electrophobe

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
4.50 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $240.00 from Supermarket parking

Summary:
Count me in! I was scammed by the guys in the white van too.

I bought the Millennium 3200 DVD Home Theatre System (it has 9 pieces including karaoke).

I first ran into these guys last week in the parking lot (conspicuously parked next to the bank ATM). They tried to sell me the system for $700. I wasn't really in a receptive mood so I kept telling them I didn't have any money. They showed me a pic in a magazine that showed the system retailing at $2900 (I got a little impressed). I told them that all I could spare was $200. They told me that was way too low. We couldn't come to a deal, so I went about my business in the market.

Well, I ran into the same dudes night before last. They scoped me out! They used the same high-pressure sell on me, going so far as to tell me that their "boss" from the "store" was pressuring them to get rid of this overstock. They even had a receipt pad with the name of the store. This time, I was a little more receptive, but I still stuck with the $200 story. They hemmed and hawed and said they would accept $250. I told them that I only had $40 in my purse, and could only get $200 out of the ATM (I could really get $300...but why tell them that?).

So as I was getting the money out of the ATM, one of the guys was loading the "loot" into my car. They even gave me a receipt that had "warranty" written on it...whatever that means.

I'm not into "systems" or electronics by any means. This was going to be a Christmas gift for my nephew.

Well, I decided to get on the internet to see what kind great deal I got. And I ended up here! Man...do I feel silly.

If it's too good to be true...it usually is. That's not just a cliche...it's the truth.

Strengths:
As for the product, I don't know. It's still packaged up.

As for a lesson learned, I'm sure I paid a lot less than others, but I still took a "ding", and learned from it. No more "big ticket" items from the back of a van in a parking lot.

Some of the reviews here state that the product isn't all that bad. I'm hoping that's the case with what I bought, and that it performs like it's worth at least $200.

Weaknesses:
The potential fire hazard really concerns me.

When I give this to my nephew, I'm going to have to disclose how I came about this item, and what I learned about it. Going to refer him to this site.

Cause for further embarassment.

Similar Products Used:
None. I'm not electronics savvy.

OBVIOUSLY!!!

Price Paid:  $240.00 from Supermarket parking

Summary:
After reading the reviews here, I got a sinking feeling. I too, was scammed by two dudes in a white van just the other night.

I had seen the same guys in the parking lot last week (conspicuously parked very near a bank ATM machine), and they had tried to convice me to buy the Millenium Theater System for $700. That's with the dvd player, speakers etc (9 pieces total...including the remotes). It looked really impressive, and they even showed me a pic in a magazine that "showed" it's retail value at being about $2900. I offered them $200 (which they said was way too low). I let them talk for a while, but I eventually brushed them off and went about my shopping.

Well, they were there again just a couple days ago. They spotted me, and proceeded to give me some story about it being in "overstock" and their "boss" at the store they "worked for" was pressuring them to get rid of them.

This time, they wore me down. I told them the best I could do was $200. They said they would accept $250 for it. I explained that I only had $40 in my wallet, and could only get $200 from the ATM. I could really get $300 out, but why tell them that? They reluctantly agreed to the $240. They even showed me their receipt pad with the name of the store on it (which they gave me after they pocketed my money and lugged it to my car). They wrote "warranty" on the receipt. I wonder if that's any good.

They even gave me the "how about an extra $20 for beer" line. I, thinking I was being shrewed, told them "no can do".

The system was/is going to be a Christmas gift for my nephew, as I'm not really into electronics at all. I'm a total novice when it comes to these things.

I decided to look up this brand on the internet, to see what kind of "deal" I got, and this site is what I found.

After reading the reviews here, it's been pretty much established that this is a country wide scam, con, ripoff. And yes...I feel like a fool. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. That's more than a cliche...it's the truth.

Strengths:
As far as the product goes...I have no idea. It's still all packaged up in the box.

As far as a "lesson learned", I guess I didn't pay as much as some, but I still took a "ding" and learned from this experience.

Weaknesses:
What concerns me most is the potential fire hazard that I read about here.

Before I give this to my nephew as a gift...I'm certainly going to have to disclose how I came about it, and what I found out about this product, and a link to this site.

Similar Products Used:
None.

Price Paid:  $350.00 from Albertson's Grocery,

Summary:
I fell for this scam back in '99. I was in an Albertson's grocery story parking lot when the white van approached me. The guys were twentysomethings and looked like punk thugs, but the boxes of new speakers looked legit. I figured what the hell, and walked over to the ATM. They're story about the great deal on teh speakers and needing money for beer and lapdances that night convinced me to give them an extra $50.
I'm not too bothered by the scam because the speakers have lasted nine years and still sound pretty good. No fires, either!
Since I was on a skateboard, the guys gave me a lift back to my girl's pad and helped me carry the boxes inside.
Honestly, the story has been worth $350 for the number of times I told it. When I bought the speakers, I figured they were hot, and my moral standards are questionable. Good for the sales guys. I hope they had smashed and had a good time on Sniffers' Row with my money.

Strengths:
Decent volume. They made great plant stands over the years. No fires!

Weaknesses:
A little tinny sounding. The knobs inside really adjust any sound effects. From the reviews, it appears I paid $150 more than their worth.

Similar Products Used:
This was the one and only time I purchased stereo equipment from an anonymous white van in a parking lot.

Price Paid:  $0.00 from COLLEGE POINT, NY

Summary:
OK, 2 DIRTY LOOKIN' MUTTS IN A SILVER VAN PULL UP NEXT TO MY NEW BLACK CADILLAC DTS AND PROCEED TO GIVE ME A SALES SPIEL ON A MILLENIUM HOME THEATER SYSTEM LEFT OVER FROM A WORK ORDER THAT WILL BE A LOSS FOR THEM IF THEY RETURN IT BACK TO THEIR EMPLOYER! ONE GUY PRODUCES A MAGAZINE THAT SHOWS THE SPEAKER SYSTEM IS MSRP $2400.00 BUT THEY'LL LET IT GO FOR $1800. I WAS IN THE AREA TO PICK UP HDMI CABLE FOR THE PANASONIC 50" PLASMA THAT WAS BEING DELIVERED THE NEXT DAY. (MONSTER CABLE WANTED $80.00, I BOUGHT SIMILAR FOR $9.00...THAT'S ANOTHER SCAM) i ASKED THEM IF THEY HAD HDMI CABLE AS THEY WERE HOME THEATER INSTALLERS.....WHEN THEY LOOKED AS IF I WAS QUIZZING THEM ON QUANTUM PHYSICS....I STARTED TO LAUGH AND SAID "MAN, THIS IS A SCORE...I NEED THIS EQUIPMENT AS I BOUGHT A PLASMA HD YESTERDAY". I PULLED OUT $4000 AND PEELED OFF A GRAND AND TOLD ONE MUTT, "TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT". I SAID I WOULD PAY HIM ONCE I MADE SURE THE BOXES WERE NOT FILLED WITH BRICKS. HE AGREED AND TOOK THE 2 LARGE BOXES OUT OF THE TRUCK AND PUT THEM DOWN BEHIND THE TRUNK OF MY CAR. I TOOTED THE HORN AND DROVE AWAY LAUGHING. ALMOST AN HOUR LATER I WAS VISITING MY AUNT IN WHITESTONE(QUEENS), NY. AS I WAS DRIVING AWAY FROM MY AUNT'S HOME, I SEE THE 2 MUTTS ON A PORCH WITH THE BEAT UP SILVER VAN IN THE DRIVEWAY OF A HOUSE ON CLINTONVILLE STREET BETWEEN 20TH ROAD AND 21ST AVENUE......I LOWEERED THE PASSENGER WINDOW AND YELLED OUT, "SO THIS IS WHERE YOU THIEVIN' BASTIDS LIVE HUH?....I'M GOIN' STRAIGHT TO THE COPS! THE LOOK ON THEIR DIRTY FACES WAS WORTH THE GOOF..........

Strengths:
YA CAN'T SCAM A STREET KID!

hwtans

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 5.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
sorry everybody who fell for this scam, i used to work for the company and drive the vans. this is how it works: i worked out of the north jersey office. we load up the vans with systems, speakers, and recievers in the morning, and then depart at 9 when the banks open. this way if anyone needs to go to the bank to get money for us, they can. we tell people that we have an extra set on our load, we got it for free and we're gonna sell it. the speakers are worth only 200, the systems are worth 300. but i've seen one work before, and a couple days later the subwoofer sparked up and caught on fire. these systems are cheap, and the guys in the vans are very good at what they do, they will get you to pay more for these things then they are actually worth. my advice is don't buy anything out of a van in a parking lot. if it seems too good to be true, it is. if anyone wants to know where this place is located, i put the address at the top. i know where the other offices are in other states too, so if anyone would like to know get a hold of me. you can go there in the morning and confront the guys that scammed you. i quit the job, i won't be a part of such an illegal business anymore. the guys get paid in cash from what they make off the people in the streets. you guys are paying these guys' rent, car payments, and everything else for cheap audio equipment. someone has to do something about these people. i've already sent notice to the IRS.

View Comments (2)

Would you like to Comment?
Join audioReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.