Offered a Home Theater system while stuck in traffic

[skuttduck]

Today I was driving down Grand River Ave. In downtown East Lansing. There was a bit more traffic than normal, maybe because of the ambulance that came through. Anyhow, as I was stopped at a light, two guys in a van liked my car, then asked me if I wanted a home theater system, it was valued at $7000.

I told them no.

The driver asked me "Why?"

I said "Gee, because it's too good to be true?"

They said "Oh we're not stealing them, we work for a distributor"

I said "That's ok"

They said "Sometimes these good things do happen"

Then they turned down a side street and I didn't see them again.

[SK360]

http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/...aker_scams.htm

[Synergy_synner]

Totally sounds like a scam.

+1 for saying no.

[lee]

i used to see guys doin that all the time, i got a set off them one time, i wanna say i paid around half what they wanted, they were called kirsch or something like that, got home and half the speakers didnt work

[2010SLVRBULIT]

yep, probably 'hot'.

[CaniacFan]

Ya, right - they're not stealing them - but they're trying to sell them in traffic.. Good for you - Just Say No...

[brandotron]

No way man, sounds legit.

By the way, I'm a Nigerian prince and I'd like to transfer 3.6 million dollars into your bank account...

[HELLION TURBO]

Originally Posted by Chief Blackhawk

Its an old sales tactic. Google "white van scam". Been happening for years and years. They just sell junk. It not stolen or anything, just junk.

+1. These types of speakers and home theaters pop up on Craigslist all the time. I love when they take a picture of the box and on the box's packaging it will say something like "$3995 MSRP" near the SKU, like any legitimate speaker manufacturer puts the MSRP on their products' packaging. It's basically the dollar store of speakers. Buyer beware.

Out of curiosity I just looked at the local Craigslist and lo-and-behold here is exactly the kind of junk people will try to sell you...
http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/ele/1812269567.html

Hope this helps someone next time a "too good to be true" opportunity arises.

[v6sonoma]

THEY didn't steal it. Someone else did. They're just selling it! lol

[skuttduck]

That's the first I've heard of it. Makes me wish I could have gotten their license plate.

[JKLNHYD]

It's possible it's not stolen. There are scams out there where some overseas manufacturers make a product that so closely resembles an original item that it's almost impossible to tell the difference. You think you're getting a Bose system and you end up with a replica. Then something breaks and you call Bose looking for a warranty and they tell you it's not one of their products based on the serial numbers and sku numbers... Seen it before with car audio stuff too...SCAM!

[CAM-MARO]

no dude they will follow you home and try to steal your car...break out the shotty haha

[TAG UR IT]

Having taken the reports before and having these fools try to do this to me, it's nothing more than a simple scam. They tell you they work for a distributor, they are over stocked, their boss told them to get rid of them at cheap, bla bla bla...

They get the gullible person to withdraw cash from the ATM, no CC receipt where you can file a claim, etc...and then sell you working stuff that looks good, but is in reality CRAP. It will work for a few months and then all of it will crap out.

I know people who bought the stuff. I have handled the stuff. They tried on me. It's a simple scam that people do. The best thing they can be arrested/cited for is a city ordinance violation for selling the items w/out a permit. That's about it.

Good for you for not falling for it. Many others do and it's not a cool thing.

[guiLT]

Good thing saying no. They couldve stole it... And they probably did. They were probably trying to sell it to cover their tracks..