is this a scam or a set-up job?

[redline]

ok its not really photography related but i thought i should bring this to ppl attendtion as this series of events has occured to myself at least 4 times now over the past year.

1.
i am usually approached by someone in a white van never by foot. as iam either walking thru a parking lot or back street. usually close to midday never in the evening.

2. sometimes i can see a passager but its usually the driver doing all the talkin.

3. generally alongs the lines of "hey are you intertested in hifi equipment? iam delivering hifi stuff and i have extra in the back and waves a blue slip"

4. funny the only hifi store in the area would be target, big w or myer(but a 5min driver though)

5. i never do accept or approach the van but say i don't have any interest in their stuff.


i dunno if this is common in other areas but iam just alarmed on how many times this has happen to me. esp the fact i don't go out too much

[JordanP]

I'd be very sus on that - sounds like a set up to me. I think you are making a good call by being NOT interested.

Are there any or many other people (like a crowded street or something) around when you are approched?

[redline]

its surprising that almost every time. nobody is around to see what just happen. busy shopping centre parking lots and adjecent back streets to main town roads.

[JordanP]

That's almost too wierd

[Oneputt]

I would be noting the rego and ringing the police.

[birddog114]

This also happened in Sydney, and at some other area very often.
One of my friends got hook on it and finally he paid a pair of Jamo speakers for $300.00/ valued in the shop for over $1500.00, after the guy left with his money, the speaker is a lemon.
I had someone approaching asking if I need a new leather jacket from Italy, he claimed: he's a salesman, he got some spare and want to get rid of them for $50/ each/ real value for over $500.00.
I normally just ignored them by saying: thank you.

[atencati]

This is a firly common scam in the US. I used to work for a "BOX" store out of High School, heres how it went!

We all know the aawesome if we can't fix it we'll replace it warranties the big guys offer right? Well, what exactly happens to the defective merchandise? The MFg certainly won't take it back, so the stores right it off as damaged floor stock and destroy it, thus claiming a loss and still profiting off the sale. So, the more unscrupulous manager, instead of destroying the items in a compactor like they are supposed to, sell it off or give it to "friends" to see for a cut of the proceeds. Guarantee that there will be no way to test the equipment until the con man leaves, and then it won't work. Even if they sell you 1 miilion $ speakers for $50, they win.

In the immortal words of Nancy Regan,, "just say NO!"

Andy

[AlistairF]

I've been approached several years ago with a similar scam that included a white van and excess stock of speakers... they offer low grade merchandise (mainy speakers for some reason) out of the back of a van with some BS reason to make you think you're getting a really great deal.

These guys have been on one of the current affairs shows in recent times. Big scam! Stay away!

[sirhc55]

This scam was rampant back in the late 80’s in Sydney and they did it everywhere - main streets - parking lots - you name it.

I was running B&W in those days and was not interested but my business partner fell for it and paid $400 back in 1988 for total rubbish

Chris

[Greg B]

This sort of thing can only be bad, one way or the other.

The number of legitimate transactions conducted by dodgy blokes in nondescript white vans approaching strangers in the street with a nudge and a wink would be....zero.

[johndec]

And have you ever noticed how they always seem to have English accents? And it's always a white van

[bago100]

Yep - if it too good to be true, 99.9% of the time it is just that. Too good to be true.

My advice is to walk away or if you want to cause mayhem, ask to see their hawkers permit/license.

Except for our Gitzo Guru, Birdie of course - he is real and genuine and in my personal experience, far too generous to me.

Cheers

Graham

[Killakoala]

This has happened to me too, but different goods, on three occasions, all when i was in Melbourne over several years.

I've never had it happen in any other state i've lived in (WA, NT, QLD, NSW) only in VIC. Might be something about that, after all, that's where the Eureka Stockade happened.

[mudder]

G'day,
I've been approached by people selling hifi speakers from a white van too... I remember I was approached once several years ago and never thought anything more of it, then recently I was approached in the Knox City shopping centre by what was probably the same white van... Young girl and guy... Sales pitch was they were avoiding the "middle man" etc...

Never purchased and perhaps foolishly never got the rego either...

Very sus...
Mudder

[kipper]

I was approached at DFO in Morrabin about 5 months ago with the same line "You interested in some hifi equipment" and it was a guy and younger woman.

Oh, and they didn't have english accents......I take offense to that

[Raydar]

I had this happen with a set of $5000 speakers about 10 years ago.
Thinking I was doing all right I got them for $100.
On getting home they didn’t work “How unusual!!!!”
So I pulled them apart to find the cross overs had been taken out but the speakers were still there so I bought the cross overs for $500 for the pair & they are still standing in my room ATM.
The speakers that are in the towers are the Mission brand, high end stuff!!!!!
So in a round about sort of way I did get a barging!!

Cheers
Ray

[xerubus]

very sus.... this happens in Brisbane also.... been approached on more than one occassion....

i'd stay clear..

[redline]

well it wasn't a guy and girl in the van but a stocky dark man and a thin build white man.
didn't really bother with the rego, my area highly known for rego plate theif so they probaby expect ppl passing on their details to police.
better yet have someone on the plaza rooftop with a 400mm and photographing their activities.

[ajax]

Happened to me about 4 months back. I was waiting at red lights, cnr of Princess Hwy and Springvale Road. White van was next to me waiting for the lights. The man's head pops out -- "hey want new surround sound system for $350.00 ? Customer refused to pay and it is surplus now. "

Before I could get his plates, the lights turn green and the impatient bxxxxxd behind me starts honking.

Solution: Like said earlier, Ignore them or just say NO.

cheers,
ajax

[petal666]

Wish someone would approach me. you could have some real fun with guys like this. Seem interested and then change your mind and then get interested again and then act dumb about that kind of equipment and then finally after 15minutes say that you just realised you don't have any money.