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I'm posting this for the benefit of Long Island holiday shoppers, in mall parking lots.
Yesterday, at the Sunrise mall in Massapequa NY, we were approached by a guy in a maroon Chevy van who asked us if we were interested
in getting a fantastic deal on a home entertainment system. Although my wife (a wiser person than myself), gave me advice that I obviously paid no
attention to, I agreed to look at the guy's equipment offer. He stopped the van and opened the rear door and then showed me a sealed carton of a "Kinetic Loudspeaker" home entertainment system. It was model no. KV-4210, a 1500 watt, 5.1 channel system with (5) satellite speakers and a
sub-woofer with built-in AM-FM digital receiver, and clearly marked on the 50 lb. carton, was the MSRP of $3,495.
The guy driving the van had a clip-board with a stack of mimeographed invoices, the company which I noticed that he represented was over on
Otis st. in West Babylon and the driver told me that he had a friend at the wholesaler's loading dock who owed him a favor and gave him two "extra"
units when he loaded up that morning and although there were at least 8 cartons in the van, that he needed to offload two of them before showing
up at his company and because he had to report in to his boss within the hour, he had to make a quick deal or his boss would profit by what would be
called, a "paperwork" error on the warehouse's part.
Because the driver saw that I was interested (to some degree), he offered to give me one of the units for $900.00, a major savings over the market
price of $3,500 but I told him that I was among the long-time unemployed, I really couldn't swing a deal like that, especially since it was the Xmas holiday
season, as well as heating oil season, and my money was too tight. He then asked me what would be my best offer for the system and I told him that I
had no cash with me but if I did, I'd be willing to pay $250.00. He then said that he'd let me have the system for $300.00 and that he would be willing to
come to my house and install the system for me. I asked that he open the carton and that if everything which was included on the carton content label
was there, that I would go back into the mall to the ATM and get the cash.
After coming back out to the parking lot with the money, I reinspected the carton contents, and after determining that everything was there, the guy
loaded the carton into the back seat of my car and I counted out the $300.00 dollars, and we shook hands and I even thanked him for his willingness to
"give me a great deal" and that I appreciated his offer to hook it up for me but that I would be capable of doing that myself. The last thing that he asked
me for was $20.00, "lunch money" as he called it, a goodwill gesture on my part. I gave him the 20 and we drove off and almost literally, I was laughing
all the two-mile, way home!
Once I completed the setup and was satisfied that everything worked correctly, I called the wife and daughter into the living room and boomed it up
to it's full decibel capability and rattled the window panes while I patted myself on the back for being such a shrewd businessman. After programming the
remote for the 10 station, FM radio memory, I decided to google the name of the manufacturer and get some technical data as well as checking up on the
real (fair trade) value of the equipment in hopes of reaffirming that I had made the "deal-of-the-century". I typed in the model number (KV-4210) on the
search line and was horrified to see that several of the listings came back as a "scam-alert"! I checked a few of the sites which had information on this
"scam", and although there were variations on the particulars, the premise was clearly the same. These deals could hardly survive, were it not for a few
simple and basic premises or principles, firstly, our sense of greed, the chance to get something for nothing, an opportunity to "get over", or to score a
home run in a game that we feel lucky to be able to play. The other thing that has a hand in helping these scams exist, is this belt-tightening economy and
the fervent hope to be able to get a bargain, whether you really need the item that you buy, or not. That is why dollar stores make their money, they all
realize that you'll buy anything and everything on their shelves or racks, simply because it is certainly affordable at $1.00, personal need, not withstanding.
The wind-up to this story? I found the Home Theatre system on several sites. Amazon was offering it for $275.00, it was offered on Ebay for $595.00.
Funniest (most ironic) thought of all was that for a year or so, I've been wanting a sound system in the worst way and most probably, would never have
gotten one by any other means. I'm not feeling totally scammed, but I'm getting a deeper understanding of my basic high school Latin teacher, who always
seemed to overuse that famous quotation, caveat emptor...
I also love hearing people who are getting "the deal of the century" getting screwed. It's also the reason why I feel very little sympathy towards Bernie Madoff's victims. When it seems to good to be true; it is.
And tomonlineli, as a taxpayer, I'm used to being screwed. Aren't YOU?
Yes, but those are two different things. I sympathize with those that are taxed out of their eyeballs on Long Island. They have little recourse. You could just be a little less greedy. I hope you took this as a valuable lesson, because it could be a much more costly one next time. You're very lucky it wasn't a kitchen being installed for $10,000 less or a guaranteed 9% on a bond.
I apologize for my harshness, but everyday I see someone who bought an annuity that was "too good to be true" or goes to an advisor because they told them they could expect 15% returns or someone who is going to be buying options because they can make 22% without any risk. I once knew someone who cleared out all of his investment/checking/retirement accounts and took out a home equity loan because a guy that rented an apartment from him was an art dealer and had a "Sure thing." The lesson is easy, when it's too good to be true it is 99.9999999% of the time.
Yes, but those are two different things. I sympathize with those that are taxed out of their eyeballs on Long Island. They have little recourse.
Screwed by any other name, is still, screwed.
Quote:
You could just be a little less greedy. I hope you took this as a valuable lesson, because it could be a much more costly one next time.
I'm sorry that you misinterpreted my motive for buying that KA-4210 as greed. In my original post, I also mentioned another contributory factor, as posted in my original comment and quoted below-
Quote:
"The other thing that has a hand in helping these scams exist, is this belt-tightening economy and
the fervent hope to be able to get a bargain, whether you really need the item that you buy, or not".
Quote:
I apologize for my harshness,
Hey, your apology is gladly accepted, but I never really saw very much harshness in your comment,
perhaps like gpsma, you both displayed what seemed a bit more like basic schadenfreude, and
I'm sincerely happy, to have given each of you that moment of joy, as you read my galloping tale of woe.
I had also wanted to post my comment, in the hope that other holiday shoppers out there searching the malls,
(some perhaps as dumb as I am), might become better informed and they would be able to "bargain down",
a great price in the event that they were given the same offer. I'll bet if you get the chance, you could walk away
with the same deal for an even $200.00! And as for my Latin teacher, I guess that I was really hearing carpe diem,
a bit louder than, caveat emptor!
Have a swell day today and as for me, I'm gonna turn up the new KA-4210 and catch B103, my very favorite
Long Island radio station.
I'm sorry that you misinterpreted my motive for buying that KA-4210 as greed. In my original post, I also mentioned another contributory factor, as posted in my original comment and quoted below- Hey, your apology is gladly accepted, but I never really saw very much harshness in your comment,
perhaps like gpsma, you both displayed what seemed a bit more like basic schadenfreude, and
I'm sincerely happy, to have given each of you that moment of joy, as you read my galloping tale of woe.
I had also wanted to post my comment, in the hope that other holiday shoppers out there searching the malls,
(some perhaps as dumb as I am), might become better informed and they would be able to "bargain down",
a great price in the event that they were given the same offer. I'll bet if you get the chance, you could walk away
with the same deal for an even $200.00! And as for my Latin teacher, I guess that I was really hearing carpe diem,
a bit louder than, caveat emptor!
Have a swell day today and as for me, I'm gonna turn up the new KA-4210 and catch B103, my very favorite
Long Island radio station.
And to that end, I think you accomplished your goal. If someone comes to me with a speaker system I will tell him that I'll trade him a lease to a bridge in Brooklyn.
And to that end, I think you accomplished your goal. If someone comes to me with a speaker system I will tell him that I'll trade him a lease to a bridge in Brooklyn.
whoa, whoa there pal... i bought that bridge from a guy last week... don't be trying to trade MY bridge!!!
Long Island Eddie...your smug comments still do not change the fact that you were willing to benefit from a company have two expensive units stolen from their loading dock.
Reminds me of the old bar scams when some guys come in with "prime" meat that they can't return to their wholesaler. Some barfly would thin what a great price they got. I would watch those fools be parted with their money then come back into the bar bragging about their great purchase. Wouldnt take me long to explain they bought grade D meat that was trimmed to look like prime. Of course, they blew me off until the next time they came into the bar and I asked if they were ever able to chew that meat...I loved the look on their larcenous faces.
Long Island Eddie...your smug comments still do not change the fact that you were willing to benefit from a company have two expensive units stolen from their loading dock.
Reminds me of the old bar scams when some guys come in with "prime" meat that they can't return to their wholesaler. Some barfly would thin what a great price they got. I would watch those fools be parted with their money then come back into the bar bragging about their great purchase. Wouldnt take me long to explain they bought grade D meat that was trimmed to look like prime. Of course, they blew me off until the next time they came into the bar and I asked if they were ever able to chew that meat...I loved the look on their larcenous faces.
I would have loved to seen yours too Eddie
These are most likely not stolen units, just really cheap Chinese knockoffs that are marked up as "off the truck high-end units" to sucker idiots in.
I bet the system won't be working in a month or two, and who will he be able to call? Not like Kinetic is a real company.
I have no sympathy for gamblers. THat includes stock market "investors". You win or lose, accept it.
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