is a business that sells cars. A car dealership can either be a franchised dealership selling new and used cars, or a used car dealership, selling only used cars. In most cases, dealerships provide car maintenance and repair services as well as trade-in, leasing, and financing options for customers.

An extended warranty, sometimes called a service agreement, a service contract, or a maintenance agreement, is a prolonged warranty offered to consumers in addition to the standard warranty on new items. The extended warranty may be offered by the warranty administrator, the retailer or the manufacturer. Extended warranties cost extra and for a percentage of the item's retail price. Occasionally, some extended warranties that are purchased for multiple years state in writing that during the first year, the consumer must still deal with the manufacturer in the occurrence of malfunction. Thus, what is often promoted as a five-year extended guarantee, for example, is actually only a four-year guarantee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrecking yard</span> Place for storage and dismantling of used automobiles

A wrecking yard, scrapyard or junkyard is the location of a business in dismantling where wrecked or decommissioned vehicles are brought, their usable parts are sold for use in operating vehicles, while the unusable metal parts, known as scrap metal parts, are sold to metal-recycling companies. Other terms include wreck yard, wrecker's yard, salvage yard, breaker's yard, dismantler and scrapheap. In the United Kingdom, car salvage yards are known as car breakers, while motorcycle salvage yards are known as bike breakers. In Australia, they are often referred to as 'Wreckers'.

Anti-theft systems protect valuables such as vehicles and personal property like wallets, phones, and jewelry. They are also used in retail settings to protect merchandise in the form of security tags and labels. Anti-theft systems include devices such as locks and keys, RFID tags, and GPS locators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fence (criminal)</span> Person who knowingly buys stolen goods in order to later resell them for profit

A fence, also known as a receiver, mover, or moving man, is an individual who knowingly buys stolen goods in order to later resell them for profit. The fence acts as a middleman between thieves and the eventual buyers of stolen goods who may not be aware that the goods are stolen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Car dealership</span> Business which sells, buys, and trades new and/or used cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Automobile repair shop</span> Repair shop where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and electricians

An automobile repair shop is an establishment where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and technicians. The customer interface is typically a service advisor, traditionally called a service writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immobiliser</span> Motor vehicle anti-theft device

An immobiliser or immobilizer is an electronic security device fitted to a motor vehicle that prevents the engine from being started unless the correct key is present. This prevents the vehicle from being "hot wired" after entry has been achieved and thus reduces motor vehicle theft. Research shows that the uniform application of immobilisers reduced the rate of car theft by 40%.

An automobile association, also referred to as a motoring club, motoring association, or motor club, is an organization, either for-profit or non-profit, which motorists can join to enjoy benefits provided by the club relating to driving a vehicle. There is most often an annual membership fee to join. A membership identification card, valid for the time period of membership paid, is typically issued to the member.

In North America, a salvage title is a form of vehicle title branding, which notes that the vehicle has been damaged and/or deemed a total loss by an insurance company that paid a claim on it. The criteria for determining when a salvage title is issued differ considerably by each state, province or territory. In a minority of states and Canadian provinces, regulations require a salvage title for stolen or vandalized vehicles which are not recovered by police within 21 days. In such cases insurance companies declare a vehicle total loss and pay off the previous owner; but, in others, it is issued only for losses due to damage. Under some circumstances, a salvage title denotation may be removed or replaced with a Rebuilt Salvage designation; and cars imported to, or exported from, the United States may be issued a clean title regardless of history.

Property crime is a category of crime, usually involving private property, that includes, among other crimes, burglary, larceny, theft, motor vehicle theft, arson, shoplifting, and vandalism. Property crime is a crime to obtain money, property, or some other benefit. This may involve force, or the threat of force, in cases like robbery or extortion. Since these crimes are committed in order to enrich the perpetrator they are considered property crimes. Crimes against property are divided into two groups: destroyed property and stolen property. When property is destroyed, it could be called arson or vandalism. Examples of the act of stealing property is robbery or embezzlement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auto auction</span> Selling auto vehicle

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicycle theft</span> Theft of bicycles or bicycle parts

Bicycle theft is the crime of stealing a bicycle. It is a common crime due to the relative ease of reselling bicycles, which have a large second-hand market. This makes the crime attractive to those needing to obtain currency quickly, such as people with substance addictions. Bicycles are also easily accessible, often being locked up outside in public places in urban areas. Despite the developed market of bicycle locks, it is estimated that millions of bicycles are stolen every year. Thieves use a variety of methods to bypass locks, including taking advantage of bicycle owners' poor locking practices. Bicycle owners can take action to reduce the chances of theft, including utilising facilities such as bicycle lockers and parking racks.

VIN cloning or car cloning is a practice of using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a legally registered car to hide the identity of a stolen or salvaged vehicle. The procedure involves replacing the serial plate of a stolen or salvage repaired vehicle with a plate containing the number of a validly registered vehicle of similar make, model and year from another state, province or country.

References

  1. ↑ "Motor Vehicle Dealers Trade Regulation Rule Posted by the Federal Trade Commission on Jul 13, 2022". 2022-07-13.
  2. ↑ "VIN Etching". Culpeper County Sheriff's Office. Archived from the original on 2010-09-26.
  3. ↑ "VIN Etching Program". Lehigh University Police Department. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  4. ↑ "VIN Etching | Arizona Automobile Theft Authority". aata.az.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
  5. ↑ "VIN Etching". www.heatreward.com. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
  6. ↑ "VIN etching". Allstate Blog.
  7. ↑ "VIN Etching Can Deter Thieves". NBC. San Diego.
  8. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". New York City Police Department. Archived from the original on 15 January 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  9. ↑ Smith, Dylan. "Police: Free VIN etching can deter thieves". Tucson Sentinel. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  10. 1 2 "Governor's Auto Theft Strike Force". Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  11. ↑ "VIN Etching | Arizona Automobile Theft Authority". aata.az.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
  12. ↑ "The Pennsylvania Auto Theft Prevention Authority" . Retrieved 2019-02-22.
  13. ↑ The Impact of Auto Theft Trends on Auto Insurance Rates (PDF). Michigan's Automobile Theft Prevention Authority. July 2011. p. 13.
  14. ↑ New York State Insurance Department 2010 Consumer Guide to Automobile Insurance (PDF). New York State Insurance Department. 2010. pp. II-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-01-19.
  15. ↑ "Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Recommendations". City of New Orleans. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  16. 1 2 3 4 "Common Car Buying Mistakes". Consumer Reports. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  17. 1 2 Edgerton, Jerry. "Auto Finance: Watch Out for These Dealer Scams". CBS Money Watch. CBS News. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  18. 1 2 Elliott, Hannah. "Car Dealer Scams To Avoid". Forbes. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  19. ↑ "L.I. Auto Dealerships Cited for Tricking Consumers into Paying for Unwanted "Extras"". NY State Office of the Attorney General. Archived from the original on 19 November 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  20. ↑ "NY AG Sues Two Dealerships Over the Sale of Etch" . Retrieved 2018-05-13. regarding a charge of $1,995 for "Etch" on her bill of sale
  21. ↑ "Ways Dealers Make You Pay Extra". Consumer Reports. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
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