PSA: Don't buy speakers out of a White Van / other vehicle

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

s44

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 2006
9,427
16
81
I can't believe people ever fall for this. But then again, I can't believe people get suckered by 419 mails either.

The common denominator, I guess, is the appeal to pure untrammeled greed. The victims know there's something fishy, but they're too dumb to realize that they're the fish.
 

iRONic

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2006
7,515
2,811
136
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello


Good luck to Bill :p

Pretty much anything is going to be better than regular TV speakers, so :thumbsup:
Ohman... I forgot to update this.

Bill and his bud[a marine back from Afghanistan] staked out the strip mall where he got scammed. They caught the tools that ripped him off. There was violence. Bill got his cash back.

Yay, Billy!
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
31,204
45
91
Originally posted by: iRONic
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello


Good luck to Bill :p

Pretty much anything is going to be better than regular TV speakers, so :thumbsup:
Ohman... I forgot to update this.

Bill and his bud[a marine back from Afghanistan] staked out the strip mall where he got scammed. They caught the tools that ripped him off. There was violence. Bill got his cash back.

Yay, Billy!

Oh my :Q
 

iRONic

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2006
7,515
2,811
136
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: iRONic
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello


Good luck to Bill :p

Pretty much anything is going to be better than regular TV speakers, so :thumbsup:
Ohman... I forgot to update this.

Bill and his bud[a marine back from Afghanistan] staked out the strip mall where he got scammed. They caught the tools that ripped him off. There was violence. Bill got his cash back.

Yay, Billy!

Oh my :Q
That's kinda what I said. Bill's reply, "What are they gonna do, call the cops?"

*shrug*
 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
21,198
9
81
Originally posted by: iRONic
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: iRONic
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello


Good luck to Bill :p

Pretty much anything is going to be better than regular TV speakers, so :thumbsup:
Ohman... I forgot to update this.

Bill and his bud[a marine back from Afghanistan] staked out the strip mall where he got scammed. They caught the tools that ripped him off. There was violence. Bill got his cash back.

Yay, Billy!

Oh my :Q
That's kinda what I said. Bill's reply, "What are they gonna do, call the cops?"

*shrug*

Not that I don't think they deserved to get beat, but why couldn't they? It's not like they're selling a stolen product or doing anything illegal...just preying on chumps.

I don't know who's worse in that situation, the tools that sold the speakers or your friend for being so indignant about being made a fool that he went back for revenge.
 

CKent

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2005
9,020
0
0
The problem with saving people from themselves is the job never goes away; intelligence doesn't increase. In the meanwhile you're out time and effort for no benefit. Though I suppose it didn't take long to write the original post.
 

iRONic

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2006
7,515
2,811
136
Originally posted by: EvilYoda
Originally posted by: iRONic
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: iRONic
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello


Good luck to Bill :p

Pretty much anything is going to be better than regular TV speakers, so :thumbsup:
Ohman... I forgot to update this.

Bill and his bud[a marine back from Afghanistan] staked out the strip mall where he got scammed. They caught the tools that ripped him off. There was violence. Bill got his cash back.

Yay, Billy!

Oh my :Q
That's kinda what I said. Bill's reply, "What are they gonna do, call the cops?"

*shrug*

Not that I don't think they deserved to get beat, but why couldn't they? It's not like they're selling a stolen product or doing anything illegal...just preying on chumps.

I don't know who's worse in that situation, the tools that sold the speakers or your friend for being so indignant about being made a fool that he went back for revenge.
Whatever... It wasn't my money.
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Someone tried this one on me in England about 5 years ago. It's a worldwide phenomenon. I did not buy. I would never buy from a white van that pulled up in the street asking if I wanted to buy any type of 'high end' product.
 

Plugers

Senior member
Mar 22, 2002
547
0
0
I rode in the back of one of those vans 10 years or so ago.
A co-worker and I were going to Oz fest 99 and there was a band in their bus, I forget which but my co-worker know, in the parking lot of our hotel.
So we were hanging out down there and my buddy was talking to two guys. Then we all went for a beer run, they drove.
Anyway, they had a white van with a bunch of speakers in the back, he gave me a half a@@ schpeal on them, I told him I built speakers and stuff and he pretty much came out with the fact that there cr@p.
He did say those had vifa tweeters in them and a decent woofer, don't remembers the brand, but said the x-overs used very cheap components.
 

Fallen Kell

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,100
467
126
To those that don't believe people fall for these things, realize that the same people are the ones who buy $400 HDMI cables from Monster Cable, or $600 optical S/PDIF cables... ITS A FRICKING DIGITAL SIGNAL PEOPLE!!! It will either make it there, or it won't. You are not losing quality or frequency ranges like you can/do with an analogue signal cable. It will either be a 1 or a 0, and if they get swapped/flipped etc., you can usually pretty quickly HEAR or SEE that there is something wrong.
 

Destiny

Platinum Member
Jul 6, 2010
2,270
1
0
$200-300 seems to be average, but some folks get taken for a pretty good ride!

http://www.scamshield.com/Feature.asp?id=1

Choose your location, and then cringe when you see one of your neighbors paid $1000, or "$1200 and my new digital camera" for one of these speaker sets.

Sadly... I was a victum 7 years ago from one of those white vans... They actually tried to sell them to me for $500 but I bargained down to $100 so I thought I got a good deal... I realized the next day I got suckered because my other friend did the same thing and he ended up with Rocks in a Box...D: ....So the speakers have been sitting in my closet for 7 years... after reading this post I might just take it out and set them up to see if they actually works...:hmm:
 

Seleni

Junior Member
Nov 2, 2010
8
0
0
LOL. I am new to this forum, but I have a great "White Van speaker Story". Me and 2 of my buddies were approached at a gas station by one of these guys 6 years ago. We were on our way to the Bar, and already half lit especially my one friend. The "speaker salesman" got pushy and loud with my one friend that has a bad temper. Basically my friend knocked this guy out cold with 2 punches, and he took 2 of the speakers, and 2 weeks later sold them to neighbor for $20, and the neighbor was happy with them, he knew they were cheap speakers but they did work, but not to well. This was the only time I ever remember seeing 1 guy alone, maybe they added the second and third guy to keep from geting robbed.
I have not seen one of the guys for about 3 years up until a 2 weeks ago, I just laughed at him and said this crap is still going on. My wife was upset that I was laughing at this complete stranger, and tell him to get a real job and stop trying to scam people.
 

Viperoni

Lifer
Jan 4, 2000
11,084
1
71
We were on our way to the Bar, and already half lit especially my one friend. The "speaker salesman" got pushy and loud with my one friend that has a bad temper. Basically my friend knocked this guy out cold with 2 punches, and he took 2 of the speakers,

LOL
 

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,090
136
Just had to post that I finally got to experience a white van attempt first hand. Walking into the bank the other day, two guys in a hummer pull to stop next to me and quickly tell me that they have an extra set of speakers that were leftover from a delivery and asked if I wanted them cheap. I immediately started laughing and I assume they read the expression on my face and just drove away. I feel like I've gone through a rite of passage now, experienced one of life's little quirks.
 

linthat22

Senior member
Dec 2, 2011
207
2
76
Oh man, does this thread bring back memories.

My dad and I were in Pennsylvania and true enough a white van showed up. (this was early 90's)

There were two guys trying to push what looked like 15" Pioneer 3-way speakers with the orange woofer gasket for whatever price. I just remember my dad talking them down to where they'd leave, but yeah, that's a pretty odd way to do business.

I remember my dad saying that if he's gonna buy something stolen, he better not robbed in the process (ie, cut your losses)