Carmine, one can (in a no-title state, especially) get the numbers from a vehicle (tag and/or VIN), go with a fake bill of sale and get a registration. Then claim it's theirs. It's happened. This is among many reasons you can't simply go to your State's licensing authority and research title and registration history on a car unless YOU currently own the vehicle and show proof of registration/ownership in your name. There are plenty of scumbags out there that have equally scumbag cops, bank employees, wrecker services and insurance workers as buddies that legally CAN "run a tag". That's why.
I'd like to know if that's ever happened.
Seriously. Not to challenge you, just curiosity. I live in a title state, don't know which states don't have titles.
Thus I have no idea where to begin my search. (I tried.)
So just a bill of sale, written on anything, include a license plate number, (which is not the same thing as a VIN, and not typically photographed in the background). Walk into a state office, say it's mine, walk out with a legal ownership?
Our state's registration paperwork is nothing special. Printed in B&W on standard paper. Has the Vin#, plate#, my name/address, year, make, and a barcode which I assume is the above info to speed traffic stops by auto-populating forms. I could make a copy in less than a minute, then alter it in Paint to say virtually anything.
Of course the problem will come if I'm stopped and it doesn't match the state database. But putting that aside, maybe I'm from a no-title state. I create this paperwork, but use the Vin and plate# from a sharp Imperial I spot at a car show.
I just walk this into the state office, tell them I bought it, pay some sales tax and have a new one sent to my house. Go to your house, steal the car, get keys made and that's it? I've got a claim to the car by saying you sold it to me, stolen car report be darned?
Of course how a photo factors into this I don't know... it's not inconceivable that I could remember 6 Vin digits and 6 plate digits (since I'd be able to concoct the rest).
If that's the ownership transfer process, I'd be afraid to own anything in that state. People could just hold you ransom for the legal hassle and demand $100 to go away.
