R.G.A REPORTAGE ripoff LEATHER JACKETS FROM ITALY SANTEES ORANGEBURG COUNTY South Carolina

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I WAS SCAMMED! I GUESS I AM JUST A NICE PERSON,AND I COULDN'T SAY NO.

HERE IS MY STORY.
TWO FRIENDS AND I WERE TALKING IN FRONT OF SHONEY'S IN SANTEE, SOUTH CAROLINA WHEN A MAN RODE UP IN A WHITE VAN AROUND 11:00PM. HE ASKED US IF WE SPOKE ITALIAN, AND WE TOLD HIM NO. SOMEHOW HE LURED US TO LISTEN TO WHAT HE WAS SAYING. I THINK THAT HE PULLED OUT HIS WALLET OR SOME TYPE OF PAPERS SO I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE HE WAS GOING TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS OR SOMETHING. I COULD BARELY UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE HE HAD A HEAVY ACCENT. HE STARTED OFF BY ASKING US IF WE WERE FAMILIAR WITH GIORGIO ARMANI, GUCCI, AND VERSACE, AND WE WERE LIKE, "YEAH". I COULD UNDERSTAND THAT HE WAS SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT SOME JACKETS AND SOMETHING ABOUT IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO SEND THEM BACK TO ITALY BECAUSE OF THE IMPORT/EXPORT TAXES??

WE ASKED HOW MUCH HE WANTED FOR THE JACKETS AND HE SAID THAT HE JUST NEEDED ENOUGH MONEY TO MAKE IT BACK TO MARYLAND OR SOMETHING SO THAT HE COULD FLY BACK TO ITALY?? I REALLY DON'T REMEMBER WHAT HE SAID EXACTLY BECAUSE I COULD BARELY UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS SAYING. NOW THAT I AM WRITING THIS DOWN, I FEEL EVEN MORE LIKE AN IDIOT BECAUSE THE STORY DOESN'T REALLY MAKE ANY SENSE.
WE ASKED TO SEE THE JACKETS, AND HE PROCEEDED TO SHOW US THE JACKETS. HE EVEN WENT AS FAR AS LIGHTING A LIGHTER AGAINST THE SLEEVE OF ONE OF THE JACKETS IN ORDER TO PROVE THAT THEY WERE 'REAL LEATHER'.

HE ASKED FOR $300 FOR ALL SIX JACKETS. HE SAID THAT THE JACKETS WERE VALUED @ $3000 BUT THAT THE TAX WAS GOING TO BE LIKE $1200 IF HE HAD TO SEND THEM BACK. HE MADE OUT LIKE WE WOULD ONLY BE PAYING FOR 1 OR 2 OF THEN JACKETS AND THAT THE OTHERS WOULD BE A 'PRESENT' OR A 'GIFT'. IT WAS COLD AND WINDY OUTSIDE AND HE WANTED TO KNOW IF WE COULD GO IN SHONEY'S TO SEE THE JACKETS IN THE LIGHT, BUT WE INSTANTLY SAID NO. WE WERE SCARED THAT HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET INTO THE RESTAURANT (WHICH HAD ALREADY CLOSED) IN ORDER TO ROB US OR SOMETHING.

WE DECIDED TO GET THE JACKETS, AND WE WERE SO EXCITED. I HAD TO MAKE 3 SEPARATE WITHDRAWELS FROM THE ATM THAT WAS INSIDE IN ORDER TO GET THE WHOLE $300 OUT BECAUSE THE ATM WOULD ONLY LET ME GET $100 OUT @ THE TIME. EACH WITHDRAWEL COST $2.75.

WE TRIED TO TALK HIM DOWN TO $260, BUT HE WAS PERISTENT THAT THEY WERE WORTH SO MUCH MONEY SO WE JUST GAVE HIM THE WHOLE $300. HE THANKED US IN ITALIAN, AND I ANSWERED, "DE NADA" WHICH IS YOU'RE WELCOME IN SPANISH.
WE GOT THE MONEY AND LEFT IMMEDIATELY. I TOLD MY FRIEND JOKINGLY TO WRITE DOWN THE TAG NUMBER, BUT HE DIDN'T DO IT.

I HOPE THAT I CAN SELL THE JACKETS FOR AT LEAST $50 JUST IN ORDER TO GET WHAT I PAID BACK.

I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THIS S*! HOW DARE THAT d**n ITALIAN OR WHATEVER HE WAS!

Latrell
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina
U.S.A.