Schemes, Scams, Frauds.
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White Van Speaker Scams Fraud Involving Scam Speakers Sold From White Vans by Speakermen FraudstersSubject: Speakers sold from SUVsDate: Tue, 28 Aug 2001 I have been approached several times in Los Angeles and Seattle by 20-30 year old men while driving in my car. They always have this bug-eyed shifty look to them and they want to sell me home speaker systems. And we all enjoy fast-talking, hurried salesman. The first time, out of curiosity, I stopped and looked at the products. I am somewhat familiar with speakers but I had never heard of these "revolutionary" brands. When I finally said that I wasn't interested, I was met with lower prices and "do you have any friends that might be interested?" I'm almost sure their business is not legit, but I'm curious as to where they get these speakers (and it's always speakers), and why do they always hit me up when I'm driving. Thanks for any info. Tim Harrington Subject: Stereo Speakers Invoice Overage Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 Two guys approached me just before going into my bank about 2 weeks ago. When I went to the same bank today, I saw another 2 guys pitching the same story to a guy as I walked by. Do you know what the real story is to this scam's design? Brian Fleming No Love Lost I would like to compliment you on the simple design & layout and the great information on your website. I was reading through some of the popular street scams when I came across something that caught my eye - "The Speaker Scam". This actually happened to me in West Los Angeles about four years ago. I was driving down Sepulveda Blvd with my boyfriend, when two very friendly looking guys pulled up in a blue pickup truck in the lane next to us at a red light. They excitedly explained that they had just come from the "warehouse" and "the factory ordered four speakers but they gave us four sets" and "we're just two broke delivery guys trying to make a buck!" We initially said "no thanks" but then the driver proceeded to tell us how state of the art the speakers were and how he'd give them to us for CHEAP. They would even follow us to the ATM! So we pulled into a parking lot and they bombarded us with all these glossy brochures and advertisements from so-called hi-tech magazines. They really suckered us. They pull the speakers out of the box and believe me, they were impressive looking to someone who is not an expert. I still remember the brand name "Acoustic Response" (which I had never heard of, but I just thought that was because it was such a high-end brand!) First the guys wanted $1400 for the pair!!! We told them no way, and actually started to leave, when the guy said, "Hey dude, what can you afford? Your ATM limit is $300, right?" So he convinced us to EACH take $300 from our bank ATM's, and we actually gave it to him! When we got home, we hooked the speakers up to our entertainment system, and of course, they were CRAPPY to say the least. At least when I broke up with the boyfriend, HE got to keep them. Amina Williams 12/19/01 Pay Me In Ones Please I was checking around on the Net trying to find out the real price of some speakers I had just purchased, when I came across your site. I started reading and noticed that the stories sounded a little too familiar for I too had bought some speakers from two guys in a gold SUV who pulled me over, while I was driving near Salem in Oregon, by yelling something about free speakers. Anyways, they told me they were picking up four house speakers and got loaded with six. They wanted to get rid of the two extras before they had to meet their boss. He went through the steps on your site perfectly, though he told me he just needed some extra money for the "titty bar". I guess I got off easy buying two Audiofile 830LR speakers for $150. Scott Chamberlain 04/28/02 Speakers are being sold the same way, under the brand name of Denmark, all over Texas. They are exactly like the Audiofile Speakers, same make, numbers and all. A spec sheet on the Denmark Loud Speaker E830LR gives the retail price of $1390.00 a pair and the name of the company they came from is none other than JAM Audio. The people that we got this sheet from (thank God I didn't buy these) come from a company out of Irving, Texas, called T & M Enterprises. But from what I understood from the "scamsmen" they are almost all from Michigan, Pennsylvania, and a couple of other places up north. The more consumers that buy from these scam artists, the more than can continue to screw us. These people need to be stopped. dYsFuNcTiOnAl_ PrInCeSs 05/09/02 Down Memory Lane Together I've been approached 3 times with this speaker scam. Once when I was 18 years old at a Shell gas station in Coral Gables FL then by the same guys when I was 23 at the International Mall in Miami, FL and by the same guys just last year when I was 28 close to The Mall of the Americas in Miami, FL. Incredible. I didn't know what they were up to but I knew it was a scam of some sort. The last time I saw them I reminded them of the last 2 times and quickly informed the shopping mall security and Miami Metro Dade Police. Tony Sevillano 08/09/02 International White Van Speaker ScamsSurprised that I received the initial letters within days from different parts of the country led me to investigate this situation which I had never before heard of ( yes, I am fallible ). Much to my surprise this turns out to be a scam of international proportions ( Canada, U.S., Australia, U.K., Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Switzerland ). There are even web sites specifically devoted to exposing it. Essentially it involves selling cheaply made, but impressive looking, home stereo speakers under the names:
using a variety of ruses out of the back of vans and SUV's. Most shocking is that it appears to be some kind of franchise operation for cons with impressive brochures, van decals, and a bogus website to delude you into believing you have gotten quite a deal. In addition to the info below I direct your attention to ScamShield White Van Speaker Scam, www.badbusinessbureau.com www.bbb-bec.com Ecoustics.com White Van Epiphany Speaker Scam Speaker Scam News Report Video The Speaker Scam ApproachIn the typical stereo speaker scam scenario you are either approached on foot in a large high-traffic retail parking lot ( Home Depot, Loews, McDonalds, gas stations, banks ), hailed to the side of the road by someone next to a van in apparent distress waving a sign, or actually urged to stop while driving by the demonstrative hand signals and shouting of the driver of a company delivery van. In most cases the van will be white, new and bear a stylish corporate logo with the name Dynalab on the side. Your fears of being hijacked, kidnapped or robbed are dispelled by both this and the neat, respectably monogrammed t-shirts with name tags the young driver and assistant are wearing. Fearing an unnoticed mechanical difficulty in your own vehicle; coming to the aid of a person who may be stranded; or simply being sociably compliant to a reasonable request to approach their vehicle, you eventually hear their story. They begin their rehearsed routine which is both persuasive and assertive. They generally say that they are delivery drivers and/or installers who have just finished a job, telling you that by inventory error, they have extra hi-fi speakers that are available for a much reduced price. Some quoted versions have been: "We're delivery people for an audio company and they accidentally just gave us twice as many speakers as they were supposed to." "We just got done installing a sound system at a restaurant, and we have these extra speakers we want to get rid of for dirt cheap, they cost $1000+ a set, but you can take them for $600 a pair!". "We have just made a delivery to a dance club and we have several extra speakers in the back of our van." "We just finished a job here in town, have two extra pairs of speakers and if we take them to our next job today our boss will want them back." "I have an extra pair of speakers my "tyrant boss" won't let me keep, so I thought I'd let someone else have them and make a little money at the same time." "Hey you guys, are you all into stereo equipment? We have two extra pair of speakers here we will sell you for $500. We were going to a jobsite and they put too many on the truck." "We have this overstock of speakers from a job and if I take them back I have to wait for 8 weeks for the credit note and I just can't wait that long because, what with my bills, I need the money now. So tell you what. I'll let you have them for a great price." "....as I told you, I'm not going to stand here forever. These are left-over studio speaker sets from a job we did over at the Olympic Stadium. If we can get rid of them now, at cost, we won't get toasted by the boss. You know they're worth over $2000 a set, but if you want to take them now, you can have them for $800...." They suggest that they need to get rid of them before they return to the warehouse and have to give them back to their boss. Some have presented themselves as Dynalab representatives, while some indicate that they are drivers for local Audio/Entertainment companies. We Can Prove It They present you with the delivery invoices and business cards to back up their claim. Then they show you speakers they describe as high-end speakers worth well over $1000 per pair (Dynalab SD2.8 Tower Speakers). They then present you with a laminated promo card for the particular model of speakers which prices them at from $1,500-$2400 a pair while emphasizing that they are used in all the bars in NYC or a major city near where you live. They further justify their claims with colorful ads in audiophile magazines or slick brochures listing a very high retail price. Even the web site address www.DynalabUSA.com which is displayed prominently on the box justifies the high price for its speakers should you check online once you get them home. They may also provide you with a phone number for an audio company (Extreme Audio) which you can call and confirm the price before you proceed further. The guy who answers confirms the $2400 price for the speakers. He is, in fact, actually a shill who assists in the operation. First they roll out all the trappings of respectability. The van, nametags, documentation, T-shirts, brochures, the impressive looking speakers, all emblazoned with the company logo. Let the Bargaining Begin After establishing a sky high value in your mind they simply try to get as much out of you as possible while making it seem like you're getting a deal.They start with a price of around $1000, bargaining it down with your compliance or, should you start to walk away unsold, finally ask what you are willing to pay for the "high-quality" speakers. Victims have paid anywhere from $200-$1000 for a pair, thinking they have made a great deal based on the info provided them. The drivers, from all around the world, have been known to ask for extra "beer money" for giving the buyer such a great deal. This personalization offsets buyers remorse by reinforcing that it was you, not them, who made the deal. This aspect of the scam causes the "Speakermen" ( as they call themselves ) to regale with laughter at your gullibility once they leave your sight. Some buyers just give in due to the pressure of intimidation. They end up just hoping they can recoup their costs by reselling the speakers. It reflects poorly on society, and is perhaps a bit sad, that a marketing pitch is successful when it involves creating the perception that the merchandise is stolen. No Experience or Scruples Required Well, it doesn't come as much of a surprise to see that Jam Audio, is a really big scam. Let me start by saying that I found a local ad in the newspaper saying "Make $600-1200 weekly, distributing home theatre products." In college and always needing money, I called and was greeted with a friendly voice, very politely giving me directions on how to get to the establishment, but never mentioning anything about the company or its practices. I went for an "interview" which involved filling out a generic application and was offered a job helping to sell speakers. I was told that the boss's "best guy" made $2800 the previous week, and his worst seller still managed to rake in $600. I took the job hoping to make as much money as possible, never wondering why everyone wasn't quitting their job and running for speaker sales. I was told to wear a collared shirt and jeans or shorts to start the next day at 8 a.m. and when I arrived music was on and there was about 15 guys running around a make-shift warehouse hurriedly dumping speakers into the back of cargo vans. After all the trucks were loaded we had a team meeting, which covered sales goals and a pep talk on the bonus money given to the teams that arrive back at the shop first with the most speakers sold. So, I hopped into a van with my teammates; one a "trainee" like myself and the other a seasoned veteran, the guy who made $2800 the last week. So we venture out into a suburb and pull into the parking lot of a gas-station. I thought we were just filling up to start the day out, but that's when I first heard the come-on and knew this career move was a bad idea. The veteran leaned out the window and yelled to some unsuspecting driver, "Hey buddy!!!, Crazy question for ya. You need a set of house speakers?, I got some extras," "How much you want for 'em?" came the reply. "Pull over here real quick and I'll show 'em to ya." Then we all became part of the act. The driver asked us to hand him a magazine with a marked page showing this particular brand of "Denmark" speakers. He explained to the guy that these speakers were originally priced at $1400 but since our inventory guys messed up and gave us extras we were gonna sell them to him really cheap. After all, if we brought them back some guy with seniority would get them instead of us. After laying a guilt trip on the "hit" about helping out a few young delivery guys, he was sold, then we walked to his ATM, and had him withdraw $400. You were to take no less than $200 for the set. I was told that the warehouse boss buys them for $100, so first off, he always makes $100 on every sale. Then, in order to make any kind of profit yourself, you must sell them for anything over $200. This little "show" must have happened at least 300 times throughout the day with only a handful purchasing but it seems the mark gets made fun of afterwards if you buy them or not. That the speakers are junk is openly discussed. All employees are required to fill out independent contractor forms which I suppose allows the company to operate without being held liable for the salesperson's actions. I hope something can be done to get rid of this crap, I worked there for one day and saw right through what they were doing and wanted no part of it. Jason 06/27/02 Experiences of White Van Speaker Victims"They were in a white van, and honked at me until I finally pulled my car into a parking lot." "Well, I was kind of leery. At first I thought they might have been stolen but they looked like the real thing. White van with Dynalab decals on the side. Dynalab shirts, paperwork and everything." "They showed an ad from "The Absolute Sound" "proving" the
MSRP was $1200. "After showing an ad from the back of some Audiophile magazine with speakers priced at $1,200 they tried to sell them to me for $600." Hey everybody. I kidnapped two speaker guys here in Maryland! I will be auctioning them on ebay with no reserve. You will be bidding on... 1 Chevy work van Buyer pays all shipping. This is a one of a kind auction guys...Happy Bidding! "A friend of mine was driving down the street when he was waved down by this guy standing by his blue van holding a sign. He pulled over to see what it was he wanted and he was shown this brochure of speakers." "The brochure had pictures of all different MTS (millennium theater speakers) speakers. The guy was persistent in trying to convince my friend to buy the speakers for $1,000. He said that they were the best around and used in all major clubs around NYC. He also said that they retailed in stores for close to $1,500 and that he was cutting him a deal. But, my friend turned him down. As he was walking away the guy bargained with him until they talked the price down to $200." "When I started asking questions - they said the speakers were set up so that even if you put them into the low-level outputs of a TV, you "still got the full 200 watts". I said, "Oh, so they're amplified then?" "No,...blah blah blah". I stopped listening." "Their despicable tactics have to catch up with them sooner or later. I wonder if they have medical coverage for their employees selling this junk. When I went to the warehouse for a refund they were unloading a tractor trailer load of these pieces of crap." "They first offered the speakers at $500 each... (who sells speakers one at at time???)" "According to a real audiophile mate of mine, these speakers are perfect for those with total hearing impairment and a vacant space in the lounge room." "I wasn't impressed by the 'Loot' advert as they can be placed easily (and for free), but I was taken in by the ad in the glossy American magazine." "I had asked to listen to them and after a brief protest about being in a hurry, they complied. I know this was outside in a van, but I could easily tell that the sound quality was poor. The lows were moderately powerful but very muddy, the mids were almost non-existent and the highs were annoying." "I also asked them to disassemble the cabinets for a look and and they refused with some BS about them being "high end" speakers and that would void the warranty. Of course they didn't remember bragging about how easily the user could service them at the beginning." "I waited for a refund from "Jay" in the parking lot from 6:30 PM. Guess how many white Mercedes vans pulled in? Seven!!! All with a "Dynalab" sign on! Seven of these vans are cruising all over the streets of Sydney. All of sudden the office became a swarm of all these "JAY" dudes... about 20 of them, plus a dog." "They did the classic "we'll follow you to the ATM" routine and accepted my withdrawal limit (with feigned but convincing reluctance)." "This has been about the fourth time that I have been approached to buy a set of "overstock" speakers. They show you the bogus ad, the bogus price and a "supposed" receipt." "It seems like there tactics are getting bolder. The one gentlemen unlocked my door and put the box in my car, even after telling him not too! Then the guy starts complaining and saying " I already put them in your car, c'mon we'll follow you to the ATM" after about 5 minutes of arguing the one guy started talking trash, and lets just say that he went home with a beating." "Paid $500 for four (and threw in $20 cash for beer)." "They make a show of pulling one out of the box to make sure that you aren't getting a birdcage or something." "I went for a refund at 8:30am this morning and there was the boss, half a dozen salesmen and three vans." Customer Reviews of Speakers Purchased from a Van"I get home to find they are truly a piece of crap. My head is going to explode I am so mad." "I think SDA stands for Some Dumb A**!" "When I read through the reviews after buying, I nearly fainted, and dehydrated by sweating through my A**." "Contact me about joining a class action lawsuit to be filed against JAM Enterprises and affiliate vendors. lawsuit@thegrab.com" "People selling black-market items shouldn't scam black-market buyers. It just isn't right." "How many of you own Rolex watches bought the same way? If you were an honest person to begin with you would have never bought anything from these white vans." From the Dynalab SDA 2.8 Signature Reference Loud Speakers Reviews http://www.audioreview.com/reviews/Speaker/product_7439.shtml Assorted Strengths: You can use it as a bench. The white van was very clean. Home delivery. The salesman. I have firewood for the next Christmas. Assorted Weaknesses: The horrible sound they produce. How long have you got? Takes up space in the trash can. Me. Similar to what other product: Tin can and string. 10 year old clock radio. Thank God I have not come across a product as horrible as this. Dry rotted KRACO 6x9 in the back window of a late 1970's Trans Am. Junior Morse code kit. My parents' speakers from 1960. The cardboard boxes that my other speakers came in. Purchased At: The White Van Industry Reviews of White Van SpeakersIndustry estimates rate the worth of the units at about $100 a piece which represents the value of the housing alone, allowing nothing for the electronic component portion. The Fall (Oct) What HiFi magazine issued a warning about this scam. They even got a pair and tested them out. They apparently claim the units have no internal bracing, terrible crossover, terrible speakers etc. resulting in a boomy, resonant mess. Hometheater Magazine did a humorous article in their April 2001 issue. Refunds of White Van SpeakersTo get a refund, you should contact the local distributor within three days, which may be listed below or by selecting the nearest city to you the SIGHTINGS & LOCATIONS section at ScamShield. If the information is not yet available, you should contact the manufacturer, Audio Wood Products and ask for the contact information of the nearest distributor. By occasionally giving no receipt they hope you will feel too guilty to ask for a refund due to the larcenous nature of the "shady" deal, . "I was able to get a full refund, which is really because of the law, not company policy. I'm not sure of the specifics but as I recall when people use such deceitful sales tactics that, by law, the buyer is entitled to a full refund if the goods are returned within a few days. This is the only reason I believe this company would ever return any money to anyone." " He also said I could get my money back if I threw in an extra $20 so he could buy beer." How to find them: In any large city you can find a "Speaker Office" by just picking up the morning paper - it's that easy! Look under general in the want ads, find an ad for "Delivery" or "Rock & roll", "long hair okay". Call it and then go to the interview location where they hope to recruit you as one of their "speakermen" to demand your money back or arrange the bust. The Paper Trail The manufacturer Audio Wood Products in Chino Hills, California ships the product to regional/local distributors who have independent contractors (van drivers) who sell the speakers. JAM Entertainment has their name and address listed on the speaker boxes, but they say they they no longer work with Dynalab. Because these independent contractors do not work for the distributors nor the manufacturer, these companies claim no responsibility for the actions of these salespeople. Some van teams are also selling Omni Audio speakers. Republic Distributors, inc. is the parent company of both Omni Audio and Dynalab. When an Orlando man who recently bought a pair of speakers called to complain about the way he was pressured and lied to by the salespersons, one by one the company representatives denied responsibility and referred him down the chain of command. John Mahaffey of JAM Enterprises referred him to Mike Amoroso of Audiowood Products who referred him to Michael P. of Orca Distributors in Longwood, FL. Each person claimed to be running a legitimate business without any direct ties to the contract salespersons. Yet it seems to stretch the limits of coincidence that there can be so many similarities in the marketing tactics worldwide without a deliberate and coordinated effort from a parent organization. Manufacturer: We're trying to work out if Acoustic Reference LS-1000's are produced by the same company. Their Chino Hills office for Audio Wood Products Inc is now an empty building recently vacated. 03/02 The BBB in Chino had no reports or complaints about Audio Wood Products on file. Legal Note: This firm has obtained
a judgment against Audiowood Products, Inc. in the
amount of Parent Company: Republic Distributors, Inc. RDI Dynalab, JAM Enterprises, Omni Audio Corporate Headquarters: Note: Site has been down and locals indicate it is a ReMax office at this location. www.dynalabusa.com Omni Audio, Omni-Audio Products One group operates as Jam Enterprises (Huntingdon Valley, PA) JAM ENTERPRISES now called Kelfi Distributors, at
453 Davidson Road, Plum, PA. Manager is still David
Girgus Jam Audio Republic Distributors Of Canada Apparently out of business. Republic Distributors Inc Sound Vision SounDivision a.k.a. Vision Ventures SounDivision Epiphany Speakers Epiphany Speakers - epiphanyaudio.biz epiphany.biz Dog Digital Audio www.doggdigitalaudio.com Millennium Speakers Fuller, Joe Republic Distribution GmbH, RDI, For those in Australia the distributor is: Melbourne: United Kingdom As of 10/15/00 the address of the operations operating in and around London:- J.A.M. Audio Ltd. Getting a refund is possible as it appears they accept that a percentage of people are going to track them down. The best time to visit them is at around 7:30pm when they are returning to the warehouse. The chap to speak to there is 'Kenny' (Ken Holder). "No problem getting a £200 cash refund from Kenny at the warehouse in Wimbledon. I think they accept that a percentage will get returned and they bank on many people not getting a receipt because they believe the goods are stolen, or being to embarrassed/scared to try." Steer Clear of 'Ere In Britain this scam is often focused on unsuspecting students around Universities and Colleges, where two men, posing as deliverymen in white Ford Transit vans, attempt to off-load their “surplus stock" of huge, P.A.-style speakers, at “bargain" prices. “'ERE MATE, wanna buy some cheap speakers?" is the refrain that is becoming all too familiar for London University students as the repeated attempts at the same locations somewhat contradict the "once in a lifetime opportunity" spiel. One of the men will brandish an official-looking delivery docket, saying that he has too many/couldn't find the buyer/buyer declined et cetera, and that he has to get rid of them somehow. He will offer the speakers at a third, or less, of the price on the docket while going on about their high quality and power. Leads: Montreal Area: authorities may contact "Le Saint" at: Mtl_van_scam@hotmail.com for additional info on perpetrators. GLOBAL AUDIO NETWORK (GLOBAL AUDIO LTD) 4800 Cote Vertu Blvd, St-Laurent QC 514-339-1161 Manager : Jeremy Brown Cell # : 613-263-1786 Office empty 30/Nov/01 Les Ventes LTS ltée Sound Illusion Production Musique Depo Jan, Sandy (Office manager) (514) 845-1558 Scam Vehicles Montreal Area/ Quebec plates: 1) FK13056 2) F4Z8746 3) FY93920 4) FYB3331 Something to Sit On While Listening to your Speakers Someone rang my doorbell and said they were deliverymen for a major furniture company. They had a delivery for someone on the block who had refused, so they were "willing" to sell me the merch for 2/3 off! I told them to hold on a minute while I got the wife. What I really did was call the police. The police REFUSED to do anything because they had a valid business license! (Even though I had a no soliciting sign on my door, the police said, incorrectly, that they still can't do anything.) I told the police that their story is untrue---isn't there a law against fraud, and the cops said that they can't prove that their story wasn't true. Well, maybe stupid cops can't but I can! If because my neighbor refused a delivery they're able to unload the stuff at 1/3 retail, then all I need to do when I need furniture is conspire with a neighbor to order it for me and refuse it! Obviously this is a load of hooey. It was schlocky furniture. I saw it. Easily worth a lot less than what they were asking for it. Because these scams prey on the "victim" thinking he's getting stolen or misappropriated mech. as a steep discount, I think law enforcement should prosecute both the perpetrator AND the victim! They're both guilty. -- Robert Swirsky 'Back of a van' speaker scam hits central North Island04/04 - New Zealand - The Commerce Commission is alerting the public in the central North Island that an international scam involving the sale of speakers from the back of vans has hit the area. The Commission has been investigating the scam since February and has been aware of operations in Auckland's Eastern suburbs and Whangarei. The stereo speakers, which carry the brand names Pro Audio or Acoustic Reference, have been promoted as being made or developed in the USA, come with a 'certificate of authenticity' and are sold at prices of up to $1,500 per pair. The speakers are in fact made in China and have an estimated value of $50 per pair. Director of Fair Trading Deborah Battell said that the salespeople have been operating out of the back of white vans. "The sales pitch is usually along the lines that they have an extra order that they can't return to the warehouse, so they will do a good deal," Ms Battell said. "We are concerned people do not get conned into buying these speakers or other 'fallen off the back of a truck' type products, without being fully aware of what they are buying. If an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is." Members of the public are encouraged to call the Commission's Contact Centre on 0800 943 600 if they are concerned that they or others may have been misled by the scam or if they hear of anyone operating in this manner. Surely they'd change the van color by now! 02/07 - The scam referred to as the white van scam took place as the senior filled up his tank with gas in Edmonson County. He was approached by two males in a white van wanting to sell him home audio speakers. The salesmen claim the speakers are worth 31-hundred dollars but in reality they aren't. Melvin Morrison's stepson agreed to purchase the speakers from them. "I guess they finally agreed on a price and he paid two hundred and sixty dollars for two of these speakers", says Morrison Once the senior arrived home and told his step-father about what he thought was an amazing deal, his step-father was immediately alarmed. "According to the articles on the Internet I have actually read that they can damage your stereo if you connect them and use them or they won't even work out of the box" says Morrison These scammers have gone pretty far to make you feel like you have made a great purchase. "The web address is stamped on the box so they can go there and it makes them feel like they have made a really good deal because there is an actual website that has all this information about them and says 3100 hundred dollars for these speakers and if you stop there you think you did well" says Morrison Melvin wants other people to be alarmed that these so called salesmen have been in the area and people need to beware of the scam so you don't end up their next victim. "I would like for him to get his money back on them but that's pretty doubtful", says Morrison WBKO.com Speaker Scam Victims Seek Truth from Reputable Salesmen03/08 - WI — An owner of a local custom sound business says he can’t believe how many calls he has received about a potential stereo equipment scam occurring in the area. Since last July, Rod Carter, owner of Carters Custom Sound, estimated he’s been called 75 to 100 times regarding a scam in which people buy merchandise from someone with a van full of bad stereo equipment. Within the last few weeks, he said, he’s had five calls from people who fell victim to the scheme. The people selling this equipment try to catch others coming out of banks or places where electronics are sold, Carter said. Their selling pitch usually involves a claim about unloading extra new stereos they have. In addition, they tend to present only one or two pieces of equipment at a time even though they might have a van full of equipment. The merchandise is then sold at a fraction of what they say it’s normally sold for, and typically the sellers take cash payments. Since Carter’s business provides electronic equipment services, he said those who fall victim to the scheme often come to him wanting help with the faulty equipment. Carter said he remembers watching a news program about five or six years ago about a similar scam and noticed it had picked up again about a year ago. “There’s a lot more of this going on than people know,” he said. Carter has heard of people paying from $300 to as much as $1,500 for the equipment, which he said doesn’t even work 80 percent of the time. To add to their credibility, Carter said, the people selling the equipment make up fake invoices. “These guys are smooth. And are so good at what they do,” he said. Lt. Cletus Smith of the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Department said the department has received a few tips about the scam. Smith said he has seen this scheme before and believes it’s coming from Toledo. “It’s an ongoing thing,” he said. “Last year, we had two or three complaints.” He said the department doesn’t have any open complaints. “Right now, we’re seeing an increase in fraudulent crimes,” he said. Adrian Police Department Detective Sgt. Lynn Courington said, “We get calls on those all the time.” When the APD receives those calls, he said, often the sellers have purchased vendors’ permits to sell their equipment legally. He suggested that people buy electronic equipment from a reputable store and not from the back of someone’s van or pickup truck. As for the people selling the equipment, Courington said they may buy the equipment and put stickers on it. They can also make the equipment look good while it could really be a “piece of junk.” “The quality isn’t there,” he said. The Daily Telegram |
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