"White Van Scams" - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Homer J Simpson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2014, 01:39:40 am
content: Well with Dave's new tear-down on the "white van scam" equipment I did some searching on YouTube and its really quite funny what comes up.I had no idea these scams were so extensive and going on in so many countries.Here is one video I thought was particularly funny. Has profanity.

author: nixfu
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 08, 2014, 02:07:34 am
content: Hahah. Did you see when he took that front panel off the display was the exact same one that was on the amp that Dave took apart? I bet its the exact same thing but has a $5 bluetooth reciever in it instead of the the $5 iPod dock like daves amp did.

author: Excavatoree
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2014, 02:28:29 am
content: Nice wireless tweeter. Just glued on - no connection at all. However, don't some companies charge a lot of money for rocks to put on speakers to make them sound better? This guy got a bargain.I'm going to buy it NOW!http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mclaren-BLU-3-Bluetooth-Wireless-Home-Theater-Surround-Sound-Speakers-Receiver-/331316179992?pt=Home_Theater_in_a_Box&hash=item4d23fbb418I'm tempted to ask the seller about the rocks in the speakers, or if this will fit in my white van.

author: RobertoLG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2014, 02:39:54 am
content: "rock" solid sound maaannn!!!

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2014, 07:07:50 am
content: MSRP $3900That's some high end audio he is selling. I wonder if the insides are the same as Dave's unit?

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2014, 07:12:15 am
content: ROFL!"slap da F*^& outta dem, don't hit em, slap em like a B&*^%"ROFL, that thar is funneh.I almost fell victim to these guys, but the one that approached me said that Best buy Loaded 4 speakers into his truck, and he only ordered 2 and he'd sell them to me for 75% retail. ROFL, I was thinking at the time I'd get jail time for accepting stolen goods.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2014, 09:16:19 am
content: I was approached by the white van guys in the parking lot of "circuit city" - big box store where you use to go to get your AV stuff.At first I was interested. Then they showed me the product, two large speakers. Front looked good, price was good. We chatted about the "passive woofers", and I was there to buy something with some bass(this was before powered subwoofers were really on the market) ..... Anyways...peeking at the back, I could see it was made with 1/4" MFD - 1/4 MDF!!!!. I declined(having spent a few years doing large venue audio gigs of 2000 or more people). As I walked away, one called me a *dick!*, and "ok looser" - guess they lost 10 mins of their time. With that said, up until that point - really good sales man - two white guys, professional looking, ect.BTW - if you run into these guys in a parking lot tell the management of the store lot they are in.Or what I wish I had said was..."slip me a $20 and I won't call the cops on you" - then do it anyways.Oh well...next time.

author: RobertHolcombe
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2014, 12:29:04 pm
content: A workmate and I had two guys approach us while walking from work to the train station one afternoon, they were pulling out of the car park of a building and offered us a deal on surplus stock they were about to take back to "the warehouse" having just done an installation or delivery. We didn't bother to even ask, it was just a case of "Yeah, nah." and continued on our way.

author: Terabyte2007
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2014, 11:14:59 pm
content: Quote from: Homer J Simpson on October 08, 2014, 01:39:40 amThat video is priceless!!!

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2014, 12:51:51 am
content: Those crappy products are already being made and sold for what they are. The point of the scam is to sell $10 worth of merchandise for $1000 and give a great discount down to $600.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2014, 01:10:36 am
content: The only scammy part of it is coming up with the story that is pitched to the buyer. The reset is just good business. You see this all the time in normal life and don't think it is a scam. People resell stuff from places like dx.com for 2-3 times their original price. You might call it convenience fee for not having to wait for delivery from China, of course.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2014, 09:37:36 am
content: I saw the speaker scam going on in the early 90s, good to see they have expanded their product range a little.

author: Timmay
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2014, 10:09:24 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on October 09, 2014, 01:10:36 amI don't agree. The level in which these people elevate their products is ABOVE and BEYOND that of which they really are. Sure if they came up and said "Hey man, I got this pretty cheap set of speakers for you that I can sell to you for a bargain price" (assuming they can compare it to something else that is equal, yet at a cheaper price) you interested? I am sure some would say yes, much like how US swap meets work. But they really don't do that, they up-sale you by lying. There is where it becomes a scam. If something on Alibaba is listed as having x specs and it proves true than great. But these people prey on those not in the know, and that again, is where it becomes a scam. Reselling and listing real specs and up-selling based on lies is different beast.

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2014, 11:23:24 am
content: I have exactly zero sympathy for people buying in to that kind of a scam: Every scam starts with greed, on the part of the "victim".

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2014, 11:26:06 am
content: QuoteWhy do you think some people get "up-sold" while others don't?

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2014, 06:07:20 am
content: Quote from: dannyf on October 10, 2014, 11:26:06 amWhat I'm getting out of this is that as long as you can laugh at the buyer for being stupid, the seller is at no fault. Two wrongs don't make a right, though. You must hate consumer protection laws, for all the "opportunity" they are thwarting.

author: Timmay
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2014, 04:06:42 am
content: Quote from: dannyf on October 10, 2014, 11:26:06 amSorry I am necro-posting but the above user said it well. You may have no sympathy for those who don't know better but again, we are talking about a topic you know much more than the average consumer knows about. Since when has there been a transition where consumers should know, and sellers don't have to maintain some level of honesty? If I buy a monitor from Samsung they should represent the specs honestly, and they are generally held to standards by law. I know some dude selling crap out his van isn't subject to BBB or equivalent scrutiny but we are transferring blame here. Those people lying are the scumbags and no one is at fault as some other member insinuated above because of greed when in fact, deals are had all the time. I am sure many members here have bought something online or in person (pawn shops, donation stores, etc) at really, really good deals because the seller didn't know what they had. So in that case who is a scumbag? I try to live an honest life and this applies to my retro gaming collection, if someone is selling something at a unbelievably low price because they don't know what they have, I don't pounce on that and in fact I inform them and most of the time they are willing to sell it anyway or make a fair deal in the end. So in short, I wouldn't ever pounce on someone who doesn't know what they are buying to make an extra buck, I couldn't look at myself in the mirror.

author: cimmo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2014, 05:11:10 am
content: Quote from: Timmay on October 31, 2014, 04:06:42 amYou'll never be a CEO with that attitude.And that's a good thing.

author: Timmay
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2014, 08:56:51 am
content: Quote from: cimmo on October 31, 2014, 05:11:10 amI agree with the first sentence, but why is the second sentence a good thing? Are you speaking on behalf of the share holders/board members? Is that the kind of person you are?

author: cimmo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2014, 11:31:10 am
content: Quote from: Timmay on November 02, 2014, 08:56:51 amIt is well recognised that CEO's are more likely to be psycopaths than the average population.http://www.patheos.com/blogs/drishtikone/2013/10/are-ceos-and-entrepreneurs-psychopaths-multiple-studies-say-yes/http://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/sep/01/psychopath-workplace-jobs-studyThis personality trait apparently is a benefit in that niche.IF you are a shareholder, then you could argue that it is a good thing to have a psychopath running the show, if all you care about is the share value.But I do not think psychopathic behaviour - even if it makes you money - is a good thing at all.There is more to life than making money, especially if it comes at a cost to everyone else.

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2014, 12:25:52 pm
content: QuoteIt is nice of you doing that. I also think that's the ethical / moral thing to do. If all of us did it, we would be living in a better world.The only reason you have those "white van scams" is greed, on the part of the buyer, for a "better than fair" deal. That's why some of us got taken by those scams, and others don't.That's precisely why I have zero sympathy for those who got taken: if they are too stupid to learn from others, hopefully they aren't too stupid to learn from their own mistakes.

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2014, 01:55:48 pm
content: Again, dannyf, you seem to be saying that as long as the buyer is stupid enough to be fooled, he is fair game and the seller bears no blame. I wonder if you have the same opinion about, for example, "alternative" cancer treatment that robs the foolish buyer not only of his money, but his life. But it's still just a voluntary free market transaction, and the buyer should have known better, so surely the seller of such treatment is at no fault.QuoteOr we can let the police and justice system take care of it. Again, not something the libertarian/anarchocapitalist types are very fond of.