I was scammed!!!!!!

[Porkchop Express]

Originally Posted by Rob71

I was approached at a gas station by two guys(Home Theater Techs) in a van who said they had an install job cancelled and were told to sell the equipment. They told me it was worth $2500 retail, but they needed to "get rid of it" so they could go home. I feigned interest and they said they would give it to me for $200. I asked to see it, and as I walked around their van I snapped a picture of their licence plate(making sure they saw me) with my cellphone. Then quickly got a face shot of the guy doing the talking and informed him I would be flagging down a cop shortly. They quickly departed the parking lot. Later a cop told me as long as they are selling actual working equipment, they aren't breaking the law.

This is the exact same story that I was told. This is a nation wide scam. I just laughed and told them I was not interested.

[toef]

Originally Posted by obiwopkenobi62

So you thought it was hot and you bought it anyway? Why? I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but the way these scammers get over on people is because of peoples greed. You're greed took over and you got scammed. Call it Karma, Fate, Destiny, whatever but what you did was IMO wrong and Karma got you. Learn from it, chalk it up to experience, Life lesson etc and move on and don't get caught up in that kind of thing again in the future.

Yeah, assuming the story is true, I might've felt bad for him (although if people actually fall for the white van scam, it's hard to feel bad for them).

But when he mentioned he even thought they were stolen, but bought them anyway... he lost any chance at sympathy.

I'm not an audio expert by any means, but whenever I make a significant purchase (and buying a new audio system would count as one), I always do a bit of research prior to purchasing anything. I understand the temptation of jumping on a good deal, but if it's coming from a van in a parking lot, I think it's easy to hold off.

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by toef

Yeah, assuming the story is true, I might've felt bad for him (although if people actually fall for the white van scam, it's hard to feel bad for them).

But when he mentioned he even thought they were stolen, but bought them anyway... he lost any chance at sympathy.

I'm not an audio expert by any means, but whenever I make a significant purchase (and buying a new audio system would count as one), I always do a bit of research prior to purchasing anything. I understand the temptation of jumping on a good deal, but if it's coming from a van in a parking lot, I think it's easy to hold off.

There was a scam back when DVD players were expensive($400). There was a group selling DVD players out of their trunks at gas stations. One guy would show you the player and if you were interested would direct you to another parking lot. A few minutes later a car would come up hand you the box, take the cash($100 or so) and go. When you got home and opened your box, you had a box full of newspaper. I know a coupe of people taken by these guys.

[Musashi]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

Is anyone else reminded of the people who call the police when they were trying to buy $20 worth of marijuana and were only sold oregano, and want to report their drug dealer to the cops?

We might have a Darwin award nominee in our midst!

That analogy sounds like it was taken right out of the lyrics of Mota by Offspring. You listen to Offspring too?

This thread could be an April joke, whatever. It does make me think about my own encounter with the old white van though:

It was back in 2002 when I was finishing up college. Walking down the hill to my residence an otherwise normal looking guy requests my attention and starts with the old story "we overstocked on speakers and need to get rid of them, and we're selling them really cheap." I'll give the guy credit for an amusing pitch, but my first instinctive reaction was that they were probably stolen. I explain to the guy: poor student, have extensive plans for my future income already, don't do impulse purchases, etc. His most amusing comment was "I want to see you blasting awesome tunes and getting girls to come over." I bid him a polite departure and kept walking.

I had a remotely similar encounter while travelling in Baltimore. Walking back to my hotel, I see 2 guys exhange money and something else I couldn't quite see. Seconds later I hear one of them calling for my attention. Without looking back, I quicken my walk to a run.

[Sussudio]

OP....why would you buy something you yourself said you thought might be stolen....if this is in fact a true story and not April Fools (which it better not be ), I feel bad for you, but you seem like you made yourself aware of the risks and decided to take them anyway

[wokkerk]

Originally Posted by lucv13

I now know never to buy anything from you with your ethics...


Blu-ray Fanatic - if you did manage to get a plate number I would speak with the local PD and consult with a lawyer (they usually don't charge for initial consultation) just to find out where you stand. Meanwhile open up a bottle of whiskey

whats wrong with his ethics on that one? he said to make sure it works, and to resell it for around the value that it is actually worth. Thats not scamming anyone else because they will be paying for what something is actually worth. leaving out how much you paid for it when it is actually in the buyers favor seems ethically satisfactory in my opinion.

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by Sussudio

OP....why would you buy something you yourself said you thought might be stolen....if this is in fact a true story and not April Fools (which it better not be ), I feel bad for you, but you seem like you made yourself aware of the risks and decided to take them anyway

To keep it real if I was in traffic or somewhere outside and someone did have some type of electronics and they said it was stolen or they snatched it off their work truck etc......If I knew it was legit and not a scam I would probably buy it to especially if it was cheap and was worth way more than I paid for it. So if I couldnt afford a great surround system and someone had one lifted from work or wherever and they were gonna give me a great deal why would I pass it up? The only reason I would is if I knew it was a scam and I didnt trust the people or the product being legit. Other than that I wouldve probably copped it to. Got Em!!

[DJ Manyak]

best thread and fail at the same time

[supersix4]

You should have said AWESOME deal! lets go run down to the police station so I can figure out how to pay my sales tax on my new product because thats the honest thing to do

I bet they would have rolled out real quick

But seriously sorry you had that happen.

[sham]

Originally Posted by HDPlasma

?

what? isn't april fools day usually on april 1?

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by sham

what? isn't april fools day usually on april 1?

I just had to comment on the irony of someone with the screen name "sham" posting in this thread.

[wokkerk]

april fools day joke or not....either rock them for what they are or sell them. would sell them for internet list price....thats a couple blu's....

[cpgator]

Those speaker are probably worth what you paid for them, and i would assume better than what you currently have. No biggie.

[Blu-ray Fanatic]

BTW, the system I bought was a DiVinci Innovative Sound & Bass. It's a 6.1 Pro Series Center Channel 4 Way (whatever that means) I almost forgot to mention: Its digital cinema

[sham]

Originally Posted by Blu-ray Fanatic

Our whole political system is a scam.

now we're onto politics?

[Blu-ray Fanatic]

Originally Posted by sham

now we're onto politics?

I deleted the post.

[toef]

Here's their site:

http://www.divincisound.com

I guess they're not too concerned over people ripping off their website... they haven't updated the copyright notice at the bottom in 4 years (click on any link on the left, and scroll to the bottom).

Or maybe they stole this web layout from someone else, and don't know how to change it.

Note: This shouldn't be confused with the legit audio company Da Vinci Audio, based out of Switzerland. The fact that they misspelled Da Vinci should've been another giveaway.

[Bizdady]

REminds of the story while back ago of ppl selling off oven doors as Plasma TVs lol

[Hammie]

Originally Posted by toef

Here's their site:

http://www.divincisound.com

I guess they're not too concerned over people ripping off their website... they haven't updated the copyright notice at the bottom in 4 years (click on any link on the left, and scroll to the bottom).

Or maybe they stole this web layout from someone else, and don't know how to change it.

Note: This shouldn't be confused with the legit audio company Da Vinci Audio, based out of Switzerland. The fact that they misspelled Da Vinci should've been another giveaway.

It's like the "Rolecks" watches they sell on the streets of NYC.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Aerodude73

I just read ALL 3 pages of this thread & from the First post by the OP, I was thinking APRIL FOOLS!!!!! Yes a day early but come on.

Wake UP People, Drink your Coffee , blah blah blah, yada yada yada. You were ALL Scammed if anyone is thinking this is a True Story.

GOOD ONE OP' !!!

Clearly you don't realize how many potential Darwin award nominees exist in this country. There are MILLIONS of them.