greaser Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 i work at a fed prison and have to park in the same lot with inmate visitors. Well today when the visitors were leaving the institution one stopped to take some pics of my shelby (pics are not allowed on the grounds) so he was stopped and had to talk to the LT. His story was he owned a body shop and a mustang and wanted to make a clone and in order to get the parts he needed a vin number which he took a pic of he also had pics of my plates and a shot of the whole car. His name is Steve Atchison he owns Atichison Collision Center in East Bethel MN his shops number is 612-483-1693 and his email is asatchison@aol.com so if Bud or Amy are seeing this just giving you guys a heads up that this guy is trying to defraud you and build clones with stolen vin numbers. So i will be making a cover for my vin number and everyone else might want to also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SicShelby Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 DUDE!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RACERX009 Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 i work at a fed prison and have to park in the same lot with inmate visitors. Well today when the visitors were leaving the institution one stopped to take some pics of my shelby (pics are not allowed on the grounds) so he was stopped and had to talk to the LT. His story was he owned a body shop and a mustang and wanted to make a clone and in order to get the parts he needed a vin number which he took a pic of he also had pics of my plates and a shot of the whole car. His name is Steve Atchison he owns Atichison Collision Center in East Bethel MN his shops number is 612-483-1693 and his email is asatchison@aol.com so if Bud or Amy are seeing this just giving you guys a heads up that this guy is trying to defraud you and build clones with stolen vin numbers. So i will be making a cover for my vin number and everyone else might want to also. You should notify the auto crime unit if there is one!!! If there isn't one let me know, I can make a couple of calls to have them checked out. I remember in my young day's building a street car and autocrime showed up and they questioned me what was going on here at nite. Long story short they tore my car apart checking the VIN #'s. They left when it checked out and left me a mess to put back together. I was 18 yrs old and didn't dare say anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFBLUE Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 A good example why SAI makes you take pictures of your car just to get a rocker stripe, and needs pictures of your SAI mod shop installed supercharger before it gets in the registry. Sounds anal at times but you can see why it could help in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RACERX009 Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 A good example why SAI makes you take pictures of your car just to get a rocker stripe, and needs pictures of your SAI mod shop installed supercharger before it gets in the registry. Sounds anal at times but you can see why it could help in the future. Every little thing helps !!!! I always take pics of my bicycle and tractor and put marks places so I can I.D it of also serial #. The seat is usually marked by my scent and streak!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilmor Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 My VIN will be covered very soon! Thanks for the tip. Hey, another idea for the Shelby Store. VIN covers w/ the CS logo!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tekheavy Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Every little thing helps !!!! I always take pics of my bicycle and tractor and put marks places so I can I.D it of also serial #. The seat is usually marked by my scent and streak!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StratGirl Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 ... The seat is usually marked by my scent and streak!!!! Ewww! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TClark1976 Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Seriously - Now I have to cover my vin# ??? Greaser - that's just wrong man! I'm in Ham Lake, MN which is only about 15 miles away from East Bethel, MN. I don't want my Vin# being used / stolen/ cloned. Maybe I could simply cut something to fit, and tape it into that little vin# window. Something that says "Team Shelby" or maybe "Wouldn't you like to know" or "Go get your own" or "1OF217142008NO758" (one of 2171 for 08 #758). . . . . I'll figure out something to cover that with. I've already seen a black California Special that's been lowered and had silver lemans stripes put on it to 'LOOK' like a SGT. He followed me to a gas station. . . . got out and said, "DUDE!! That's what I'm trying to make MY car look like!! - Where did you get your's done?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormeaston Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT/SC#0471 Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 I think you may have another issue going on... Does it make financial sense to clone a SGT to a "forger" right now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greaser Posted July 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 I think you may have another issue going on... Does it make financial sense to clone a SGT to a "forger" right now? well since it happened at the prison it will be forwarded to the FBI so if anything happens he will be in some realy deep $hit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey d Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 I agree another product for the store, removable VIN cover. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RACERX009 Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Y ou have to remember that in the state of NY and other states that covering your Vin# is a summons and better yet gives a cop the right to open your car for investigation. Even worse impounded your car and have auto crime rip it apart. Trust me, I have done it myself but the cars had no plates on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt N. Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 I agree with RacerX009 here, in most states it is a violation of the state motor vehicle statutes (or code) to obstruct, obscure, cover, or remove your VIN plate. While it seems like a good idea, its most likely against the law in your state. On the topic of what happened to Greaser - He could be very lucky... it could be what you're assuming and that someone was just attempting to order parts from Shelby in an attempt to pass off a regular Mustang GT as an SGT "look alike", but the motive could have been much more serious - as in title washing or VIN cloning. Typically, when members on this forum talk about cloning, they are referring to the former. Some see this as a threat to our hobby and passion or dilution of the value of our vehicles (hence the importance of the registry), while others see it as freedom of expression, flattery, or a matter of personal taste to the degree one attempts to imitate a true SGT. However, VIN cloning [as used below] is an extrememly serious crime associated with auto theft which is basically analogous to vehicle identity theft. In this case, the thieves steal a high value car in good condition with the intent of selling it whole. Knowing it will be reported stolen and therefore difficult to sell, they craft an illegal duplicate VIN plate using the Vehicle Identification Number from someone else's exact year, make, model (even the same trim level and exterior color, if possible) of car which the unsuspecting victim (e.g. Greaser) still has in their possession... so they never know their car's identity has just been stolen until later on. They sell the cloned car with a forged title... much easier to do by the way if they've also got your plates and can get your name and address through public records. They sell it through a shell company or through an auction, but they prefer to sell them overseas as it's unlikely it will come up again on the radar. It clears customs because it was never reported stolen... as far as port authority or DHS knows, Greaser has decided to ship his car to Germany, Mexico, or the UAE. If they are selling it in the states, they typically title wash it through multiple states (easiest in certain states without reciprocation... not going to mention who all of those are) and who don't participate in the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). Minnesota is not currently participating in NMVTIS. A buyer gets a "great deal" at auction, but they have actually just bought a stolen car. The person who's actual car was physically stolen is a victim here, as is the buyer... as well as the person who's car's identity was stolen through VIN cloning. Unfortunately, this crime often isn't caught until three years down the road, when Greaser goes to sell his car or trade it in and the buyer gets irate with him - telling him that when they went to register and title the vehicle, the state of Minnesota said "hang on there... this car was already sold three years ago... we've got a problem". This type of operation is very organized, involves multiple people operating as a ring and typically across multiple states... Unfortunately, it's often difficult to catch them as well. Protect yourselves against fraud (some tips and resource below), and be very careful when buying a used car. More Information: Excellent PowerPoint presentation on NMVTIS by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) and the FBI Recent (2009-March) Press Release on Operation Dual Identity from the Tampa Field Office - FBI FBI Article on VIN Cloning (2009-March) Testimony of James Burch, USDOJ before Congress (2009-March) National Insurance Crime Bureau - VIN Check Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejrail Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 When I first bought my new SGT, I thought about getting a third key as a spare. Somebody told me they cost about $200 from the dealer due to a chip in the key head that "talks" to the car. He said that a person with my VIN and the cash could go to a dealer and get a key for my car. I don't know it is really that simple but I didn't take any chances. I made a VIN # cover out of a flat piece of Lexan painted flat black. I tried cardstock but it blew around with thw window down and curled up in the sun. I realize states have laws against covering the VIN # but I'll take my chances. They also have auto theft laws that don't seem to matter, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greaser Posted July 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 i am going to let them know about the forging of titles by this method and have it forwarded to the FBI with a request they look into it soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RACERX009 Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 When I first bought my new SGT, I thought about getting a third key as a spare. Somebody told me they cost about $200 from the dealer due to a chip in the key head that "talks" to the car. He said that a person with my VIN and the cash could go to a dealer and get a key for my car. I don't know it is really that simple but I didn't take any chances. I made a VIN # cover out of a flat piece of Lexan painted flat black. I tried cardstock but it blew around with thw window down and curled up in the sun. I realize states have laws against covering the VIN # but I'll take my chances. They also have auto theft laws that don't seem to matter, too. But like , I stated before it's a good idea to cover vin # from the crooks!!! But the police see as an excuse to break into your car!!! I have seen some of these cops use a steel bar and pryed the door open enough to get his arm in. You can try and get the police to pay for it but they had a good reason to do it Your Vin # was covered. Also don't forget some cops get off on damaging a nice car they can't afford!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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