AE Electronics, Allen French AUDIOFILE RIPOFF SPEAKER CON FRAUD Baton Rouge Louisiana *UPDATE ..Police do nothing, picture of business card
Approached by 2 invdividuals in a Silver Mini van. Drivers side sliding door. They Stopped us at a red light. Gave a good quick story about some extra speakers they were selling. Said they had a big install going in at a local bar (DagOStino's) Said they had 4 extra Audiofile 400W speakers. These appeared to be the popular #830LR ripoff speakers. Showed us a yellow copy of a reciept from an audiostore. Wouldn't let me hold it or look at it long. Just kinda flashed it, Pointed at red stamp marked paid. Said they order 4 speakers and were given 4 pair.
The Business Card they gave me
Didn't wan't to take them back to work cause the last time they did that 3 months ago with the 42 plasma screen tv the boss kept it at his house. They wanted to sell these 4 extra speakers for a christmas bonus type thing. They said they would sell them for a crazy price. Sell 2 and ebay the other 2 or sell them all. I asked what a crazy price was. They replied with as crazy as you can get. I said $100 for all 4. Way low shot. If they would have accepted I would have known for sure it was a scam. We were toying with the guys since we all 3 knew they were atleast stolen at best. They came back with an offer of $200 for a pair.
The ads all say $1000 to $1200. Feels like a good deal right. Too good to be true then it probably is. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY! They gave us a business card with AE Electronics as the name. Audiofile Home Theater, BOSE, SONY, DLS( digital ____ system) were the vendors listed. 2 phone numbers an office and a cell. Office goes to Answering Machine. Cell goes to the guy who's name is on the card. Allen French. The numbers are cell: 225-755-0111 and office: 225-266-1586. I called the Office number and got an answering machine telling me a short bit about no one being in the office to leave a message and to "have a rocking day".
Called the Cell and a guy by the name "Allen" same guy possibly answers the phone. I hung up since I do not wish to risk my life over a couple of scam artists. That is the police's job. Knew the card was a fake when there was no address. Only Baton Rouge LA. Also it was printed with a low quality inkjet printer on cardstock.
It was 1 older male greyish hare around 45 - 55, A younger male 20's or early 30's.
The older guy is the one who handed me the card. The older guy has a salesman tone to him. Feels as though he is honest about the speakers. Shows magzine add and a lamenated page about the speakers with specs etc.
I have called my local police to file a report. Hopefully they can put a stop to this. I work hard for the chump change I get paid. Rather know it goes to good use like food for my wife or college for my future kids.
Words of wisdom. Your grandmother always told you, "If it sounds too good to be true, It probably is". She was right. As I get older, I realize she was usually always right.
Trace
Lake Charles, Louisiana
*EDitor's Comment: Rip-off Report confirms contact info salesman misrepresentation ripoff
6 Updates & Rebuttals
John
Waconia,Minnesota,
Not much the police can do
#7Consumer Comment
Sat, August 03, 2002
There isn't much the police can do except check to see if the boys have valid sales permits, clear drivers' licenses and no outstanding wants or warrants. They are pretty much of the opinion that you got ripped off that you thought the merchandise was hot.
John
Waconia,Minnesota,
Not much the police can do
#7Consumer Comment
Sat, August 03, 2002
There isn't much the police can do except check to see if the boys have valid sales permits, clear drivers' licenses and no outstanding wants or warrants. They are pretty much of the opinion that you got ripped off that you thought the merchandise was hot.
John
Waconia,Minnesota,
Not much the police can do
#7Consumer Comment
Sat, August 03, 2002
There isn't much the police can do except check to see if the boys have valid sales permits, clear drivers' licenses and no outstanding wants or warrants. They are pretty much of the opinion that you got ripped off that you thought the merchandise was hot.
John
Waconia,Minnesota,
Not much the police can do
#7Consumer Comment
Sat, August 03, 2002
There isn't much the police can do except check to see if the boys have valid sales permits, clear drivers' licenses and no outstanding wants or warrants. They are pretty much of the opinion that you got ripped off that you thought the merchandise was hot.
Adolph
South Bend,Indiana,
Sale at a 'stop lite'?...how secure! ..and a return or warranty is accomplished in what manner? Wait at the intersection for the rest of the summer?
#7Consumer Comment
Fri, August 02, 2002
It would be my considered opnion that the Police, after hearing the details of the transaction, would conclude the buyer was participating in a sale of merchandise of questionable ownership. The incentive, to which the buyer responded, was to get a product under suspicious conditions for less than it was supposedly worth.
A worse-case scenerio of this type of transaction might even result in the buyer being charged with receiving stolen merchandise. The foregoing transaction, however, is the result of a very successful (read all the previous complaints) marketing ploy playing on the greed of the buyer, resulting in speakers worth nothing like any description and even far less than whatever they "agree on".
Sort of like bitching to a cop that you got ripped off on a nickle bag of H. Pretty hard to get more than a snicker out of the po-leece.
#70
Fri, August 02, 2002
Emailed to ripoff.com figured I would share it with the rest of you:
Its sad.. As I posted I called the local police department. I thought I was doing some good. 3 Officers showed (did they have nothing better to do or were they really gung h*o about stopping this). I explained the complete story as I did in my post. They said there was nothing they could do, with a smile on their face. I felt terrible for the next poor s****.> Apperantly this is legal folks. Check with your local police to see if there is any legal action that can be taken. If you have fallen victom, I apologize that you didn't stumble onto these reports sooner. Remember, What goes around comes around. They will get theirs one day.