Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum DEALERS ALERT: "nice scam attempt"

Sometimes things get funny, this is what I have received in my email this morning:



Perhaps he hopes to have me send some concert grands for free?

Norbert

I knew a couple of guys from HS that thought they were the shitz. During college they called me to join in on a utilities-resale team to sell alternative electricity providers to local homes. I wanted a real job without having to go door-to-door so I declined. Only later did I learn what a pyramid scheme is. Such friends!

Many years ago, I attended a Seminary college (who'd a ever thought it, right?). Many years later, one of my fellow seminary classmates, who was pastoring a church in a small town about 50 miles away, calls me on the telephone. Remember, I have not heard from this person in 40+ years. He asked me if I was the Rickster who attended such-n-such seminary back in 19**, and I said it was. He says, "hey, this is so-and-so, do you remember me"?

Well, yes, I remembered him well. A very nice guy, and very bright and intelligent. Next, he tells me he's pastoring a church about 50 miles away, and asked if I would be interested in meeting for lunch or dinner. I said I might. Next, he begins his sales pitch, which didn't take me long to guess why he wanted to meet and have this glorious friendship/fellow classmate reunion. AMWAY... or as he put it, American Way.

Next, I tell him over the phone that I'm not interested in selling Amway products. He says, "how can you say you are not interested when you have not heard what I have to say"? I tell him I've heard it before, and, from a few fellow church members.

Moral of the story? Can't we be friends without trying to sell me something, or recruit me to sell something for you?

And, to make this post relevant, Norbert, maybe that was Jesse James who sent you the email.

Rick

Sell James is his name a bunch of these at a nice markup.

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/miniature-instrument-grand-piano-sheet-music/19557999

I used to get those emails, and I'm not a dealer. I can't believe anyone would fall for that, given the way it's written.

You're totally right.
That's why I thought it was actually quite amusing...

Norbert

Hey, as long as you guys are putting these inventory lists together, how about sending me the best piano on your list? I've already sent each of you a certified check for $1,000,000.00, so just tuck some cash into the bench to cover my refund when you ship me the piano.

This is why we can't have nice things. Like trust.

I own a small business, manufacturing air compressors. I get 5 to 10 of these, in various forms, every day. It is a sad commentary on society we have so many out to take what they haven't earned, instead of being productive.

And watch out for the fence salesman who will sell you only the HOLES that the fence posts go into! 😀

If he'll dig the holes, we might have a deal.

There was a thread awhile back about 'scamming the scammer'.... why don't you guys think up a way to scam him? I'm not very creative, but you could probably keep him going for quite some time by sending him a piano list, waiting for a response, and then telling him 'two have been sold'. Replace those two after a few days, then sell off more. There are probably creative ways to elaborate on this.
You could find a way to keep him busy... over nothing

It's too bad that pianos are so big...

Laptop Scam: turnabout is fair play!

Indeed. That's the hard part.

dogperson,
A retail business would have to be careful enacting your plan. State and federal consumer protection laws require you to honestly respond to inventory and pricing. If your response lists lower prices than what you have been advertising, you may be accused of fraudulent advertising.

In my view, the best way to deal with a scammer, via telephone or email, is to completely ignore them and not respond at all. Hang up the phone, or permanently delete the email.

You might get some giggles playing around with them and keeping a dialog going, but you won't do anything to get back at the scammer. I've been down this road already.

I've called the local sheriff's department, the State governor's office of consumer affairs, and the US Federal Trade Commission to try and go after phone and email scammers.

The local Sheriff's department took a report, and gave me a case number, and said they would investigate, but there wasn't much they could do. I never heard back from them.

The guy I spoke to on the phone with the Governor's office of consumer affairs was very nice, cordial, and professional; he wrote down the information I provided and gave me a case number, but said there really wasn't much hope in finding these people, because often, they are located in foreign countries where the US has no jurisdiction. He referred me to the FTC and provided a phone number.

Surprisingly, someone at the FTC answered the phone right away, without much waiting, and the guy was also cordial and professional. He asked me several questions regarding my scammer complaint, which I answered, and provided the scammer's phone number. He took the information and gave me a case number, but also told me that the phone and email scammers were difficult to catch and prosecute because they were often located in foreign countries where the US has little or no jurisdiction.

He also told me that when they do find the location of the scammers, they have packed up and moved, leaving no evidence behind. He said the best thing to do was to just hang up if we don't know the person calling, and not open or respond to emails we suspect are scammers.

So, this menace to society is a difficult cancer to fight. Expect more of the same, and be wise and on guard against the scammer(s); they are not difficult to recognize, as a general rule. But senior citizens and individuals with disabilities are especially vulnerable.

Rick

I know a guy who has sent over $20,000 to some, supposedly, woman in Ghana. They're going to be married once she flies over here, but somehow one thing or another keeps going wrong on her way to the airport which requires him to send more money.

So far both her mother and chauffeur have died. And she's been detained by customs in both London and Amsterdam trying to bring a bunch of gold bars with her.

After reading the whole post, I have learned more about this topic. Thank you so much.

man, some people just can't catch a break... when it rains it pours.

Sadly, a friend of mine got caught up in one of these things (my best friend's sister, who had married another close friend of ours).

She was determined that she was going to "score" somehow, and kept sending more money. It's really sad to see someone so deluded. She was also sick, and had been for many years, and somehow she thought this "money" was going to make a difference in her life.