So I got approached for the third time by these clowns yesterday, and I was wondering if this scam is on the rise, or if I'm just particularly unlucky. In case you don't know how it works, a guy (or guys) approach you in a parking lot and tell you they just won a free speaker, or they have an extra one from a job, or some other garbage. The point is they offer to give it to you for free (or cheap)... Once you see the speaker they conveniently show you some paperwork that proves the system is worth well over $2000, and then they offer to sell it to you for a "discount." Anyway, it's just some crappy stuff they put together in their garage or something. I've never gone beyond "no thanks," but evidently a lot of people have been taken in by this scam, so if it happens to you, try to get the license plate. (or at the very least, don't fall for it) http://www.scamshield.com/Sighting.asp?country=none&state=Texas&article=1 This happening to anyone else?
You should just call the cops when they come up to you. Looks like these guys are wanted for scamming the idiots around Houston.
Sorry, but if you're dumb enough to buy a speaker from some random guy who approaches you in a parking lot, well.....you pretty much deserve what you get...
I live in Austin, and for me it's happened near the Best Buy parking lot in Round Rock every time. I didn't think to look into the scam on the larger scale until after this just happened to me again. I mean, the first time was more than a year ago.
I haven't heard about this scam before, but if they make it themselves at home... what profit can they get from practically giving it away for free?
I would never buy anything from someone who I don't know approaching me in a parking lot or on the street.
Got scam speakers 6-8yrs ago in the TAMU parking lot for a Playstation 2 (RIP) rumble controller. They looked nice and sounded decent. Wound up selling them 3 months ago at a garage sale for $60 I think. They aren't bad if you don't pay much for em.
Someone approached me with this years ago. I assumed they were stolen and said no thanks. Similar deal with jewelry. Is this actually some kind of scam or are they just selling stolen stuff?
Can't believe this is still happening... In 1995, I took a job by accident with one of these "companies". I had no idea when I got there that morning what I had gotten myself into. When we got chased off by the cops from a shopping center in Sugarland, that was kind of when I knew I wasn't coming back the next day. It was miserable. All I did was sit there with a fake smile so that the scam-ee thought I was genuinely surprised by getting these awesome extra speakers. That afternoon, we were at a Randalls in Pearland. I got a page (it was 1995) and went inside to make a call. Well, the guy actually made a sale while I was in there. The person he was selling to had to go get cash so they left to find an ATM. They left me there and never came back. I was 19, w/o a car, in Pearland (I lived in The Woodlands at the time). Some friends of mine had to come get me and take me back to my truck which was at their office off of 59. When I got there to get my truck. I saw the van I had been in and proceeded to slash it's tires. Needless to say, I didn't go back the next day. I got hit up by one of those schmucks some years later. I wanted so bad to run him over.
I would just say no and proceed to call the cops, even if I didn't know it was a scam. Isn't it soliciting/loitering on private property? Pugs
What is being peddled by these speakermen, are cheap, low quality speakers that cost them ~$50/pair. typically, the speakers will have a label stamped on them that vaguely resembles a "high-end" brand (example: Kirsch/Klipsch, Dahlton/Dahlquist, Dynalab/Dynaudio). They lurk in parking lots frequented by single males age 18-34, hoping to find a good "mark". A good friend of mine that owns some pawn shops has actually had victims approach him with these knockoffs, looking to turn a quick profit right after purchasing from the parking lot.
"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Xerobull again." I couldn't agree more. The only time I go there now is to get the random great deal due to some coupons I've run across. Otherwise, I avoid it like the plague. I actually got onto my aunt the other day because she bought a new tv from there. The only advantage is, I think, they price match, so if you can find it somewhere cheaper and show that to them, it could be ok, I just don't know why you wouldn't get it from the other place unless it has something to do with a warranty. Pugs
No, the white van speaker scam just sells you low grade speakers that they claim are very high end and have cool brochures for - I knew a smart guy (Phi Beta Kappa - a surgeon now) who got scammed by this back in the 90's. Couldn't belive he fell for it.
I had one of these schmucks approach me in the parking lot of my office building once. He showed me a GPS/Speaker Set that had an MSRP sticker of $2000, and offered me $300 for it. I just assumed it was stolen or a fake, and told him I wasn't interested. I can't believe people are naive/stupid enough to actually fall for **** like this.
guy i knew got scammed by this my sophmore year in college. He ended up buying the speakers. He then called a speaker audio shop and asked them how much so-and-so speakers are worth. The guy said "the only place you can get those speakers is off the back of a truck". That guy was r****ded.
I was working in a warehouse when I was 17 and got approached by the white van speaker sellers. I believe his pitch was that he just did a job and had a leftover speaker he was trying to turn into quick cash. Good thing I wasn't interested.
