Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

As many of you know, about 8 years ago I helped introduce legislation in Oklahoma. I was fortunate to know a fellow in the State Senate. However, I honestly don't believe you have to know someone in your State Senate or House to get the ball started on this. Did you know your representative either reads mail or has someone on his or her staff read mail? Did you know, that on average, your representative will consider the opinion of a mailed letter (not phone call, not email, good old fashioned snail mail) to represent the opinion of approximately 1000 people? That's right. If one person took the time to write, they figure there are 999 more out there that are of the same or similar opinion who didn't take the time to write. (Yeah, that's how lazy we have become). So.... what can you do?

I am trying to make this as easy as possible. Number one. Print out the Oklahoma Law on trim tag swapping. It is here: http://www.oscn.net/applications/osc...PrintOnly=true
It will fit on one or two pages of standard paper. Now, WRITE YOUR STATE SENATOR OR REP. Need an idea of what to write? I thought so. Use this form letter. Change it any way you like to make it yours. We bitch and moan about swapped trim tags. Now is the time to do something about it. It really can make a difference.

Send the letter and include a copy of the Oklahoma law, so your rep will know what you are talking about. Most of them will have a staff that will put it in "bill" form. I was amazed at the lack of opposition we had in Oklahoma.

Here is your "cut and paste" form letter (like I said, change it up any way you want, or even start from scratch with all your own words, just write a letter):

Dear ___________________:
I am a car enthusiast. I especially like old cars; in particular cars of the 50’s 60’s and 70’s.
I am writing to ask you to help with a dirty little secret that has developed in the car hobby. It can be remedied with your help.
Affixed to every car built in those three decades is a trim tag, sometimes referred to as a data plate or a fender tag. That tag does not contain the vin of the car. It does, however include other information about the car and some of the options that were on the car when it left the factory. As it turns out, a plain vanilla 1969 Camaro with a 6 cylinder engine and hardly any options may be worth something like $14,000. However, a 1969 Camaro Z/28 with the right colors and options, in the same condition, will bring upwards of $60,000. There are other somewhat rare options, such as having the high performance big block 396 engine etc. that can greatly affect value.
What has happened is a company called trimtags.com. They will produce for you a trim tag that will closely resemble your original tag, but change certain designations to make it appear that your car came with one of the rare, more desirable options. So, some joker buys a plain vanilla Camaro, swaps the trim tag and quickly doubles or triples his money. The cars with swapped trip tags are normally grossly represented. Most folks not familiar with this practice are absolutely stunned and outraged to find out it is not against the law to put a fake tag on the car to make it seem to be something it is not.
The only State of which I am aware that has outlawed the practice of swapping a fake trim tag, or a trim tag from another car, is Oklahoma. I have enclosed a copy of the Oklahoma Law.
Many unsuspecting buyers are being swindled out of large sums of money. I am asking that you introduce legislation similar to that in the State of Oklahoma. I know it will provide at least some measure of protection to the unsuspecting buyers. At least it will give them a remedy. Right now, most who find out they have been duped do nothing, because there are few lawyers who understand how to proceed in a civil action. Why? Because the simple act of swapping the trim tag is not illegal in any state except Oklahoma. We can make it illegal.
Please feel free to contact me. I am looking forward to the day when this practice is outlawed.
Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Re: Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

I'm very glad to see you post this Lynn. I hope people from all the states follow through.

Verne [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]

Re: Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

Lynn, thanks for posting. After reading your post, I was searching to see if VA has a similar statute/law. While not specific, they do cover it (as I read it anyway) under their fraud laws. That said, it'd obviously be more beneficial were it specific to the topic at hand. During my search, I found this NICB Product that y'all might find interesting.

Re: Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

Lynn,

Thank you for posting this information, I will follow up in PA with some of the members of this site.

Re: Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

Good for you Lynn. You've made it a no-brainer for everyone to follow through with this and hopefully at least one person from every state will! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

I will share this info with some of my contacts in the NYS legislature...

Also, has there ever been an effort to get a federal law preventing this or would that gum up the works. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/hmmm.gif[/img]

wilma [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]

Re: Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

Geez Tom, let's fix it not screw it up! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/haha.gif[/img]

Re: Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

Sorry...what was I thinking...the folks in Washington can't get anything right [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/dunno.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Shevelle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Good for you Lynn. You've made it a no-brainer for everyone to follow through with this and hopefully at least one person from every state will! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] </div></div>

Jacquie:

Wasn't there a fake tag on a 69 Camaro you bought years ago? Seems I remember you enduring some harsh statements from geniuses that didn't realize you bought it that way. Or am I thinking of someone else?

Re: Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

Ugh. Yes, that was me, about 10 years ago. Thankfully, I've learned a little bit since then. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/laugh.gif[/img]

That was a &quot;Z/28&quot; I bought at a Leake auction here in OKC. It was built and consigned by our good friends down at Lone Grove (Wilson now), I'm sure you know who I am referring to. At the time I didn't even know fake trim tags existed. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...7-trim_tag.jpg

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...0-9358-z28.jpg

Re: Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

Oh yeah. Fred!!!!

That is the OTHER fake 12A tag on a Hugger Orange RS Z that dealer did. The other one ended up in Austin Tex and was the subject of a lawsuit. Worst fake DZ stamp ever (dated Feb 29, and 1969 was not a leap year!!!)

For all you guys who keep saying that the blame goes on the buyer for not having the car checked out.... Jacquie illustrates PERFECTLY what I am talking about when I reference new HONEST folks who want to get into the hobby. Most have absolutely NO IDEA that this stuff even goes on. As most of you know, Jacquie has gone on the become a knowledgeable asset to the hobby. She could have just as easily been turned sour by her first experience.

Hope you were able to return it for a full refund, Jacquie.

Re: Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

They say you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img] just a couple things *I* would change out in the form (my suggestions in BOLD):

&quot;Dear ___________________:
I am a car enthusiast. I especially like old cars; in particular cars of the 50’s 60’s and 70’s.
I am writing to ask you to help with a dirty little secret that has developed in the car hobby. It can be remedied with your help.
Affixed to every car built in those three decades is a trim tag, sometimes referred to as a data plate or a fender tag. That tag does not contain the <span style="text-decoration: line-through">vin</span> <span style="font-weight: bold">VIN</span> of the car. It does, however include other information about the car and some of the options that were on the car when it left the factory. As <span style="text-decoration: line-through">it turns out</span> an example, a plain vanilla 1969 Camaro with a <span style="text-decoration: line-through">6</span> <span style="font-weight: bold">8</span> cylinder engine and hardly any options may be worth something like $14,000. However, a 1969 Camaro Z/28 with the right colors and options, in the same condition, will bring upwards of $60,000. There are other somewhat rare options, such as having the high performance big block 396 engine etc. that can greatly affect value.
<span style="text-decoration: line-through">What has happened</span> <span style="font-weight: bold">There</span> is a company called trimtags.com. They will produce for you a trim tag that will closely resemble your original tag, but change certain designations to make it appear that your car came with one of the rare, more desirable options. So, some <span style="text-decoration: line-through">joker</span> unscrupulous seller / car builder buys a plain vanilla Camaro, swaps the trim tag<span style="font-weight: bold">, adds a few select emblems, stripes, etc </span>and quickly doubles or triples his money. The cars with swapped trip tags are normally grossly represented. Most folks not familiar with this practice are absolutely stunned and outraged to find out it is not against the law to put a fake tag on the car to make it seem to be something it is not.
The only State of which I am aware that has outlawed the practice of swapping a fake trim tag, or a trim tag from another car, is Oklahoma. I have enclosed a copy of the Oklahoma Law.
Many unsuspecting buyers are being swindled out of large sums of money. I am asking that you introduce legislation similar to that in the State of Oklahoma. I know it will provide at least some measure of protection to the unsuspecting buyers. At least it will give them a remedy. Right now, most who find out they have been duped do nothing, because there are few lawyers who understand how to proceed in a civil action. Why? Because the simple act of swapping the trim tag is not illegal in any state except Oklahoma. We can make it illegal.
Please feel free to contact me. I am looking forward to the day when this practice is outlawed.
Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,&quot;

Re: Trim Tag swapping. Make it illegal in your state
 

All great suggestions Jim.

I didn't spend much time on it. Just sat down and started typing. No proof, no edit. Sherri usually proofs everything I do at the office, but didn't look at this.

Anyway, I would certainly encourage anyone writing to make it their own as they see fit. You may even have a good example you want to point out.