Anyone been scammed and care to share?

[Elliot]

I have. When I was in high school these guys rolled up to a gas station in a white van with a bunch of stereos in the back. They said they accidentally ordered one too many for a client and had to unload one of them so their boss wouldn't be upset about their mistake. Their story didn't make sense to my high school educated brain, at the time, but I thought it was so strange that it couldn't be made-up.

They pulled out this box and it looked really legitimate. It had nice pictures and everything you'd expect to see on a box. It had an MSRP label that read "MSRP 4,000.00 USD." This all seemed copacetic to my high school brain. My buddies and I had to run home, the guy follows us home to make it easier. We scrounge up about 200 bucks (Most of it is mine). We're very proud.

We figure we can sell it on craigslist or ebay and make a profit. We take the stereo out of the box to test it out. I'm pretty sure it had a volume knob, a power button 2 small speakers and the cheap red and white RCA cable input. Nothing else.

As far as I know, I've never been scammed since.

Afterwards we looked it up and it's a common enough scam to have its own wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_van_speaker_scam

 

[gush]

Nice.

There was this guy in my hometown who was a brother to one of the cops in town. He managed the main convenient store.

When I was 16 he would sell me a case of long neck bottled beer for 20.00. This was 1981. He scammed me but did not care.

I continued to score beer outlets and got real used to buying beer at one of the smaller stores in town. I some how convinced him I was legal age until he saw my graduation picture in the newspaper.

He was really pissed at me.

Not a scam but funny story.

 

[László]

I was once a scammer, which was why I did...

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I was once a scammer, which was why I did...

That sounds like Rod Stewart singing with Free!

Scammed? Thankfully no, but then a “cynical realist” is rarely disappointed!

 

[bodia]

That sounds like Rod Stewart singing with Free!

Scammed? Thankfully no, but then a “cynical realist” is rarely disappointed!

Cynical realist....I like it!

 

[Tucson Thump]

I won't go in to detail but it had to do with a bar girl in Athens, Greece, who said "Those international flights don't come in until late. Why not come in and have some ouzo".

 

[bodia]

I'm sure I have, but nothing comes to mind. My buddy, however, did. Rush R40 tour makes a stop in Chicago, at the United Center. My buddy from Davenport, Iowa hits me up to see if I am going. Of course I am, it's Rush! We grew up playing pool in his basement and wearing out Rush albums.

He decides he's going to come up for the show. Buys a ticket from some lady, online. Gets a hotel room on Michigan Ave. Me and a local buddy go pick him up at the hotel, park, and proceed into the UC. Me and the local bud get through the ticket taker, and I hear, "hey Jimbo" from my Iowa buddy, Gary. I walk back to see what's up. Apparently, the ticket he bought from the nice lady online is a fake! He's pleading that he's got the reciept for the ticket in my truck. Ticket lady says it doesn't matter because the ticket is a forgery. He is royally bummed that he's going to miss the show. Someone from Guest Services shows up and escorts him to a room with about 50 other people in it. He's got no clue what's going on because the GS person isn't saying anything but "wait in there" pointing to the room. About 10 minutes later he comes out and says everyone in there was scammed and had a fake ticket. The line was to buy another. Not sure if they hold some back for this reason, or what. Worked out in the end. His fake ticket was in the 300 level and the one he got from Guest Services was about halfway back of the main floor. Our tix were in the 12th row, in front of Alex. He walked on up and stood with us for the show. Did end up costing him $400 for the two tickets though.

 

[gush]

I'm sure I have, but nothing comes to mind. My buddy, however, did. Rush R40 tour makes a stop in Chicago, at the United Center. My buddy from Davenport, Iowa hits me up to see if I am going. Of course I am, it's Rush! We grew up playing pool in his basement and wearing out Rush albums.

He decides he's going to come up for the show. Buys a ticket from some lady, online. Gets a hotel room on Michigan Ave. Me and a local buddy go pick him up at the hotel, park, and proceed into the UC. Me and the local bud get through the ticket taker, and I hear, "hey Jimbo" from my Iowa buddy, Gary. I walk back to see what's up. Apparently, the ticket he bought from the nice lady online is a fake! He's pleading that he's got the reciept for the ticket in my truck. Ticket lady says it doesn't matter because the ticket is a forgery. He is royally bummed that he's going to miss the show. Someone from Guest Services shows up and escorts him to a room with about 50 other people in it. He's got no clue what's going on because the GS person isn't saying anything but "wait in there" pointing to the room. About 10 minutes later he comes out and says everyone in there was scammed and had a fake ticket. The line was to buy another. Not sure if they hold some back for this reason, or what. Worked out in the end. His fake ticket was in the 300 level and the one he got from Guest Services was about halfway back of the main floor. Our tix were in the 12th row, in front of Alex. He walked on up and stood with us for the show. Did end up costing him $400 for the two tickets though.

Aaaah that RIPS!!!

 

[gush]

I won't go in to detail but it had to do with a bar girl in Athens, Greece, who said "Those international flights don't come in until late. Why not come in and have some ouzo".

Scammed not clammed. Honest mistake!