Darn "white van" speakers ... with a little twist (1 Viewer)

[Wayne Ernst]

It happened again today to me. Same guy, same darned license plate here in Northern Virginia - just west of D.C. The license plate on the grey minivan was "Nicotan."

The guy got my attention as I was leaving a store and heading to my car. Needless to say, I acted somewhat interested - so I could have a little fun on my lunch break. He parked in a slot next to my car and got out. He had his clipboard with the brochures and some phony sales ticket indicating he was somewhere out of Newport News, VA. Same old story ... "boss sent him out to deliver the speakers, but the people were not home, so he has to sell them before returning to the warehouse." This time, the guy even tried to tell me that some guy was going to pay him $1,000 for a pair, but the seller didn't want to complete the sale because the guy was from Georgia and wanted to write him a check. Go figure.

Anyway, the guy is hyping these speakers as I'm laughing to myself. Then, he asks me to make him an offer, but reminds me that these are $1,000 speakers. I told him "$25.00 each." He then seemed to get kind of mad. And, then I went onto tell him that he should feel foolish preying on people in parking lots and trying to sell junk speakers for high prices. He then quickly got into his van and I indicated that I was going to call the police non-emergency number because he was the same guy that approached me about a year ago ... pushing the same crap and same story. I told him that I remembered his license plate from before: "NICOTAN." He told me to write it down so that I can call the police with it as he took off. He also told me to research his product. Well, I did a little digging and this guy has apparently created some lotion that has sun screen in it and can assist you with quitting smoking because it has Nicotine in it. Well, that is the story behind his license plate: "NICOTAN."

I guess the market for a lotion with sun protection and nicotine isn't very strong ... otherwise, he wouldn't need to be pimpin' "white van" speakers on people in parking lots.

Oh, for reference, here's the guy's web site: http://www.nicotan.com :frowning: :frowning:

 

[Brad_See]

NICOTAN?!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

brad cook

 

[Jason Brent]

Thanks Wayne....I needed a laugh

 

[Ned]

Seriously, what planet are these people from? Real delivery guys just go back to the warehouse and try later. They would be fired for doing such a thing.

 

[Kwang Suh]

So that's what happened to all the tomacco.

 

[Nick P]

I got hit up by the white van guys last week. First time for me...I felt honored.

Anyway, they were going to sell me 4000.00 speakers. They asked me to make an offer and I said 100.00 for the pair. Realizing they had a someone who was aware of their scam they drove off without further comment.

 

[Nathan Stohler]

I was once approached by two guys in a white van twice in the same day.

I stopped at a Burger King off of I-65, between Chicago and Indianapolis. As I was walking in, they got my attention and asked me if I wanted some speakers for my house. I told them I already had speakers, but they insisted that these were better, and I told them I doubted it. I politely told them I wasn't interested and kept walking as they continued talking.

I came out of Burger King about 20 minutes later, and they stopped me again to ask me about the speakers. I don't know if they forgot that they had just talked to me, but I said, "nope, I'm still not interested."

I had not heard of the "white van scam", but I had enough sense not to buy speakers from a couple of shady guys in a van.

 

[Jerome Grate]

Why don't they ever come to me, I'll buy :frowning: sniff. I'm always avoided. Actually my brother-in-law fell for that crap and bought some d.j. model speakers out of the white van. When I told him what happened to him, he said oh well, at least they work. Had to refrain from saying, yeah they work but they sound like Sh*t.

 

[Johnny_M]

When I was 18 I decided to apply to a job listing that stated "make more money then your parents". I was curious. Went to the interview and there were about 75 people standing in a line, going in and interviewing 5 mins at a time. Turned out they too were selling speakers from a van and the guy doing the hiring was a pretty good conman. He wouldnt let people leave without signing up for it and most of them beleived they were going to make a fortune. I basically told him to #$%! himself and left. About a week later a van with 6 guys in it pulled me over at a taco bell and tried to sell them to me! They said there boss accidently loaded the truck and did not inventory them so they were trying to make profit. I just laughed and drove off.

I wonder how many people actually buy this stuff?

Johnny

 

[Mike Liaury]

Somebody, ask the white van sellers for a home audition before you purchase.

 

[Johnny_M]

hey Mike, do you really want them in your home?

Johnny

 

[Mike Liaury]

Right, they may have some real speakers to sell after they visit my home.

 

[Dan Halchak]

I'm going to get myself a black van so I can sell speakers, that way I'll have everyone fooled.

 

[Garrett Lundy]

I'm gonna sell $500 interconnects out the back of a white van.


People buy overpriced cables all the time. And I'll probably be able to get a The Perfect Sound review of them too... TPS likes the overpriced cables.

 

[Brad_See]

Man...I just need to start selling white vans. It sounds like that's where the money is!

brad cook

 

[Bob_F]

Has anyone actually tested a pair of these to illustrate just how junky they are? That would be fun to see.

I was approached by the same white van twice in one day about 15 years ago.

Bob

 

[Keith Mickunas]

HT Magazine did one time. Some of the writers/editors were heading out to lunch when they were approached by the white-van guys in their parking lot. They bought some and ran the full tests on them, it was pretty funny. Perhaps their website has the story.

 

[Ernest Yee]

LOL - Next time just tell them you own a 5.1 set of Signature model Dogg Digital speakers. Tell them that their boss in the warehouse sold them to you!

 

[Bob_F]

Thanks Keith. I'll see if I can track that down.

Bob

 

[John Garcia]

I'm dumbfounded at Nicotan. Speachless.

Next time ask them: "No, I don't need any speakers but, would you like to buy a Rolex for $12.00?"