Official VIN (officialvin.com) is a web-based platform which performs vehicle history reports.
The site was registered on January 2nd, 2018 by OfficialVIN Service.
Official VIN Overview
Official VIN’s operation is based around the principle of creating a more secure vehicle acquisition experience in terms of being able to perform history reports on any vehicle within a few short minutes.
While Official VIN fails to provide information regarding their origins, according to their domain, they are actively operating in a partnership with the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System along with undisclosed government agencies and industry partners.
These various partnerships enable Official VIN to obtain a designated vehicles history report and provides them to the consumer for a rate of $18.95 a piece.
How does Official VIN Work?
According to research, Official VIN appears to function as an intermediary service platform for their partnered organizations.
As stated at their domain, the majority of vehicle history reports acquired are obtained through affiliation with the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS).
Those looking to research the history of a particular vehicle are able to enter the vehicles VIN number along with the designated zip code.
Within a few short minutes, Official VIN obtains the report from NMVTIS and renders the obtained history report in an order form which prompts the user to order their vehicle history report for $18.95.
Among the criteria covered in a vehicles history report would be title problem checks, prior damage checks, odometer checks, salvage/theft/lien checks along with historical events such as impound, export, recall and online sale records.
Due to operating in affiliation with the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, Official VIN infers and supports that each obtained vehicle history report is backed with 100% transparency.
Question Marks and Red Flags
Official VIN is only compatible with US citizens which likely infers that their operation is based out of the United States. Official VIN is allegedly owned by OfficialVIN Service, although we were unsuccessful in finding any records at the Better Business Bureau to support their claim.
While the footer of their site incorporates a cumulative total vehicles checks widget of over 13.8 million, it raises speculation in regards the accuracy of this claim due to the fact that according to a WHOIS report, officialvin.com was a privately registered site that has a creation date of January 2nd, 2018.
Whether the alleged total vehicles checked is through Official VIN or through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, we are uncertain, but it seems highly unlikely it would pertain to Official VIN’s operation.
Among of the most pressing concerns regarding Official VIN that should be answered would be what is their corporate number and why the site doesn’t incorporate identifiable features regarding their operation.
In order to find anything of value regarding identity we had to scrounge their Privacy Policy which only disclosed OfficialVIN Service along with support@officialvin.com as identifying features.
Community Feedback
When we first published this review, Official VIN was only a couple of months old and had yet failed to acquire much community feedback.
A couple months after composing the original publication though, we have received many reports of unethical business practices in regards to Official VIN.
Shared below this review are some of the disturbing reports and the professional courtesy one could promptly expect from Official VIN.
Phone Numbers Reported
- 767-907-8606
- 573-539-4979
- 573-401-9686
- 573-389-0593
- 740-901-6526
- 215-560-0989
- 708-779-1747
- 805-678-1756
- 484-983-6473
- 484-983-6431
- 607-354-5504
- 760-249-0712
- 267-794-1455
- 470-615-8516
- 573-562-0431
- 573-574-9389
- 762-524-8923
- 470-274-9630
- 708-640-8439
- 740-330-1602
- 909-686-3058
Email Addresses Reported
- NatalieMcLeanGuU@Yahoo.com
- TheresaClarkNY@yahoo.com
- PeterKerrSC@yahoo.com
- AngelaHamiltonpD@yahoo.com
- SamRobertsonCZ@yahoo.com
- PhilWilkinsoYt@yahoo.com
- RachelDaviesaC@yahoo.com
- JasmineClarksonEN@yahoo.com
- AmeliaParrPEY@yahoo.com
- sophielnceYRE@yahoo.com
- TheresaPaigeoYf@yahoo.com
- VaughanWandaeG@yahoo.com
- AnthonyRutherfordHo@yahoo.com
- PeterRutherfordpbT@yahoo.com
- michelleNorthwyp@yahoo.com
- BrianGibsonbi@yahoo.com
- JoanneMacLeodZHy@yahoo.com
- WatsonAlexandrasR@yahoo.com
Complaints regarding the disclosed telephone numbers and email addresses have been filed against Official VIN.
Popularity
OfficialVIN.com has reflected an unnatural and unprecedented surge in growth according to SimiliarWeb.
Reflecting a global rank of 423,066 with a US rank of 91,591, Official VIN went from supporting 9,000 monthly visitors in January 2018 to over 150,000 as of February 2018.
During the time of writing this review (March 2018), Official VIN receives approximately 44.48% of their traffic from referral based sources while 17.90% is composed from e-mail based sources.
During the time of updating this review (May 1st, 2018), OfficialVIN.com has significantly loss traffic circulation and went from reflecting a global rank of 423,066 to 1,505,472. Previously, Official VIN was reflecting signs of utilizing inorganic traffic acquisition practices to acquire additional traffic but according to recent research and community feedback their site has declined in popularity and trustability.
Should Official VIN be Trusted?
Official VIN functions as an independent and nearly anonymous operation which are normally indications one should avoid when considering using any incentivized platform.
At first, we found Official VIN trustable due to their affiliation with the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System although troubling consumer feedback has made us reconsider our position. Therefore, we are no longer suggesting that Official VIN is trustworthy.
Official VIN Review – The Ruling
When it comes to utilizing or fulfilling a purchase through a newly created domain such as officialvin.com, we always encourage to exercise caution and check for insightful community feedback before committing.
Combining the updated community consensus in accordance with the research we disclosed in the review above, we are not recommending Official VIN.
Same. 412-599-5115 TheresaHowardvm@yahoo.com
Just happened to me. Listed my car on Craigslist four hours ago:.
Got a call from .724.306.3472 … Immediate hangup:
And then this text message exchange:
THEM: Currently driving and cant get a signal to talk
Very interested in your listing for 2015 prius
ME: Glad you’re interested. call at your convenience.
THEM: How many miles are on it?
I would feel more comfortable coming out to see it if will get a history check on your car from vinpuller.com
this shows the vehicle accident history and makes sure there are no major accidents or title issues
If you can do that and email me the report to GraceAlsopdq@yahoo.com I will keep an eye out for it then schedule a time to come meet you
ME: 35,500 I’ll get a report.
THEM: I look forward to potentially buying the 2015 prius after I see its 100% clean from that report.
I’ve had my eye on this make/model for a while now.
WENT TO THE VIN REPORT SITE- SLICK- GOT SUSPICIOUS WHEN IT WANTED PERSONAL INFO.
ME:Sorry, I will not be able to provide you with that report until we meet in person.
This vehicle is only available to local parties
Listed my car on Craig’s List this morning. Got a text a few hours later…”Currently driving and cant get a signal to talk. Very interested in your make and year car.” I called the number 2 hours later and it went to voicemail. I immediately got a text “now isn’t the best time for me to talk on the phone, ok if we text?” I replied ‘Sure if you’re interested, have questions, or want to take it for a test drive.” They replied “How many miles are on it?” I replied with the number Then they hit me with the website and an email address to send the report to. They goy a Big surprise when I screen shoted the finding that there “Was no history eport for my vin#” They went silent for like an hour so I just texted back. “Since there was no report, guess you’re just a scam artist.
Add phone number(302) 929-1172 with email PhilEdmundsDO@yahoo.com.
Seems like they’re all yahoo accounts. Yahoo should check this out.
Just got a dropped call and a texts similar to the stories above: mariadavidsonHtt@yahoo.com 814-712-5004
It’s a nice scam, they check Craigslist and other sales sites and do the robot fake call text thing, it’s really amusing when you realize you aren’t talking to a person right away say bizarre things back and the script keeps playing out like you are answering their questions
Phone: (267) 920-2304
Email: LukeNolannt@yahoo.com
same exact thing just happened to me. from tn# 570-712-1827. called and asked if car was still available then hung up and texted me. same crap as below. unfortunately i texted him my vin and told him he could look it up himself. then i went online and found this info.
They can’t do anything with the vin, I did the same thing, told the robot that I wasn’t going to pay 5% of the selling price for a vin report, you know the site so well have fun looking it up yourself. They target Craigslist ads
Phone: 484-304-2028
Email: OliviaReidOss@yahoo.com
Add the phone number 717-966-4711 and the email address LukeOliverBl@yahoo.com. Received a phone call asking if my car was still for sale then hung up. I tried calling back but there was weird noises on the other end. Then the guy first said that it was a good place or time for him to talk and asked if it was okay to text. Then the next text said sorry for the dropped call, lost reception in the mall. My spicy sense went up. He asked for a history check on the car from vehiclecincheck.com. It all seemed shady then I found this page and it was confirmed.
They’re using phone number 814-802-9305 with the email address carlgillyyh@yahoo.com and trying to get you to pay for a report.
They are baiting you to say “YES” and record it so they then later can use the Credit Card you entered. They call in a charge for your card and impersonate you with your recorded YES.