White Van Speaker Scam

[col]

Wondering if anyone here has any stories about these scammers.They are quite prevalent in Australia.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/home/t...237629681.html


col.

[Frank Berry]

This scam has been in the U.S. for years.
Probably stolen merchandise.

[quasi]

Yep ....about 3 years ago I got approached.

I had just parked my car when a white van pulled up (really was white) with 2 guys in it. One tells me that they have just finished clearing a warehouse for one of the local retail outlets to make room for new stock and that the owner was happy for this surplus but high quality hifi equipment to be sold.

I said I wasn't interested and I started to walk away. He starts going on about having the best brands etc.... so I asked him what brands he had. While he was guessing I kept walking away.

But the best one was;

Once I was sitting in a resturaunt with my girlfriend when a guy opens the front door and walks in. Has a look at the all the patrons and makes a bee-line for me to ask me if I want to buy a TV. Maybe I look the type!

I'm staggered to think that some people would even say yes.

Cheers
Quasi

[Dr.EM]

I have heard of this scam, was a bit suprised but then I guess a lot of the public know very little about speakers and could fall for it.

As a general rule though, you the customer will be making the descision as the what you want to buy and where from and having someone come up to you trying to generate a sale should ring alarm bells

[KBK]

When you run into these people..call the local police.

In most western countries..ie Australia, UK, Germany, Canada, USA, etc..there are very specific laws about selling goods in vehicles on someone else's commercial space..which a parking lot is.

So take down the description of the vehicle, the license plate,and a few photos of the guys inside....and call the police.

Tell the police that you think they are selling 'stolen goods'. Which they are not, they are not stolen goods. They are merely a very bad purchase. However, the laws of the land with regards to insurance, and illegal use of commercial space without permits and coverage, etc, means that these people will definitely be charged with breaking the law.

Telling the police they are selling stolen goods means that they will actually respond - and catch these guys!

[poynton]

I owned a computer shop in Guildford for several years. I also repaired hifi and always had some for sale.

Several times I was approached in this fashion in the shop.

The goods were real and worked but were always the lowest quality - bigger is better stuff.

The price asked was always way beyond the real value.

I took the details of the van once and contacted trading standards but they said 'yes, we know about them but they are not selling stolen goods only low quality"

In the UK, these guys know the law and are quite careful with the sales pitch.

If the law is not broken, no prosecution can result. Any action has to be through the civil courts and is unlikely to succeed.


Andy

[Cal Weldon]

There are a few threads on this already. I get approached about once a year.

One of The famous "White VAN" speakers!
"White Van" junk speakers tested, dissected:
The White Van Strikes Again!!!
At last! Hope for the victims of 'White Van Syndrome'

[Sonusthree]

These speakers regularly turn up on UK Ebay too. It makes me feel a little bit sorry for the sellers (and the subsequent buyer) when they're trying to shift the low quality big speakers by quoting the same bull sales pitch that made them buy them in the first place.

It's so tempting to send them a link to the many sites discussing this con.

[Pano]

Originally posted by Cal Weldon
I get approached about once a year.

Really? Darn, I fell so left out. Maybe I just look too shady myself....

[Cal Weldon]

Well you know me, I always dress in the finest of fashion and have that incredibly gullible look on my face. Either that or hang out in the wrong places like north Surrey where there's someone trying to sell you something every couple 'o' days. Speakers are the closest to legitimate I get asked to buy.