[crazy_bob_uk]

So i was walking back home from lecturers, and this rented van pulls up next to me asking if i would like some speakers. A bit odd i thought, but worth a look, the guy shows me he has about 6 pairs of matrix mx-1200 which he claims are worth $1999 and he said he would deliver a pair to my house for £200.

i decided not to take them up on this offer as i'd never heard of this brand, and they were both wearing matrix polo tops, and for a brand i'd never heard of having their own delivery in a hired van i thought it was a bit odd.

So the question is: did i avoid a scam, or did i just miss out on a really good deal?

 

[cosmopragma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazy_bob_uk /img/forum/go_quote.gif So i was walking back home from lecturers, and this rented van pulls up next to me asking if i would like some speakers. A bit odd i thought, but worth a look, the guy shows me he has about 6 pairs of matrix mx-1200 which he claims are worth $1999 and he said he would deliver a pair to my house for £200. i decided not to take them up on this offer as i'd never heard of this brand, and they were both wearing matrix polo tops, and for a brand i'd never heard of having their own delivery in a hired van i thought it was a bit odd. So the question is: did i avoid a scam, or did i just miss out on a really good deal?

LOL, this is an age old scam scheme.
I can't believe they are still trying it.I've ran into such clowns 25 years ago and several times since then, but not during the last few years.I thought they had given up since everybody has heard about it in the meantime.

 

[Febs]

It sounds like what you missed out on is either a scam, or receiving stolen property, or both. I wouldn't lose any sleep over passing this one by.

 

[jules650]

Sounds like a scam to me.

 

[bhd812]

dude..lol

these guys hit my Car last year like rammed me in the back, anyway I got to have a good talk with them and checked out their main office and stuff.

they do sell speakers but um...yeah the brand and the mark up is ment to be that way..

search the forums for my post or better yet search google for "white van speakers"


i can not call them a scam cause well..they paid for my repair's no probelms but I can say i would never buy anything from a white van..

 

[Squeek]

It is an age-old scam. You never heard of the speakers because they are garbage, and don't really exist outside of their intended purpose in this scam. At ~$400 he would be making a nice profit.

They are not stolen, just crappy speakers banged together with sub-par components.

The driver of the van will usually have a story like "I bought these for my new home theatre and can't return them" or "we are a supplier, and the shop we were supposed to deliver them to went out of business".

They will usually only give you a minute to decide to both decrease the chance of you catching on, and to increase your desire to get a "good buy" before it disappears.

You did the right thing.

**edit** here is an interesting link for a more fleshed out explanation http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2004/4/9/224439/1810

 

[fatcat28037]

Scam scam scam!

 

[VicAjax]

ah yes, the celebrated White Van Scam.

 

[crazy_bob_uk]

thanks guys you've put my mind at rest. A bet the guy knew he had a hard sale when i told him what i had already and that i was en electronic engineering student.

The story he used was that their supplier had given them to many and he didnt want his boss to have a free pair of speakers.

p.s. it happened in sheffield, uk.

 

[Jahn]

my lord, the "white van" scam is still going on? god bless the entrepreneurs!

 

[ilovesocks]

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=124193

 

[The Pieman]

Good to see this is global. I had this tried on me in Sydney, probably 10 or 12 years ago. And it was a white van!

 

[mrarroyo]

Just like a bad dream, they do not go away.

 

[Zorander]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pieman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good to see this is global. I had this tried on me in Sydney, probably 10 or 12 years ago. And it was a white van!

I had one come up to me in a shopping mall carpark some 6 years ago. Never seen them anymore since then and still won't ever buy from them.

 

[rlanger]

Wow, I thought this one died years ago too and just 2 weeks ago a couple of guys hit me up in a parking lot at a shopping mall. It's making a comeback.