White Van Scam audio and video equipment. Long Brach, California

I first wrote about this scam on my site http://figurethingsout.com/ but then felt I should share this with more people so they could be aware of the scam.

Perhaps you have experienced this scam thats been gaining in popularity, especially during the holiday season.  You come out of a grocery story and a white van pulls up beside you and the man in the passenger seat says that he has a great deal that you cant say no to.  What they want to sell you is audio and video equipment.  He may explain how he has overstock product of brand name equipment and will even show you the retail price in a magazine.  "I'll sell you a $3000 surround sound system for only $500." WOW!  Now thats a great deal that may be to hard to pass up.  The man in the white van will act like he is in a rush and will even start to place equipment in your car.  You check out the box it comes in to make sure it matches with whats in the box and it looks the same.  But is it?

A friend, who installs Audio and Video equipment , explains whats different about the product and why whats shown on the box is not the some product thats in the box and thus making it a scam.

" This has happened to 3 people I know. The product itself may work. In the cases I dealt with was surround sound system and projectors. The surround sound system I pulled out said Surround Sound AV with HDMI, right away I noticed it wasn't like a real system with multiple inputs. Its basically a box you plug a tv or ipod into and then just pumps the sound out to all speakers. No tech behind it. No 5.1 or 7.1 surround. HDMI Port didnt work, no AV switching ability. Just a basic amplifier and not very good sound quality at that. The projector was horrible as well. It said HDTV and 3D but that could not be further from the truth. Projector picture quality was horrendous and it died after 10 minutes." - Eddie Ormonde

This scam has been going on from coast to coast and even in across the globe.  If you are approached by anyone that matches the above story then have the power to say no.  Realize that it does sound like a deal of a lifetime but you will be strong and deny the offer.  Do not engage in a conversation and stick to your one word answer. "NO!"

Thanks again,

http://figurethingsout.com/