I work in the southeast side of Houston . . . one day, at the corner of Bellfort and Telephone there was a guy standing at the corner with a gas can, giving people a "can you help me out" look and shrug. As I drove by, I figured "wow, I bet he really does need gas." That was until I saw him again. The next day. And every day after that for about 3 weeks, at the same corner, with the same gas can. He's still up there a lot, but he's got a different thing now -- I think just a sign, but I don't recall.
For all you parents, tell your kids about where used up speakers go when nobody wants them anymore. "Son, you know those people who sell speakers out of their cars in parking lots all over our great nation? Those guys get those speakers from unwanted speaker land, son! I know it's hard to believe, son. Those speakers they sell you are refurbished to be like brand new I tell you, son. You see them stacked in boxes in our garage, son. You've seen them every year of your young life. That's because I buy new speakers every time I go to the grocery store, son. These folks in the parking lots in their white cars have a great bargain for me every time...too difficult to pass up. I'm hoarding them for resale! I know it's wrong and immoral, son. But, the profit margins are high! We'll be rich, som! Promise me you won't tell anyone, son! Son, now you know where unwanted, used speakers end up. Right over there! Yonder, son."
I don't see how it's a scam if they are selling something and you are willingly buying it. Don't understand how that could be against the law.
I know you try very hard, but what % of your attention seeking posts do you think get genuine replies? Kind curious
You didn't answer the question. If I wanted to sell cheap speakers, what is against the law with selling cheap speakers. These people aren't forcing you to buy these speakers.
It's a scam because they are claiming the speakers to be worth $800 while offering them to you at the amazing price of $200. In the end, the speakers are said to be worth closer to $50. How is that not a scam?
Is it actually illegal, though? All it does is prey on people's stupidity, and it's not illegal to do that.
I've been approached by the white vans guys a few times in both Houston and Austin. I never bought any. But, a friend of mine had some that he bought from a homeless guy in Austin for like $20 or a twelve pack or something. He used them for many, many years and they actually sound pretty good. They certainly aren't worth $700, but I'm sure there are plenty of $200 brand name speakers out there that don't sound as good as some of the white van speakers.
I could see it being a scam in a non-free market economy. But not applicable to scam or fraud in America. It is sort of like buying an HDMI cable at Best Buy that costs $50, but the same cable can be bought at an local electronic store like Directron for $35. Is Best Buy committing a crime selling the product for $50? I don't think so. A product is only as worth as much as the buyer is willing to pay.
I've seen these types of threads on many message boards in my life but I have never seen so many people say that they have run across this scam personally. I guess the majority of the people on this bbs fit the exact stereotype of the type of guys they are targeting? Younger, single, nerdy males who have a strange obsession with electronics and spend too much time on the Internet?
i had one approach me at the HEB at crabb river road. I didnt respond because he looked like a huge douche in his lifted truck and cow balls dangling from the trailer hitch.
They tried to sell my friend these speakers back in 1997 in Austin. They told him to name his price. He just kept saying, "okay. 1 cent". the guy in the van got frustrated and drove off.
I got approached about 9 years ago in Houston at Hempstead Hwy and Mangum. $1000 speakers for $200. I told them to follow me to the ATM at BOA right there. I went in and took out $20. Walked back out and told them that was all I could withdraw. They declined my offer. I new it was a scam but was willing to risk the $20.
What? It's nothing like that at all. A fair comparison would be Best Buy falsely advertising a VIZIO HDTV (worth say $100) by putting a Sony sticker over the VIZIO label and advertising it as a top-of-the-line Sony brand and charging $500 for it. That is illegal. These people are telling others that their speaker is a high-end brand worth hundreds of dollars when in actuality they are extremely cheap. That's a scam, whether it's illegal or not.
