White Van - It happened to me
Bobby Owsinski
took it too seriously. Well it finally happened to me. I was leaving a
bank ATM when I was approached by two guys in a white van stating that
they were drivers for a stereo store, couldn't make a delivery and would
give me a great deal.
If I wasn't in so much of a hurry I would've had some fun with them. I
did watch them as they went around the shopping center soliciting mostly
upscale males.
--
Bobby Owsinski
Surround Associates
Richard Greenly
of the van's license plate numbers and the guy panicked. He put his foot
over the plate, and then seeing the predicament he was in standing there
on one foot, stood straight up and started taunting me. He was daring me
to write down the plate number. I thought the whole ordeal was rather
amusing. I'm easily amused, I guess.
Rick
Bobby Owsinski <poly...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:polymedia-020...@pool012-max9.ds17-ca-us.dialup.earthlink.net
...
Chris T. Young
exact same scam.. I was headed into Sam's on Aurora (99). If I remember
right, they claimed they couldn't make the delivery or had some speakers
left over from a pro facility, installation and asked me if I would be
interested in a pair of high end speakers for 2 or 3 hundred bucks......
These two characters were something alright, and driving a white van as
well...
--
Chris T. Young
Sleepless Studio
http://home.att.net/~ctyelvis/
Bob Vandiver
>Where is the stuff happening? I'm in Seattle and have been approached by the
>exact same scam.. I was headed into Sam's on Aurora (99). If I remember
>right, they claimed they couldn't make the delivery or had some speakers
>left over from a pro facility, installation and asked me if I would be
>interested in a pair of high end speakers for 2 or 3 hundred bucks......
>These two characters were something alright, and driving a white van as
>well...
>
I was encountered by them a couple of years ago in Portland Oregon in this
lower middle class neighborhood movie theatre parking lot.
Bob
--
Compassionate Conservatism (n) -- an oxymoron
Michael Grass
Chris T. Young wrote in message <7lk8q4$krh$1...@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net>...
>Where is the stuff happening? I'm in Seattle and have been approached by
the
>exact same scam.. I was headed into Sam's on Aurora (99). If I remember
>right, they claimed they couldn't make the delivery or had some speakers
>left over from a pro facility, installation and asked me if I would be
>interested in a pair of high end speakers for 2 or 3 hundred bucks......
>These two characters were something alright, and driving a white van as
>well...
>
>
guy came into the dupe house I was working in and told me he had just
finished an install, etc.etc.etc.
I took a look at his "hi end studio monitors" all they were was a pair of
cheap boxes and the cheesiest components I'd ever seen anyone bother to
assemble. No crossover even! Maybe a grand total of $30 worth of parts,
retail. All for the low low price of $299! Such a deal! Unfortunately, a
friend of mine was duped by these guys the same day. Expensive lesson. Oh
well. Don't fall for "Great Deals" out of a white van! (Or any other color,
I guess!)MG
David Morgan (MAMS)
>Where is the stuff happening?
C'mon Chris.... if you're in a major city anywhere in the US, for sure, it can
happen. It's not much less common than a 'spare-changer' today.
I figure there's a 20% chance that if I stop to use a pay phone at a major
fuel stop during the day around Dallas, that I'll meet the dreaded "white van".
"Hey man, just have a look anyway, this is good stuff and it's gotta' go cheap.... Today !"
What's worse is the poor schmucks that I've met who fell for the 'bait & switch"
routine. Where "Here's the model... you can have a brand new one - in the box"
ends up with the beautifully factory sealed box being packed with bricks or other.
I figure most of it's stolen warehouse goods or freight, but then again, there are
some legitimate people who make their living by buying a bunch of inexpensive
tool kits, radios & such and selling from their vans or vacant street corners.
David Morgan (MAMS)
Morgan Audio Media Service
Dallas, TX (972) 622-1972
___________________________________________
Bob Vandiver
>C'mon Chris.... if you're in a major city anywhere in the US, for sure, it can
>happen. It's not much less common than a 'spare-changer' today.
Spare changer??
S. Warner
>
> I've read the posts about the white van guys for a while now but never
> took it too seriously. Well it finally happened to me. I was leaving a
> bank ATM when I was approached by two guys in a white van stating that
> they were drivers for a stereo store, couldn't make a delivery and would
> give me a great deal.
>
> If I wasn't in so much of a hurry I would've had some fun with them. I
> did watch them as they went around the shopping center soliciting mostly
> upscale males.
>
> --
> Bobby Owsinski
> Surround Associates
About 5 years ago I'm at a Fast Fare in Raleigh, NC. I get the same
approach/pitch/etc... and politely decline. Dude follows me to my car
where I proceed to get in and turn the key.
Well, I'm a licensed ham operator and I had my radio tuned to the police
frequencies that day. When I turned the key, the crackle of Raleigh PD
radio communications filled the air. Dude freaks out and puts his hands
up. He starts apologizing profusely. I tell him I'm not a cop. He's
so relieved he thanks me and without missing a beat,; he starts working
the rest of the crowd. I write his plate down anyway just in case I
hear about it later. But nothing ever came of it, I guess.
And yes... the van was white.
Scott
--
'People are not gonna' drive all the way out here for Italian
when we got a Chuck-E-Cheese right in town.'
-"Grumpier Old Men" (1997)
Matthias Postel
frontiers for stupidity... a fellow of mine bought those speakers ... no
comment.
Chris T. Young <ctye...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
> Where is the stuff happening? I'm in Seattle and have been approached by the
> exact same scam.. I was headed into Sam's on Aurora (99). If I remember
> right, they claimed they couldn't make the delivery or had some speakers
> left over from a pro facility, installation and asked me if I would be
> interested in a pair of high end speakers for 2 or 3 hundred bucks......
> These two characters were something alright, and driving a white van as
> well...
>
>
> --
> Chris T. Young
> Sleepless Studio
> http://home.att.net/~ctyelvis/
--
Matthias
David Morgan (MAMS)
>Spare changer??
Aw c'mon Bob, not you too......... Ever seen the city ? And I'm not talking
about Fort Worth in your rear view mirror or Dallas from a DC-9 at night.
I'm talking about street people - vagrants - homeless - wine'o's - addicts,
up close and personal like, walking the beat behind every club, in every
parking lot......
"C'mon buddy, I just need another quarter and I can dry my babies diapers".
"Say fella, you look like a Christian person, I'm tryin' to get back home and just
need a few more dollars to get a room in the shelter for tonight".
"Yo, man, muh cah done broke down back up the street, can you spare me somethin fowa cab ?"
"Like wow, dude, man, ya got any extra coinage ? I'm just collecting for a lttle trip".
"Heythere..partner, (hic), another 50 cents and I can get a 1/2 pint... wanna heeeelp me out".
"Excuse me sir. Do you have any spare change for food... I'm hitch hiking across the US".
"Lookie here man, I'm willin to work... I'll wash yo windows for whatever change you got".
Spare changing. It's a part of American history. (There are 10,000 stories in the Naked City).
David Morgan (MAMS)
S. Warner wrote in message <377DC3...@earthlink.net>...
>And yes... the van was white.
>
>Scott
Ever try to rent a pink van ?
Bill
>
> I've read the posts about the white van guys for a while now but never
> took it too seriously. Well it finally happened to me. I was leaving a
> bank ATM when I was approached by two guys in a white van stating that
> they were drivers for a stereo store, couldn't make a delivery and would
> give me a great deal.
I've seen them twice, in northern NJ. First time was at a traffic
light, where one of them jumped out of the van and tried to make the
sale before the light changed. The other time was as I was coming out
of an office supply store. Both vans were white. Both claimed that
they were installers of club systems and their supplier had accidentally
shipped them an extra pair of "professional" speakers. From their
demeanor, though, I got the impression that I was *supposed* to think
that it was, in fact, hot merchandise. Sort of a "wink wink, nudge
nudge" attitude there.
r...@ecn.ab.ca
: >Spare changer??
David Morgan (MAMS) (ma...@airmail.net) by way of explanation wrote:
(excerpt only)
: "Like wow, dude, man, ya got any extra coinage ? I'm just collecting
: for a lttle trip".
: Spare changing. It's a part of American history. (There are 10,000
: stories in the Naked City).
my fave happened when i was headed home with a friend about 1a.m. after
seeing Eddie Patterson playing a show somewhere. Five kids hit us up with
the line "Spare any change for the marijuana research fund?". We stopped
and my friend said "Look no further, we can tell you everything you need
to know..."[1]
rob
<r...@ecn.ab.ca>
[1] it ended with us leaving 'em a buck. they were pretty amusing
actually. sometimes style counts...
John Noble
Style counts for a lot. One guy I saw a few years ago was standing at an
intersection with a sign that said, "Why lie? Need $$ for beer". I
woulda kicked down for him if I'd been on that side of the road -- a
good laugh is worth at least a buck.
-j
David Morgan (MAMS)
John Noble wrote in message <377E330F...@home.com>...
>r...@ecn.ab.ca wrote:
>>
>> [1] it ended with us leaving 'em a buck. they were pretty amusing
>> actually. sometimes style counts...
>
>Style counts for a lot. One guy I saw a few years ago was standing at an
>intersection with a sign that said, "Why lie? Need $$ for beer". I
>woulda kicked down for him if I'd been on that side of the road -- a
>good laugh is worth at least a buck.
>
>-j
Hahaha. This is the only thing that's made me reach for my pocket lately.
I saw the same thing, gave the guy a buck and thanked him for his honesty.
.Slick.
also...to add...the coolest pan handler i ever met was a guy
in Downtown New Orleans on Decatur street crouched over in a little
alley with a cowbell and he would bang himself in the head for
change...and he was actually bleeding from doing it ALL day...i gave
him 5 bucks and walked away smiling and very grateful for what i
have in my life.
SLICK
In article <377E16...@ix.netcom.com>,
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Share what you know. Learn what you don't.
ssr
Richard Greenly wrote:
>
> These guys never quit. I've been hit up twice. I pretended to write down one
> of the van's license plate numbers and the guy panicked. He put his foot
> over the plate, and then seeing the predicament he was in standing there
> on one foot, stood straight up and started taunting me. He was daring me
> to write down the plate number. I thought the whole ordeal was rather
> amusing. I'm easily amused, I guess.
>
> Rick
This Happened to me as well ~12 years ago in Boston. (A bunch of times actually)
I asked the police about why they weren't arresting these guys, they
told me although
what they're doing in pretty sleazy, there no law against selling
crappie speakers at a ridiculous mark up. Another thing to notice is
that they usually travel in pairs (the guys in the van) and one of them
is always a Big tough guy. I suppose to serve as a deterant to anyone
who would like to Kick their pathetic asses, Like we all would.
WillStG
>
> I've read the posts about the white van guys for a while now but never
> took it too seriously. Well it finally happened to me. I was leaving a
> bank ATM when I was approached by two guys in a white van stating that
> they were drivers for a stereo store, couldn't make a delivery and would
> give me a great deal.
Well, check this out. Here in New York on the Cross Bronx Expressway
section of I 95, when the weather's good and there's a traffic jam you got
5-10 guys on the expressway with camcorder boxes, wireless phones, you name
it... Who knows what's really in the boxes or if they even function.
And there are homeless guys bumming for change in the middle of a 3 lane
expressway at the same time...
Cheers,
Will Miho
Music & TV Audio Guy
Fox And Friends/Fox News
"What the large print giveth the fine print taketh away..." Tom Waits
Remove "Spam4Hi" from email address.
Flowofsoul
> there no law against selling crappie speakers at a ridiculous mark up.
Isn't there a law against fraud? The guys lie when they say the speakers just
fell off the truck, or whatever.
Keith
Chris T. Young
WillStG <wil...@aol.comSPAM4HI> wrote in message
news:19990703143406...@ng-cj1.aol.com...
> Well, check this out. Here in New York on the Cross Bronx Expressway
> section of I 95, when the weather's good and there's a traffic jam you
got
> 5-10 guys on the expressway with camcorder boxes, wireless phones, you
name
> it...
> Will Miho
> Music & TV Audio Guy
> Fox And Friends/Fox News
Hey Will, what your describing is "paradise". Does such a truly wonderous
wonderland really exist? ;-) or are you just describing some new premise for
a new Fox show?
Sorry man, I couldn't resist, the picture it painted for me struck me as a
little humorous, as sad as it really is..
Harvey Gerst
>also...to add...the coolest pan handler i ever met was a guy
>in Downtown New Orleans on Decatur street crouched over in a little
>alley with a cowbell and he would bang himself in the head for
>change...and he was actually bleeding from doing it ALL day...i gave
> him 5 bucks and walked away smiling and very grateful for what i
>have in my life.
SLICK,
I agree - NOT having a cowbell is great. But 5 bucks is way over scale
for cowbell players, even "first call" players.
Harvey Gerst
Indian Trail Recording Studio
http://ITRstudio.com/
Steve
interested in hearing these great speakers if they would only bring
them by...guys? guys? Where ya'll running away to?
Oh well..
On Fri, 02 Jul 1999 17:53:24 -0700, poly...@earthlink.net (Bobby
Owsinski) wrote:
>I've read the posts about the white van guys for a while now but never
>took it too seriously. Well it finally happened to me. I was leaving a
>bank ATM when I was approached by two guys in a white van stating that
>they were drivers for a stereo store, couldn't make a delivery and would
>give me a great deal.
>
hank alrich
> > there no law against selling crappie speakers at a ridiculous mark up.
>
> Isn't there a law against fraud? The guys lie when they say the speakers just
> fell off the truck, or whatever.
Now if they'd say, "These speakers sound like they just fell off of a
truck!" they'd no longer be guilty of moral turpitude.
--
hank - secret mountain
Note: the rec.audio.pro FAQ is at http://recordist.com/rap-faq/current
Read it and reap!
Paul Dormer
>
>> there no law against selling crappie speakers at a ridiculous mark up.
>
>Isn't there a law against fraud? The guys lie when they say the speakers just
>fell off the truck, or whatever.
I reckon!
I've experienced the same white-van speaker blag in the UK (hey.. it's
spreading!). A week after my encounter I noticed in Loot (2nd hand
trade paper which I read religiously) a whole bunch of these speakers
suddenly cropped up, maybe a dozen or more sets. Looks like the white
van scheme is fairly successful, and the buyer discovers their loss in
a very short time!
Anyhow, the story these jokers gave me was that they were a delivery
firm, and were accidently loaded up with an extra pair of speakers at
the depo that they quickly needed to sell before returning to base.
They had "invoices to prove it"! That is definately illegal.
Paul Dormer Me...@clara.net
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sound Design, Editing, Mastering
Reid Rejsa, Denise Culshaw
> > actually. sometimes style counts...
>
> Style counts for a lot. One guy I saw a few years ago was standing at an
> intersection with a sign that said, "Why lie? Need $$ for beer". I
> woulda kicked down for him if I'd been on that side of the road -- a
> good laugh is worth at least a buck.
I was sitting in a coffee shop here in Minneapolis with a friend of mine
and we had a street person come up to us and kindly ask if we could help
him out with his "art project" and sign his jacket. He had several
hundred signatures at least all over his jacket, and even gave us our
choice of colored pens to use. After we signed, he very politely as us
if we would care to make a donation to the "museum". It was by far the
most original approach I've had yet. Needless to say, my friend and I
donated, Of course, with both of us working for a non-profit, we were
suckers for that kind of thing anyway!
Reid
schuyler
>
> Bob
>
> --
> Compassionate Conservatism (n) -- an oxymoron
You got that right bud! And just think how many people are falling for it and are
gonna vote for the guy!
I guess it must be the same people who buy speakers from the back of white vans in
parking lots!
Schuyler
Acer Victoria
>A friend of mine bought the speakers from the guys in the white van. They
>didn't work so he went to bed and was gonna call the police in the morning.
>
>The next time I saw him he wasn't the same and now he drives around selling
>speakers in a white van!
>
>Avoid them at all cost!!!! Something really strange is happening!!!!!!!!!!
>
>I think Ken Lee bought a pair of those speakers.
Read _Dracula_ have we? ;-)
>Michael Haumesser
>notnoise studio
>notn...@ix.netcom.com
>
>
>
/Acer Victoria
--
"Strong in the heart, weak in the flesh...." --Def Leppard
"video meliora proboque, deteriora sequor." --Ovid
http://student.ucr.edu/~siddim01/ <--don't visit just yet!
BeeJay
I've seen some guys selling their shit in the smallest villages you can
imagine.
A friend of mine bought a set one year ago and I took him to the company's
base, next to Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam. He still had the receit so we
returned the speakers and they returned the money, no problem, thanks to a
law protecting the buyers.
Beejay
Chris T. Young wrote in message <7lk8q4$krh$1...@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net>...
>Where is the stuff happening? I'm in Seattle and have been approached by
the
>exact same scam.. I was headed into Sam's on Aurora (99). If I remember
>right, they claimed they couldn't make the delivery or had some speakers
>left over from a pro facility, installation and asked me if I would be
>interested in a pair of high end speakers for 2 or 3 hundred bucks......
>These two characters were something alright, and driving a white van as
>well...
>
>
Mike
time they were selling pants. They said that they had just dropped
off a few cartons full at a local clothier. They said they hadn't
noticed that a few fell out in the van until they were on their way
back to the depot. I had just left the ATM and had a few extra bucks.
They really looked like some high class droors. I bought five pairs.
You wouldn't believe what happened... About five days later I'm at
the water cooler and drop my cup. I bent over, and the entire New
York Symphony gets a red eyed surprise. If only they had a few pairs
of boxers the situation would have been a lot less embarrassing.
On Fri, 02 Jul 1999 17:53:24 -0700, poly...@earthlink.net (Bobby
Owsinski) wrote:
>I've read the posts about the white van guys for a while now but never
>took it too seriously. Well it finally happened to me. I was leaving a
>bank ATM when I was approached by two guys in a white van stating that
>they were drivers for a stereo store, couldn't make a delivery and would
>give me a great deal.
>
>If I wasn't in so much of a hurry I would've had some fun with them. I
>did watch them as they went around the shopping center soliciting mostly
>upscale males.
>
Michael Haumesser
didn't work so he went to bed and was gonna call the police in the morning.
The next time I saw him he wasn't the same and now he drives around selling
speakers in a white van!
Avoid them at all cost!!!! Something really strange is happening!!!!!!!!!!
I think Ken Lee bought a pair of those speakers.
Michael Haumesser
notnoise studio
notn...@ix.netcom.com
neumann
Michael Grass wrote:
> Chris T. Young wrote in message <7lk8q4$krh$1...@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net>...
> >they couldn't make the delivery or had some speakers
> >left over from a pro facility, installation and asked me if I would be
> >interested in a pair of high end speakers for 2 or 3 hundred bucks......
> >--
> >Chris T. Young
> >
>
> This is one of the oldest scams in the book. About ten years ago or so a
> guy came into the dupe house I was working in and told me he had just
> finished an install, etc.etc.etc.
>
> I took a look at his "hi end studio monitors" all they were was a pair of
> cheap boxes and the cheesiest components I'd ever seen anyone bother to
> assemble. No crossover even! Maybe a grand total of $30 worth of parts,
> retail. All for the low low price of $299! Such a deal! Unfortunately, a
> friend of mine was duped by these guys the same day. Expensive lesson. Oh
> well. Don't fall for "Great Deals" out of a white van! (Or any other color,
> I guess!)MG
Michael,
How right you are. My story:
Toronto Canada. Autumn 1998.
Parking lot of a multi depot: Home Depot/ Business Depot (Staples for you
Americans)
It is in a fairly Blue Collar area of town and I am getting out of a Toyota
wearing a blazer and Khakis.
BLUE Van (either thought they would throw a changeup or they made so much they
bought a Van)
Two guys as described previously.
Their story:
Worked for a sound install company.
Just finished installing a huge system at a strip club. There was so much gear
no one even noticed that they had been shipped an extra pair of speakers.
Hell they're already paid for so its not like its stealing, right? If I don't
want them they'll just have to give em to the boss.
They showed me an invoice from a sound company to try and show they were
legitimately $2000 speakers.
The "top quality" speakers were some lame huge cabinets made of particle board
covered with standard speaker fabric crap. They had some stupid logo I cannot
remember what it said but it was something like "Wrafdale" to make you think
of"Wharfdale" I guess. Asking $300.
I kind of played with them to see how far they would take this and how dumb
they were. I told them several things (all true) which should have made them
give up on me:
1. I used to work in live sound.
2. I was currently shopping for (small) monitors.
3. The part owner of the club they were installing in (stealing from in their
story really) was the cousin of my stockbroker.
They were amazingly persistent, perhaps schooled in the sales/short con
tradition that anyone who talks to you really wants to buy/get ripped off, so
all you have to do is close. It took about twenty minutes of my jerking their
chains before I finally definitively told them no and walked off.
I kept looking for the hidden camera.
S. Warner
I used to get complaints from owners of 'Alpine' car stereos. Upon
closer inspection, the logos sported the 'Alfine' brand name.
Unrelated, but funny nonetheless... We'd have customers have their car
stereos installed, pick up their cars, and return within 5 minutes
complaining that the sound was coming from the right rear speaker only.
Care to guess the problem???
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
Oh, come on... guess!
Ok, the deal was that the reacharounds immediately turned *every* knob
all the way up (including the balance and fader) before they even
listened to the damn thing.
I used to work at a Radio Shack for a year or so. But don't get me
started!
Luis Cypher
Just a hypothesis, but maybe the reason the speakers didn't work was
that they weren't really speakers -- just alien pods disguised to look
like speakers?
Luis Cypher
<schu...@mail.utexas.edu> wrote:
>> Compassionate Conservatism (n) -- an oxymoron
"Conservatism" and "Liberalism" are not nouns, are not words -- they
were coined by that semi-literate Rush Limbaugh. How can something
that describes a DIRECTION be a noun? The correct words are
Capitalism and Socialism -- those are the directions toward which
conservatives and liberals respectively lean. You can't make those
leanings or tendencies into ISMS!
Chris G.
Nah, Line 6 is already doing that but they don't look like
speakers...kinda sound like them though....Mine is sitting here blinking
a little red light at me....spooky!
Chris G.
Don Weiss
.Slick. wrote in message <7llsq1$dbg$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>...
>also...to add...the coolest pan handler i ever met was a guy
>in Downtown New Orleans on Decatur street crouched over in a little
>alley with a cowbell and he would bang himself in the head for
>change...and he was actually bleeding from doing it ALL day...
I don't remember his name but his face sure rings a bell.....
Eleven Shadows
Michael Haumesser wrote:
> A friend of mine bought the speakers from the guys in the white van. They
> didn't work so he went to bed and was gonna call the police in the morning.
>
> The next time I saw him he wasn't the same and now he drives around selling
> speakers in a white van!
>
> Avoid them at all cost!!!! Something really strange is happening!!!!!!!!!!
>
> I think Ken Lee bought a pair of those speakers.
Dear Michael/newsgroup,
I am going to Morocco in less than twelve hours. I wanted to say goodbye to
Michael and the rest of this lovely newsgroup for two months. I also wanted to
ask where the best place is to buy a white van in Morocco.
--
Ken/Eleven Shadows
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Irian Jaya" CD of atmospheric sensual percussion groove
music is out now ("Sangsara" is arriving in July!)
http://www.theeleventhhour.com/elevenshadows
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rick Novak
> I also wanted to ask where the best place is to buy a white van in Morocco.
Amsterdam!
Bon Voyage, Rick.
David Morgan (MAMS)
>Michael and the rest of this lovely newsgroup for two months.
You can't stay away that long. You'll be on dejanews from _somewhere_ in a week.
>I also wanted to
>ask where the best place is to buy a white van in Morocco.
A primer-grey Volkswagen Microbus would be much less conspicuous ;-)
(I like the movies)
Surely you can catch some web access & get us a note....... take care.
Roger W. Norman
them try to sell to me while rolling. Didn't even wait until a stop light.
With my luck, the cops would show when I'm "inspecting" the merchandise and
take us all away. No such thing as having fun with crooks.
--
Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio
301-585-4681
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It only wastes your time and annoys the
pig."
Robert Heinlein
Bobby Owsinski <poly...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:polymedia-020...@pool012-max9.ds17-ca-us.dialup.earthlink.net
...
Roger W. Norman
entrapment, but now it's a perfectly acceptable tool to try to get upright
citizens to take a quick risk with a smooth talking con man who is obviously
selling "stolen" goods.
In most cases though, the goods aren't stolen in the first place, but it's
the possibility of the sham that really interests some types of people.
Like the people that buy "Rolex" watches in NYC for $200. As if. I could
see where the possibility of illegitmate speakers were coming from these
vans if it's near a major port like Baltimore or NY, but I kinda doubt it in
Kansas. In the former, lots of stuff falls off trucks, but I'm not real
sure how big organized crime is out with the cows. Then again, they are
into meat, too. I ran a video store for one of the meat "scarface" guys.
Scary.
--
Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio
301-585-4681
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It only wastes your time and annoys the
pig."
Robert Heinlein
neumann <neumann...@nospam.sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:377EE4E7...@nospam.sympatico.ca...
Roger W. Norman
give you one of these twentys I just got. Or it's the guys standing outside
of my favorite beer establishment. If you don't have money, they'd be glad
to take one of your beers. But the "why lie?" anecdote was a good one.
--
Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio
301-585-4681
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It only wastes your time and annoys the
pig."
Robert Heinlein
Anonymous <nob...@replay.com> wrote in message
news:1999070323...@mail.replay.com...
> On Sat, 3 Jul 1999 04:34:19 -0500 "David Morgan (MAMS)"
> <ma...@airmail.net> wrote:
>
> >snipped<
> >"C'mon buddy, I just need another quarter and I can dry my babies
diapers".
> >
> >"Say fella, you look like a Christian person, I'm tryin' to get back home
and just
> >need a few more dollars to get a room in the shelter for tonight".
> >
> >"Yo, man, muh cah done broke down back up the street, can you spare me
somethin fowa cab ?"
> >
> >"Like wow, dude, man, ya got any extra coinage ? I'm just collecting for
a lttle trip".
>
> I ususally get hit up for change, when I'm filling up the gas
> tank.
> What I like to say..."I just put the last of my change in the
> tank"
> and then they back off. I even say it to panhandlers asking for
> change on the street. Works all the time.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
John Noble
>
[snip]
> In most cases though, the goods aren't stolen in the first place, but it's
> the possibility of the sham that really interests some types of people.
> Like the people that buy "Rolex" watches in NYC for $200. As if.
You can't swindle an honest man. You can cheat him, but you can't
swindle him.
If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.
Cliches exist for a reason.
-j
GalenaC
And through the shimmering heat waves I seemed to see ancient indians
shufflin' 'roun in old sandals carrying rectangular boxes with some type
of exotic fabric on the front, wires comming out of the back that seemed to
be attached to the indians foreheads. In the background, barely visable
through the shimmering waves, was a village that looked like the cliff
dwellings of the Anasazi. However, the women were stunningly beautiful and
wore nothing above the waist. ..... And while I was (naturally) rivited to
the scene, the two guys in the White Van stole the Mother Hair from my head
and now I am going bald.
So if you see the guys in the White Van....Run Like Hell!!! trust
me. Hank knows what I mean............He was
THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MH shhhhhhh......don't speak of this to anyone!!
David Chertock
Los Angeles. The two guys said they were selling "Studio Monitors".
Their story was that they worked for a speaker manufacturer who didn't
care if they made extra money by selling stock overuns out of the back
of the company van. The price was $200.
I know two people who have actually bought these speakers. Both male,
both in the film industry, both purchased them when in their early 20's,
both seemingly intelligent, both suckers!
David
Bob Vandiver
David Newton
to get approched on the Hammersmith roundabout.... & guess what.... they
were usually in a WHITE van (like the previous poster said..have you
ever tried renting a pink van??!!!!).
Dave.
http://community.webtv.net/rollercoasterpg/Rollercoaster
Don P.
working the streets by us. In a wheelchair. Except this guy would get in your
face and not get out of the way. We called Chicago's Finest (tm) and asked
about it. They said "If he ever gets in front of your car and won't get out of
the way, just push him down the on-ramp". (We (and he) worked right next to the
Eisenhower Expressway). At the end of the day, he would fold up his wheelchair
and put it in the trunk of his 2-year old Cadillac.
Don P.
--
"Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas"
-Former Australian cabinet minister Keppel Enderbery
E-mail address scrambled to foil bots..........
dandd (at) enteract (dot) com
http://www.enteract.com/~dandd
Volume 1, Disk 1, Track 15
"David Morgan (MAMS)" <ma...@airmail.net> wrote:
>Bob Vandiver wrote in message ...
>
>>Spare changer??
>
>Aw c'mon Bob, not you too......... Ever seen the city ? And I'm not talking
>about Fort Worth in your rear view mirror or Dallas from a DC-9 at night.
>I'm talking about street people - vagrants - homeless - wine'o's - addicts,
>up close and personal like, walking the beat behind every club, in every
>parking lot......
>
>
>
>"C'mon buddy, I just need another quarter and I can dry my babies diapers".
>
>"Say fella, you look like a Christian person, I'm tryin' to get back home and
> just
>need a few more dollars to get a room in the shelter for tonight".
>
>"Yo, man, muh cah done broke down back up the street, can you spare me somethin
> fowa cab ?"
>
>"Like wow, dude, man, ya got any extra coinage ? I'm just collecting for a
> lttle trip".
>
>"Heythere..partner, (hic), another 50 cents and I can get a 1/2 pint... wanna
> heeeelp me out".
>
>"Excuse me sir. Do you have any spare change for food... I'm hitch hiking
> across the US".
>
>"Lookie here man, I'm willin to work... I'll wash yo windows for whatever
> change you got".
>
>
>Spare changing. It's a part of American history. (There are 10,000 stories in
> the Naked City).
Don P.
>
>>And yes... the van was white.
>>
>>Scott
>
>
>Ever try to rent a pink van ?
>
Are you kidding? The guys selling "surplus Kary May Cosmetics" have them all
rented out!
Don P.
--
"I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy - but that could change."
-- Dan Quayle
Rick Novak
> >I am going to Morocco
> "David Morgan (MAMS)" wrote:
> Surely you can catch some web access & get us a note....... take care.
Built into the camels these days, I hear. We want a picture of you in the saddle w/
laptop and turban, Ken! :>)
Salaam, Rick.
hank alrich
> The guys I saw in the White Van turned out to be from "THE OTHER SIDE"...
> And through the shimmering heat waves I seemed to see ancient indians
> shufflin' 'roun in old sandals carrying rectangular boxes with some type
> of exotic fabric on the front, wires comming out of the back that seemed to
> be attached to the indians foreheads. In the background, barely visable
> through the shimmering waves, was a village that looked like the cliff
> dwellings of the Anasazi. However, the women were stunningly beautiful and
> wore nothing above the waist. ..... And while I was (naturally) rivited to
> the scene, the two guys in the White Van stole the Mother Hair from my head
> and now I am going bald.
> So if you see the guys in the White Van....Run Like Hell!!! trust
> me. Hank knows what I mean............He was
> THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, yes, I _was_ there...but I remember the women as wearing nothing
from the waist _down_, which is why I thought you got your hair caught
in the door of the van as the perps tried to make their getaway with the
suspect speakers of the cliff dweller's house. The loss of your hair is
nothing in comparison to the results of those guys roaring off over that
cliff! (I'm sure you've seen the crash shots at the IIHS website. Not a
pretty picture. Hint: They weren't in a new Sienna...) And thank gawd
you've still got the Mackies. What if they'd left you with the Mother
NS10s?? That's why the male pre-Columbian indigenous people were wearing
headphones.
As for the loss of my own hair, I have no one to blame but my father,
the bald, dead, old fart. I wish I'd recorded his stories and songs. He
was related to those "indians".
--
hank - secret mountain
Note: the rec.audio.pro FAQ is at http://recordist.com/rap-faq/current
Read it and reap!
thomps...@my-deja.com
the "White Van". I was going to lunch one day when they drove up and
asked if I wanted to buy some speakers. When I got back from lunch I
asked a coworker if that had ever happened to him, and he said yes. I
asked another friend, and he had also been accosted, in an ATM lane no
less! This was a couple of years ago, 1997 or 98.
My friend Mark is going to open a Hi-Fi store and call it, "The White
Van".
I think some TV station here in KC did an expose on these people a few
years ago.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Share what you know. Learn what you don't.
filtersweep
nine months apart in St. Paul- same story 2 guys in a white van.
...Guys said they were delivering the speakers, but when they got
there, the customer changed his mind, and they wanted to unload them
cheap.
The second time- he said they were delivering them to Best Buy, but
someone had screwed up the order- they brought too many, and that they
had a one-way truck rental, and their boss just told them to get rid of
them.
At any rate, it's amusing, and it must 'work' to a certain extent- if
they're still at it. I'll be damned if I've ever heard of the brand
they were selling.
In article <7o793l$qf8$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
--
I've been to the mountain, and I didn't like what I saw.
James Prosser
we stopped in Nashville for lunch. In the parking lot, we were approached
by 2 guys driving a white van with a story about some stereo speakers they
couldn't deliver, but could unload to us for great savings. We didn't
bite. This has all the makings of a great "urban myth".
2DJVengac
>
> Hello. Interesting! I was driving from Dallas to NYC with my brother and
> we stopped in Nashville for lunch. In the parking lot, we were approached
> by 2 guys driving a white van with a story about some stereo speakers they
> couldn't deliver, but could unload to us for great savings. We didn't
> bite. This has all the makings of a great "urban myth".
Well.... no. as mentioned here way back in the thread, the Van-sales
speaker scam is real and a known element, down to the mid-america guy
who makes them and has been prosecuted for fraud and other violations.
A UL is properly a lesson-story (don;t Trust Strangers, Don;t Be
Stupid, Don;t Be Greedy, Always Be Careful), NEVER first-hand (always
"this Really Happened! my sister's best friend's uncle saw it!") and is,
once looked at rationally, illogical and highly improbabble and once
even cursorilly researched, provably false or at least clearly not
provably true. The KIDNEY-THIEVES, ROCKET-POWERED IMPALA (my fav),
AIDS-Needles-In-Pay-Phone-coin Returns, and SHOPPINGMALL FLAT-TIRE
RAPIST are primo examples.
Another UL-wannabee is the now ubiquitous 'Darwin Awards' stories (for
those who don;t know, there IS no such thing as The Darwin Awards),
most all of which are blatant fabrications with the rare odd interesting
real story tossed in.
2DJVengac
400 years ago a young boy was shipwrecked in the Bengala jungle...
oops... it's Hero Week here at the house...
The following is just too good not to share.
There are a lot of serious wind-powered water sport enthusasts who find
the deluge of little zippy dangerous stupid-person-driven Personal Water
Craft (PWC) Ski-Doos and such an abomination.
This site is One Man;s Answer...
Jan Gerstenberger
> the "White Van". I was going to lunch one day when they drove up and
> asked if I wanted to buy some speakers. When I got back from lunch I
> asked a coworker if that had ever happened to him, and he said yes. I
> asked another friend, and he had also been accosted, in an ATM lane no
> less! This was a couple of years ago, 1997 or 98.
thing happened to me here in Germany, exactly the same story, probably
the same speakers, and of course the van was white as well.
Jan
Kevin Roll
In article <37A838...@is.right>, replyto...@is.right says...
> A UL is properly a lesson-story (don;t Trust Strangers, Don;t Be
> Stupid, Don;t Be Greedy, Always Be Careful), NEVER first-hand (always
> "this Really Happened! my sister's best friend's uncle saw it!") and is,
> once looked at rationally, illogical and highly improbabble and once
> even cursorilly researched, provably false or at least clearly not
> provably true. The KIDNEY-THIEVES, ROCKET-POWERED IMPALA (my fav),
> AIDS-Needles-In-Pay-Phone-coin Returns, and SHOPPINGMALL FLAT-TIRE
> RAPIST are primo examples.
You might be pleased to know that the rocket car story is largely true:
http://www.cultdeadcow.com/cDc_files/cDc-363/
--
Personal Homepage: http://www.cyberdrive.net/~kroll
Chew's Eye Shop Homepage: http://www.bge.net/chews
2DJVengac
>
> In article <37A838...@is.right>, replyto...@is.right says...
>
> > A UL is properly a lesson-story (don;t Trust Strangers, Don;t Be
> > Stupid, Don;t Be Greedy, Always Be Careful), NEVER first-hand (always
> > "this Really Happened! my sister's best friend's uncle saw it!") and is,
> > once looked at rationally, illogical and highly improbabble and once
> > even cursorilly researched, provably false or at least clearly not
> > provably true. The KIDNEY-THIEVES, ROCKET-POWERED IMPALA (my fav),
> > AIDS-Needles-In-Pay-Phone-coin Returns, and SHOPPINGMALL FLAT-TIRE
> > RAPIST are primo examples.
>
> You might be pleased to know that the rocket car story is largely true:
>
> http://www.cultdeadcow.com/cDc_files/cDc-363/
that is a GREAT piece of writing! Love it!
djoh...@isd.net
<gerstenbe...@bigfoot.com> wrote:
The speaker sell out of a van happened to me too, belive it or not. A
mini-van (I dont remember the color) pulled up next to me as I was driving
down the road and the passenger poked his head out the window and asked if
I wanted to buy some speakers, of course I said no. They drove on and I
proceded home and called the police with the licence plate number. Never
heard any more.
I thought it was some kind of local scam. This happened about four or five
months ago.
dj
Peter Kerr
>James Prosser wrote:
>>
>> Hello. Interesting! I was driving from Dallas to NYC with my brother and
>> we stopped in Nashville for lunch. In the parking lot, we were approached
>> by 2 guys driving a white van with a story about some stereo speakers they
>> couldn't deliver, but could unload to us for great savings. We didn't
>> bite. This has all the makings of a great "urban myth".
>
>Well.... no. as mentioned here way back in the thread, the Van-sales
>speaker scam is real and a known element, down to the mid-america guy
>who makes them and has been prosecuted for fraud and other violations.
But it must be getting real close to UL. The van is always white, there
are always two guys, they sell mostly speakers, seen from Ann Arbor to
Vladivostok, ...
--
Peter Kerr bodger
School of Music chandler
University of Auckland New Zealand neo-Luddite
James Prosser
microwave? So I missed the previous posts. What's the story on the speaker
saleman in the White Van?
2DJVengac wrote:
> James Prosser wrote:
> >
> > Hello. Interesting! I was driving from Dallas to NYC with my brother and
> > we stopped in Nashville for lunch. In the parking lot, we were approached
> > by 2 guys driving a white van with a story about some stereo speakers they
> > couldn't deliver, but could unload to us for great savings. We didn't
> > bite. This has all the makings of a great "urban myth".
>
> Well.... no. as mentioned here way back in the thread, the Van-sales
> speaker scam is real and a known element, down to the mid-america guy
> who makes them and has been prosecuted for fraud and other violations.
> A UL is properly a lesson-story (don;t Trust Strangers, Don;t Be
> Stupid, Don;t Be Greedy, Always Be Careful), NEVER first-hand (always
> "this Really Happened! my sister's best friend's uncle saw it!") and is,
> once looked at rationally, illogical and highly improbabble and once
> even cursorilly researched, provably false or at least clearly not
> provably true. The KIDNEY-THIEVES, ROCKET-POWERED IMPALA (my fav),
> AIDS-Needles-In-Pay-Phone-coin Returns, and SHOPPINGMALL FLAT-TIRE
> RAPIST are primo examples.
> Another UL-wannabee is the now ubiquitous 'Darwin Awards' stories (for
> those who don;t know, there IS no such thing as The Darwin Awards),
> most all of which are blatant fabrications with the rare odd interesting
> real story tossed in.
>
> >
> > thomps...@my-deja.com wrote:
> >
> > > I'm in Kansas City, MO and have been approaced by the guys in
> > > the "White Van". I was going to lunch one day when they drove up and
> > > asked if I wanted to buy some speakers. When I got back from lunch I
> > > asked a coworker if that had ever happened to him, and he said yes. I
> > > asked another friend, and he had also been accosted, in an ATM lane no
> > > less! This was a couple of years ago, 1997 or 98.
> > >
Anthony B. Kitson
>
> The speaker sell out of a van happened to me too, belive it or not. A
> mini-van (I dont remember the color) pulled up next to me as I was driving
> down the road and the passenger poked his head out the window and asked if
> I wanted to buy some speakers, of course I said no. They drove on and I
> proceded home and called the police with the licence plate number. Never
> heard any more.
> I thought it was some kind of local scam. This happened about four or five
> months ago.
> dj
Yup same thing bout two/three years ago. Here in sunny Perth Australia. Wonder
if they have an agency in Antarctica?
--
Anthony B. Kitson BSEE AES
http://www.pinnaclestudio.com - Recently Updated!
Geoff Meads
gerN...@bigfoot.com> writes
>> I'm in Kansas City, MO and have been approaced by the guys in
>> the "White Van". I was going to lunch one day when they drove up and
>> asked if I wanted to buy some speakers. When I got back from lunch I
>> asked a coworker if that had ever happened to him, and he said yes. I
>> asked another friend, and he had also been accosted, in an ATM lane no
>> less! This was a couple of years ago, 1997 or 98.
>
>thing happened to me here in Germany, exactly the same story, probably
>the same speakers, and of course the van was white as well.
>
>Jan
Its been well covered here in the UK too. The HiFi Mag "What HiFi" did a
two page "expose" on it a few months ago.
A ex collegue of mine was approached by a couple of guys in "the van"
with a similar story. The really funny thing was that they approached
him out side a HiFi store which he had just come out of.....and he
owned!
The local second hand electrical store was stiched up with a few pairs
too. IIRC they where branded "Accoustic Studio Monitors" or something
like that.
Geoff Meads
Soundwoody
by this pitch it was " Hey dude, we were installing these speakers at the Red
Onion resturant and these are extras that have been paid for, but they didn't
need." When I badged them and threatened to just take the speakers, they
admitted that they work for a well known dealer in town who cant get people
into the store to shop, so he sends these guys out on the street to make people
believe that they are getting a "deal" on hot goods.
When the Detectives looked into it, it was in fact, just that. A marketing
scheme based on the idea that people will make an impulse buy if they believe
they are commiting a crime.
Also, sometimes these are a way to lure you into someplace isolated, so you can
be robbed or worse.
Sometimes you bring the box home, and it is filled with paper or
bricks.(usually a vcr or stereo/tv set scam) BEWARE the too good to be true.
Rob Andrews
>When the Detectives looked into it, it was in fact, just that. A marketing
>scheme based on the idea that people will make an impulse buy if they believe
>they are commiting a crime.
What? That's the strangest thing I have ever heard... Shouldn't that be
"...people will NOT buy if they believe they are commiting a crime? I know I
wouldn't!
>Also, sometimes these are a way to lure you into someplace isolated, so you
>can
>be robbed or worse.
This is indeed true and that's why I don't even give time for the white van
guys to make their pitch.... I buy through authorized dealers only, period.
>BEWARE the too good to be true.
That can never be said enough times!
Rob Andrews
(To reply directly, remove xoutspam)
Bill
>
> sound...@aol.com (Soundwoody) wrote:
>
> >When the Detectives looked into it, it was in fact, just that. A marketing
> >scheme based on the idea that people will make an impulse buy if they believe
> >they are commiting a crime.
>
> What? That's the strangest thing I have ever heard... Shouldn't that be
> "...people will NOT buy if they believe they are commiting a crime? I know I
> wouldn't!
I don't know about that... I've been approached by these guys twice, and
both times I got the distinct feeling that, regardless of their
"official" story, they wanted me to get the impression the speakers were
stolen. Otherwise, why would anybody believe that they could buy
speakers worth thousands of dollars for just a few hundred? It's like
the guys who try to sell you a "Rolex" watch for a hundred bucks --
unless you think it's stolen, there's no way to rationalize that it's a
genuine Rolex.
SIROCKIN
monitors" or whatever and stick with the real thing!
David Newton
http://community.webtv.net/rollercoasterpg/Rollercoaster
David Morgan (MAMS)
> Yeah, there I was making breakfast & there was a knock on my door.....
ROTFLMAO. Ho HO Ho. If I had coffee at this hour I'd be drowning.
These may indeed be the two most common impingement's(?)
infringements(?) on our lives.
Karl Kubicka
SIROCKIN wrote in message <19990810005435...@ng-fp1.aol.com>...
>me too! in boulder, co about 2-3 years ago. i'd suggest passing on
"acoustic
>monitors" or whatever and stick with the real thing!
Hello
Believe it or not it happened to me my first year at college....
and this was 1987! No BS. It was during the first week. Don't
have a clue if the "van" was white, or if it was a van at all, but they
had the same story. They said they were supposed to diliver the
speakers and the buyer backed out so they had to get rid of them.
ken
in a white van ( a white Dodge tradevan, I believe).
My brother-in-law (who doesn't know better) was suckered into buying a
few pairs last year. I saw them... carpeted 1/2" ply ported cabinet, 12"
woofer with tiny magnet, 5" cone mid, and 2" piezo horn tweeter. Yuck.
Peter Kerr wrote:
>
> In article <37A838...@is.right>, j.veng...@genie.com wrote:
> >James Prosser wrote:
> >>
> >> Hello. Interesting! I was driving from Dallas to NYC with my brother and
> >> we stopped in Nashville for lunch. In the parking lot, we were approached
> >> by 2 guys driving a white van with a story about some stereo speakers they
> >> couldn't deliver, but could unload to us for great savings. We didn't
> >> bite. This has all the makings of a great "urban myth".
> >
> >Well.... no. as mentioned here way back in the thread, the Van-sales
> >speaker scam is real and a known element, down to the mid-america guy
> >who makes them and has been prosecuted for fraud and other violations.
>
VelcroSky
before, then this thread shows up and yesterday, a white van! trying to give me
a great deal on $600 a piece Acoustics monitors! Just had to talk to him just
to hear what his lie would be.
Robert Schmitt
"What's this button do?"
David Morgan (MAMS)
VelcroSky wrote in message <19990812163958...@ng-cm1.aol.com>...
>Just had to talk to him just
>to hear what his lie would be.
For heaven's sake man...... what was it ?
DM
hank alrich
I'll take this one: DejaNews...<g>
VelcroSky
>>to hear what his lie would be.
>
>
>For heaven's sake man...... what was it ?
>
Oh yes, sorry. The outlet where they ordered the speakers, gave them an extra
pair. It seems he had this problem once before and brought them back,
expecting a pay raise by the guy at the docks just told him to keep his mouth
shut and put them in his trunk, so now he and his partner were going to sell
them this time. The strange thing is, he said a studio had ordered a pair and
he got an extra pair, but there had to be five pair in the back of the van. So
now we just passed up speakers that apparently run for 5 grand (!?) a pair for
the low low price of 600 each speaker! Gee, don't I feel foolish <g>.
Julian Standen
Mark Bonnington
line" particle-board speaker cabinet, and the squeeling wheels as the van left the
parking lot.
Chris Milillo
> Happened to me East of Seattle. I got suspicious when I noticed the "top of the
> line" particle-board speaker cabinet, and the squeeling wheels as the van left the
> parking lot.
I saw the same thing in New York (north of the city) about 14 years ago. The white van
with the Acoustic Research speakers. Unfortunately, one of my friends fell for it and
bought the speakers. They sounded OK, but he was convinced that he saved hundreds on
some top of the line speakers.
The same guys in the van had "JVC"
speakers they tried to sell me. (I had just bought a new JVC home system). The boxes
said "Japan Victory Company" and he insisted they were authentic. I siad, well I just
bought a new JVC home stereo and the boxes scattered about my room say "Japan Victor
Company"... They made an ungraceful exit at this point...
--
Chris
Time for a new sig, but no time to think of one...
Chris Milillo's World of Drums
http://www.bestweb.net/~cmilillo
Delete "SPAMOFF" from my return address to reply.
Robbie Hoffman
been approached two or three times in the last month by different guys.
_________________________________
Robbie Hoffman, producer/engineer
http://www.lovegrooverecords.com
----------
In article <37B91B40...@bestweb.net>, Chris Milillo
David Morgan (MAMS)
>This scam has been running rampant in Studio City (Los Angeles) lately.
>I've
>been approached two or three times in the last month by different guys.
Studio city, eh ? Are you sure they were selling speakers ? ;-)
axeman
job! as I remember it we all showed up to a mini whse. that was full
of nothing but all the same exact speakers 100's of them, there would
be about 10 white vans show up and all load up as many as we could fit
in the vans and then we all would head out in separate directions. Me
and the other guy usually head out to Hollywood & the Valley & try to
sell these things, our pitch was that a pallet of speakers fell of a
truck at the main whse. or something and we are just trying to get rid
of them for what ever we could get make us an offer. You would be
surprised how many fell for this. I remember one day we were on Sunset
Blvd. and hit up a guy coming out of a ski shop. He fell for it right
away and told us to follow him to his house to hook up a set so he
could here them. We entered his home and noticed gold records all over
the walls and soon learned that we were dealing with Earth Wind &
Fire's manager. I must say a slightly nervous feeling came over me for
a moment or two. We hooked up a set & listened for 10 - 15 min. and he
made a phone call. I thought that was going to be the end of our deal,
like the guy he was calling was one of there sound engineers or
something but I was wrong and he shocked us when he said that he would
buy what ever we had left in the van (about 8 pairs I think). Both of
us looked at each other and said lets get these f_ing things unloaded
and get the hell out of here before anybody shows up! That was about a
3K cash sale. I only did this job for about 2 weeks and bailed out of
it but what a weird two weeks it was.
On Wed, 18 Aug 1999 23:17:55 -0800, "Robbie Hoffman"
<rob...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>This scam has been running rampant in Studio City (Los Angeles) lately. I've
>been approached two or three times in the last month by different guys.
>
>
David Morgan (MAMS)
>20+ years ago I was one of those guys in the White Van, What a crazy
>job! as I remember it we all showed up to a mini whse. that was full
>of nothing but all the same exact speakers 100's of them, there would
>be about 10 white vans show up and all load up as many as we could fit
>in the vans and then we all would head out in separate directions.
<<snip>>
>We entered his home and noticed gold records all over
>the walls and soon learned that we were dealing with Earth Wind &
>Fire's manager. I must say a slightly nervous feeling came over me for
>a moment or two.
:-o Can I have your autograph ?
Richard Greenly
> >>I saw the same thing in New York (north of the city) about 14 years ago.
> >>The white van
> >>with the Acoustic Research speakers. Unfortunately, one of my friends
fell
> >>for it and
> >>bought the speakers.
Ah, if only they _were_ Acoustic Research speakers. That was a rather
respectable
brand name once upon a time.
The ones I've seen have had names like Acoustic Monitor or Studio Reference
or some
other generic nonsense.
Rick
lesp...@my-deja.com
and give a similar line of crap. I asked if I could listen to them first
(suspecting a scam) so they brought in a set of speakers.
I hooked them up to my sound system and tested the crap out of them.
I played along with them and got them down to $100 bucks.
Then they say, let us go get some New ones in a box for you.
I said nope, I want these that I tested. If you want to bring in the new
ones we'll test them also.
They tried all sorts of lines of crap trying to get me to take the new
ones
un-tested.
Finally, I said, I think you guys are trying to scam me with hot stuff.
So I
grabbed the phone to call the police.
They then said OK to the deal. I told them I would write them a check
(ha),
which they could go cash at the bank.
I wrote them a check for $100 dolllars and once they had left I called
my
bank and had a stop payment issued.
I never heard from either of them again. A few months later a local KC
TV
station (KCTV 5) did a story on there scam.
I still have the speakers and they still sound good.
Les Poston
l...@jivetones.com Personal Email
kb0...@amsat.org Amateur Radio Email
www.jivetones.com/les Personal Web Page
www.jivetones.com Blues Band Web Page
www.taperedslides.com NEW Tapered Guitar Slides Company
====================================================
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====================================================
Unknown
day................ Leaving my house on my way to work, I was stopped at a
red light. I just happened to be driving a new Porsche, and these guys took
one look at me and I knew they were thinking "GRAVY! Lets fu$k the guy in
the Porsche out of 600$ real quick!" The guy leans out the window and in a
really irritating voice says "Hey Buddy! Dude! Man! Guy! My boss just sent
me out with these extra speakers from the warehouse and he wants me to get
rid of em really fast! Dude! Pull over.. "
I was like, oh man here we go, so I lean out my window and say "Why don't
you stick that set of speakers up your ass bitch!" Like that... he got this
look on his face like he couldn't beleive what I had just said. So now this
guy and his sidekick start following me. We pull up to the next light and
come to a stop, there are alot of people waiting with their windows down(the
weather was really nice). So the guy leans out his window from behind, and
starts yelling... HEY MAN! Is that car fast?!!! Hey DUDE! Do a burn out!!
HEY DUDE! Pop a wheelie man! Hey Buddy! Pop a wheelie!! Everyone is
looking at him like he's crazy..
I procceded to give this asshole the finger as the light turned green,
and I hit the gas.... He is now tailgating me at 80 mph down the highway,
so I was like f@%k the speed limit today, and I took off like a bat out of
hell, like 140 mph or something.. he was way way way gone.. What a freakin
idiot that guy was.. trying to sell an audio professional a set of
bullsh#$ speakers. Hah!
David Morgan (MAMS)
David Morgan (MAMS) wrote in message
>axeman wrote in message <37bdd5a4...@news.earthlink.net>...
>
>>20+ years ago I was one of those guys in the White Van,
> :-o Can I have your autograph ?
I was seriously acknowledging this guys courage to admit this. ( And
then to end up in this thread - wow, it's like an omen, maaan - he's played
a role in a lot of peoples lives :-o ).
DM
eric
they were reporting that the vans are in the 'burgh. Talking about
water cooled drivers (fresh from the Ohio river). :)
nvau...@my-deja.com
Dont I feel like a goddammed idiot. I thought I could make some money
over Ebay, but I got screwed instead. Anybody heard of any of these
guys operating from Illinois? Specifically, In wheaton or in the
suburbs? Said they were from some place called Chicago Sound, in
downers grove or something. Help, anyone? Or suggestions on what to do?
In article <7pmevn$mmn$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
David Morgan (MAMS)
nvau...@my-deja.com wrote in message <7q7qmu$mhb$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>...
>I fell for this today. Acoustic Image speakers, 220 bucks a pair.
>Dont I feel like a goddammed idiot. I thought I could make some money
>over Ebay, but I got screwed instead. Anybody heard of any of these
>guys operating from Illinois? Specifically, In wheaton or in the
>suburbs? Said they were from some place called Chicago Sound, in
>downers grove or something.
It happens wherever there is someone willing to be responsible for stocking the
a warehouse full of speakers and soliciting sellers with vans and lots of free time.
>Help, anyone? Or suggestions on what to do?
Sell them or keep them. Some of them will actually work.
Let it go, it's apparently become a cultural phenomena.
DM
MARK E LIERLY
investigating this outfit or one very similar in MO. They had a small
factory and warehouse setup in the NW suburbs, Schaumburg or Rolling
Meadows, I think. They were selling cheapo speakers like crazy in Mall and
Grocery store parking lots all over the area. You might want to call the
Consumer Fraud division of the States Attorney's office in Springfield or
see if they have an office in Chicago. You never know, they might currently
be under investigation again. Good Luck!
Mark Lierly
Drew Townson
long hair for years. They're pretty much gone from here now (Boston) but
for a while there they were everywhere. I used to shake 'em by telling
them (the truth) that I'm a recording engineer and I listen to the best
monitors in the world every day. That would shut 'em up.
falling_grace
> > What? That's the strangest thing I have ever heard... Shouldn't that be
> > "...people will NOT buy if they believe they are commiting a crime? I know I
> > wouldn't!
>
> I don't know about that... I've been approached by these guys twice, and
> both times I got the distinct feeling that, regardless of their
> "official" story, they wanted me to get the impression the speakers were
> stolen. Otherwise, why would anybody believe that they could buy
> speakers worth thousands of dollars for just a few hundred? It's like
> the guys who try to sell you a "Rolex" watch for a hundred bucks --
> unless you think it's stolen, there's no way to rationalize that it's a
> genuine Rolex.
I agree with this.
Sean R. Kerns
charge. I've had this one happen to me _twice_ in the last week. Once was in a white
van. The second was in some other kind of truck. I think they pick on me because I
"look" like a musician, and I drive a big pickup (so they figure I have room for
their "1200W 'house speakers'".
Are they going for a sting based on the idea that I must know I'm "receiving stolen
property"?
Sean
falling_grace wrote:
--
Sean R. Kerns (aka Snake)
e-mail: mu...@bloodspoint.com
Bloodspoint Studio - Home of Stalking Horse
http://www.bloodspoint.com
"You're in a band... That's like a business class ticket to
cool, with complimentary mojo after takeoff..."
Bill
>
> Okay, so what's the angle if they're _giving_ the speakers away? That's right, no
> charge. I've had this one happen to me _twice_ in the last week. Once was in a white
> van. The second was in some other kind of truck. I think they pick on me because I
> "look" like a musician, and I drive a big pickup (so they figure I have room for
> their "1200W 'house speakers'".
> Are they going for a sting based on the idea that I must know I'm "receiving stolen
> property"?
Sounds like the old "Trojan Horse" scheme. Seal a small burglar inside
one of the speakers, give them to some unsuspecting shlub who brings
them home and puts them in his living room, late that night the burglar
emerges from the speaker cabinet and cleans out the house. Oldest trick
in the book.