I got a letter from the Washington state dept. of licensing. It states that owner ship information was requested by " An attorney or licensed private investigator" in compliance with "revised code of Washington 46.12.635. This "attorney or licensed private investigator" can use the plate of my car to get MY info about year, make, model, AND MY NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS! Now here's the WTF part...I, ME, ... I cannot find out the who, or, why, unless I have a restraining order against some one! And I have to prove to the state, I need to know it isn't the restrained party! This was in regard to my 1950 Chrysler 4door that's in my avatar and albums. Needless to say I played a quick game of "musical cars" and put it back in the garage and put the "flip" project outside, blocking the garage door. Anything like this odd experience happen to anybody else? I am a little creeped out that someone wants this info, instead of just knocking on the front door and asking if it's for sale.
I haven't had that one happen though. I did have some shady characters over the years walk up and try to be buddy buddy before asking if any of my vehicles were for sale. This has gotten so bad that I have become an ass and reply with "I don't see a For Sale sign on anything here so I guess nothing is for sale". I can understand you never know if you never ask but cmon if you can see me working on the car why would you walk up to me while I am in the middle of setting the valves on my '56s 292 Y8 or doing body work on my '63. But on topic I do have to say it is a little strange that they can obtain information about you but yet you do not have the right to know who is requesting information about you. To me since you have no idea who it is for all you know it could be some stalker and I don't see why they would advocate that by having it set up where you cant find out who it is.
That RCW states that it either has to be a 'business' that has good reason the need the info, or in the case of an attorney or private investigator, the state has to inform you which it is (attorney or PI) if you ask within 5 days after being notified but nothing more. So..... Owe money to somebody? Has anybody got a reason to sue you? Somebody may be asset-hunting, might be an idea to 'sell' it to someone you trust.
Geez!!!!!!!! Another guy asking a buncha hot rodders for legal advice, WTF??? What ever advice you get here will be worht just about what you paid for it! Go get a lawyer, as it sounds like someone is out to put a fucking on you!!!!!!!!!!
Hmmmm. A guy shows up, bitchin' about you asking for legal advice from a buncha hot rodders, then proceeds to give you legal advice. Dirty Old Man is right, though. Get in touch with your lawyer about this. If somone is having an attorney ask the state for the info, it stinks of trouble for you. BTW; Don't you have the option of refusing to disclose the info? As was said, the state has no idea who might be on the far end of the request. Roger
Registration info is public in most if not all states. It is customary to receive a letter when one party files a public information request. It could be reference anything (baby's momma, divorce, civil, criminal, somebody is tracking down a vehicle they previously owned, you cut someone off in traffic, etc.). If it bothers you, contact an attorney. I received a notice once (probably work related) and ignored it, it is public information.
Roger, the only advice I offered was to get qualified advice, and my comment about hot rodders is to state that unless they are also an attorney in WA state, they most likely aren't qualified. People here can help on many automotive and machinery/tool related questions and usually it's good advice, but human nature being what it is, many will also offer an opinion that is not necessarily correct to the specific situation at hand. And a wrong move at the first part of a legal problem can be a real problem later.
Not registered mail... tear it up and be done with it. Anyone CAN ask you anything, up to you whether to pass or play. Sounds like a phishing trip to me.
I took just such a letter to a lawyer some years ago. It was from the department of motor vehicles about a boat and outboard that I had bought 2 years earlier and said that it appeared to be stolen or improperly registered. The lawyer said that he knew a cop and would research the (stolen) aspect. That came back negative and there was no requirement for a title or registration. He ripped the letter up and handed it to me He said "Do with it what you want, send it back with screw off written on it or just ignore it". I chose to ignore it. His charged nothing!
They send letters out to anyone with the same name as their client, or whoever they're involved with in a case. I got one a few years ago, contacted the law office and that's what they said.
The request was made to the state. NOT to ME. The state of Washington gave out this information WITHOUT my permission. And the state of Washington wont tell me who made it. Unless the conditions as stated in my original post are met.
Around here(WV) there as been cases of tax department employees going around at car shows writing down license plate numbers, then they request your information from DMV and compare it to their tax records to see if you are claiming the vehicle on your property taxes and at a reasonable value. More than one has been caught this way. So far I know of no one who has been charged with anything but they have had to update their property tax info. In WV this same form can also be used to find out much sales tax you paid at the time you titled the vehicle. In other words they can determine what you claimed the as the sale price of the vehicle.
After reading xracer40 post I will remove my tag when at a car show. I may install a plate from my collection of non usa tags.
Our state is not run by the sharpest pins in the cushion. Interested in hearing more if there is more. Word of caution, don't post pictures of your plates on social forums. I have made this mistake in the past.
Interesting; just in the news here: State on MN sold license info list (legally) to a company, who in turn resold info (illegally) to a guy who would monitor people parking at funerals, theaters, etc, obtain their info, and rob their homes. Sharp detective noticed the same vehicle in the far edges of the parking lot on surveillance tapes, followed up and caught him, and finally learned what he was doing. Some push to change the law; but info sales probably bring too much $ to the state, so unlikely.
been involved in any accidents lately? I've gotten one of these before, and it was the insurance company checking up on things.
One of the faithful above mentioned pulling plates at car shows and events. This is easier. The car is seriously OT but not that is not the object here, I just have a lot of cars and odd taste. I have a set of Georgia Plates that I show at events on the current Bandit car. To make them simple and fast to throw on, I used double sided tape to mount 4 round magnets to the back of the Ban-One plate and frame. Then I welded 4 flat washers to the license plate mounting screws that hold my Wa. State tag on the car. The Phillips heads on the screws are accessed through the hole in the washer. I painted them black so they are not noticeable when the Ban-One plate is removed. When I get to a show, I slap on the Ban-One plate in a second. Pull it off before I leave (hopefully) and throw it is the trunk. Never thought about it as protecting the identity of the state tag and its owner but it does exactly that. You could make a THX-138 or an ECTO-1, have fun and protect your identity while you are at it. Just an idea.
Year Of Manufacture. In Kentucky and some other states you register your car (25 years or older) as antique and run plates that were issued the year that your car was made. The YOM plate doesn't have to be registered with the DMV as long as you have the actual antique plate somewhere in the car with you...
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