International scam artists hit Frisco

[my2002lightning]

I'll try to keep this short. ;) Well, not but an hour or so ago, I was hosing the L at the Frisco Wash Works next to the Kwik Kar near Wade/Preston. I'm minding my own business and this new white van ("Dahlton" on the side) with two metros pull up next to me.

The passenger says "Nice L!" and begins to ask me if I want to buy some new home theater speakers retailing for $2,200 - I can get the set for only $700. :cool: He said his boss over-ordered for some Frisco high-end installs and that he needs to unload them before they meet him at Lowe's down Preston.

This kid is "in my face" the entire time and acted like he knew me my whole life. :hammer: Very high-pressure and insistent that I buy them right then. The van was FULL of what looked like NIB speakers. He even pulled one out and it looked legit. He was showing me glossy brochures too.

Both kids were in regular Old Navy / Abercrombie clothes with no business cards and couldn't give me their work cell number - something about long-distance charges - Blah...blah. :evil I could've kicked myself for not getting their plates.:hammer:

I'm telling the one kid, "Thanks, let me think about it." :rolleyes: and I walk over to the L to leave as this is obviously a scam. The driver gets out and walks directly up to me (very closely and sort of confrontational) as I'm getting in the L and pulls his version of the hard-sell/scam. "Only $400 and the set is yours!".

I take off and get back to the house and think - I need to cruise around and try to find them again to get the plates. I told Frisco PD and they said they'll keep an eye out for them.

Here's what info. I've found so far:

http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2004/4/9/224439/1810

http://www.scanked.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=7&page=0

[Sandman]

I had something like that happen to me just a few months ago. They didn't get any money out of me either. They really didn't want to take no for an answer.

[98Cobra]

Yea, that scam is older than dirt. I hate those guys...

[WA 2 FST]

This happened to me 10 years ago in Plano. I was in my Mustang. Same thing, lots of compliments on the car, etc. This was at a traffic light, though! They head into Allen, I called the Allen PD and within 5 minutes these guys were pulled over.

So what actually is the scam? Stolen goods, I assume?

[jim woods]

I run a sales route,so I am in and out of the car alot.I get the guys all the time. I like to play with them. I look at the speakers and act really interested. I tell them my brother want a complete home audio set up but does not really know anything about stero equipment.You should see their eyes Light UP. I call my house and talk on my answering machine like I am talking to my brother. I bargin with the scamers and my brother over the phone. So we agree on a price like 500$ and hangup.These guys are like excited. I tell the my brothers has the cash but his car is in the shop.He wants the speakers now.I tell them is adress to my bothers house.I draw a detailed map.The map/address is realy to a police station in McKinney.I had this happen 4 times and I know all four times the scammers took the bait.I really play it up to fool them. I Work in Ft Worth so the dummies drive all way across town.I wish I could see their faces when they found the police station.They know they been scammed.
:)

[Sandman]

That's pretty funny.

[99WhiteBeast]

I had that happen at least a dozen times. Usually at a Best Buy, Target or gas station. As soon as the guys roll up I just tell them that I just bought from another van.:evil

[L1nt2B]

This happened to me 10 years ago in Plano. I was in my Mustang. Same thing, lots of compliments on the car, etc. This was at a traffic light, though! They head into Allen, I called the Allen PD and within 5 minutes these guys were pulled over.

So what actually is the scam? Stolen goods, I assume?
the scam is that the so called $2200 speakers are total crap

[rickgig]

I think we've all had someone try and pull this off on us.

However, my younger brother actually bought a TV this way. They showed him the box, pulled the TV out, showed him the documentation (instructions/manuals warranty card, etc.) and he bought.

He was a traveling route salesperson at that time. Took the box to his motel up into the room and openned it... to his surprise... it was an old motel type of TV that was ripped off of a motel some where.

Too funny back then... today we use that whenever we want to get his goat!!

[my2002lightning]

As sort of a follow-up, I ran into a Frisco officer today (cute younger female I might add! :D ) and told her about the incident. Yes, turns out the "$2,200" speakers turn out to be complete junk!

She said they've been getting the complaints as they've been hitting alot of the malls, etc. in the area. There isn't really they can do except bust them for doing business without a permit or something.:rolleyes:

She gave me her card with their non-emerg. number on there and asked if I could get their plates next time. Alot of good that'll do.

Oh well....

[Sixpipes]

I hardly think these guys are "international" or "artists". Just a couple of ignorant dillweeds looking for a few easy bucks. They sold a couple of these to my oldest sun for $100/each several years ago. Absolute junk. I've still got them in my garage and they are free for anyone that wants them. :cool:

[my2002lightning]

Right, they're your typical college-freshmen / Old-Navy metros working a scam. No Ultimate Electronics / 007s there, obviously.:cool: The ones I ran into, anyway.

I just remembered the "Dahlton" name and did a google.com search when I got home and turns out they're widespread.

[cpeapea]

I run a sales route,so I am in and out of the car alot.I get the guys all the time. I like to play with them. I look at the speakers and act really interested. I tell them my brother want a complete home audio set up but does not really know anything about stero equipment.You should see their eyes Light UP. I call my house and talk on my answering machine like I am talking to my brother. I bargin with the scamers and my brother over the phone. So we agree on a price like 500$ and hangup.These guys are like excited. I tell the my brothers has the cash but his car is in the shop.He wants the speakers now.I tell them is adress to my bothers house.I draw a detailed map.The map/address is realy to a police station in McKinney.I had this happen 4 times and I know all four times the scammers took the bait.I really play it up to fool them. I Work in Ft Worth so the dummies drive all way across town.I wish I could see their faces when they found the police station.They know they been scammed.
:)
not only is that clever its funny!

i remember running into some kids in a white expedition trying to get me to buy some, and even resorted asking me if i could get any weed and trade for them. i just laughed and said no. but i ad 2 friends buy those and they are barely decent. they also tried to tell me they were club speakers, i reply, how do they compare with Peavey? they brand they were selling here in irving were Dogg Digital.

[Tatom Mack]

hehe yep happened to me years ago i looked at the speakers and told them haha those speakers are ****. long story short i told them i would give them 40 dollars no more and they moved on.

[cpeapea]

speaking of the devil, i was out to eat lunch today with a bunch of the guys from work, we were working in garland at another roadway terminal doing some remodeling and we had just gotten back in the irving terminal and decided to all go and have a bite to eat. as we were walking into the restraunt to guys pulled up in a white unmarked van pulling the same old scam. "Hey man are you interested in some speakers? my boss ordered twice as much...blah blah blah im a stupid scammer." I replied "look man, I'm a contractor and time is money, i dont have time for this ****"

[PoorSvtman]

haha my friend got hired on with these same peeps that run the crap... He thought he was applying for a whare house gig. Well it was a wharehouse but the put him and a few others in a van or truck to drive around and sell speakers. He gave it about and hour just to see what the deal was and walked off after the first stop.

He said it was total bs, that the boss pressured them and he rather stand on a street corner with a sign asking for money.


Thats my :ron:

[dboat]

haha my friend got hired on with these same peeps that run the crap... He thought he was applying for a whare house gig. Well it was a wharehouse but the put him and a few others in a van or truck to drive around and sell speakers. He gave it about and hour just to see what the deal was and walked off after the first stop.

He said it was total bs, that the boss pressured them and he rather stand on a street corner with a sign asking for money.


Thats my :ron:

I hear that the corner gig asking for money pays pretty good.. if you get a good corner.. well, at least the media would have you believe it.
Dana

[WA 2 FST]

Yep. I've heard that as well. Could be media hype. I remember watching one media "sting" on a guy who was doing that all day, and they watched him for several weeks. He'd finish "work" and walk 2 blocks and climb into his Mercedes to go home.