Laptop scam- how thick are some people

swingking

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/conmen-make-euro1000-a-day-in-laptop-scam-1699920.html

Conmen make €1,000 a day in laptop scam

By Cormac Looney
Monday April 06 2009

GARDAI are hunting two conmen who are suspected of making €1,000 a day using a fake computer scam.

The pair, both believed to be Travellers and in their early 20s, were found by gardai last week as they tried to defraud two Polish men of cash by selling them fake laptops on the street. But no cash had been handed over and so gardai could not arrest the men.

The two conmen are believed to have struck at a number of locations around Dublin over the past two months, travelling in a mid-2000s reg Freelander jeep, which has Donegal plates. They are described as "well dressed".

The men operate by offering an unsuspecting buyer a genuine laptop for sale, for which they produce a receipt and guarantee. The machine, which is worth €1,000, is offered for €200. As the buyer hands the cash over, one of the conmen distracts him by offering some of the money back, as a goodwill gesture.

According to the reports, as the conman does this his associate switches the laptop bag, and hands the unsuspecting buyer a bag filled with water.

Reports

An electronic alert about the men's activities has been issued across Dublin police stations. The two men are known to gardai, a source said, and have a previous conviction for theft for deception. They have been up to a dozen reports of the scam across different parts of the city in recent weeks.

Gardai have yet to receive an official complaint of the theft, and they believe the reason for this is that people are embarrassed at being conned.

Anyone who has been approached by the pair is asked to contact their local garda station, or the garda confidential line on 1800 666 111.

A source said: "People are a bit reluctant to come forward because they may feel foolish. But we need to get these people, because we believe they are trying this four or five times a day."

The scam is the latest in a series of frauds involving the sale of laptops on city streets in recent years. Most of the incident involve gullible buyers handing over cash and being given empty laptop cases in return, or cases filled with papers, or other weights.

Seriously, who would be stupid enough to buy a laptop from 2 guys in a jeep.
People who give in to this don't deserve any sympathy

Soby

+1
Idiots. And getting fooled by a bag of water :pac:

SV

I remember seeing this on road wars, i always wondered how it would work. Time to make some money.

dr.bollocko

Thats not a scam. It's a liquidation sale.

AnonoBoy

I want to stay away from the scam artists but they just have such good prices I'd be a fool NOT to buy off them.

Birdie086

They were at that in Limerick a few years ago. Except it milk they used. A good few idiots paid 250E for 2 litres of milk!!!! Even after it was highlighted in ALL local newspapers and radio people still fell for it!!! The general public are very thick.

Mr.Lizard

This trick is years old. Started with cameras afaik. You'd think people would have enough sense not to get fallen in.

Ruu_Old

I have a brand new, limited edition Apple Mac. PM for details! Link for pic!

javaboy

Ruu wrote: »

I have a brand new, limited edition Apple Mac. PM for details! Link for pic!

Pfft. I'd rather the Thinkpad and the food.

Att-tichoo

dr.bollocko wrote: »

Thats not a scam. It's a liquidation sale.

well done my good man :pac:

Few of months ago, couple of scumbags tried to sell "genuine brand runners" to a friend of mine...he's a guard tho so caught rotten

please dont hold it against me that iv a friend who's a guard..he is just a decent normal law dodger like the rest of us..he just fell in with he wrong crowd

Mr.Lizard

Ruu wrote: »

I have a brand new, limited edition Apple Mac. PM for details! Link for pic!

That's nothing. I have the latest high-end Dell computer from their Spring range.

Sean Quagmire

Ruu wrote: »

I have a brand new, limited edition Apple Mac. PM for details! Link for pic!

you must think I'm an Idiot. That is not a limited edition. and there is some sort of fruit crudely stuck to it with some tape. no, no nothing about this adds up at all.

AnonoBoy

Mr.Lizard wrote: »

That's nothing. I have the latest high-end Dell computer from their Spring range.

PM sent.

Turd Ferguson

It could be worse


P-P-P-P-Powerbook

Uncle Arthur

swingking wrote: »

GARDAI are hunting two conmen who are suspected of making €1,000 a day using a fake computer scam.

The pair, both believed to be Travellers and in their early 20s, were found by gardai last week as they tried to defraud two Polish men of cash by selling them fake laptops on the street. But no cash had been handed over and so gardai could not arrest the men.

The two conmen are believed to have struck at a number of locations around Dublin over the past two months, travelling in a mid-2000s reg Freelander jeep, which has Donegal plates. They are described as "well dressed".

The men operate by offering an unsuspecting buyer a genuine laptop for sale, for which they produce a receipt and guarantee. The machine, which is worth €1,000, is offered for €200. As the buyer hands the cash over, one of the conmen distracts him by offering some of the money back, as a goodwill gesture.

this story couldnt possibly be true

Local-womanizer

They have been doing this for years.It was on Road wars a few years back.The traveller in that case came back when he saw the police and threw the money at the customer.

DenMan

Pa Connors and his brother Pa Connors. Stay away.

K-9

Suppose they thought he could use the water to surf the internet.

Sorry.

ericl

DenMan wrote: »

Pa Connors and his brother Pa Connors. Stay away.

Do you mean this guy.:pac:

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/member.php?u=35998

DenMan

ericl wrote: »

Do you mean this guy.:pac:

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/member.php?u=35998

Get's around, doesn't he!!! Nice one.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

Overheal

wasnt this exact same scam in the papers just last year?

Gummy Panda

LMAO!

reminds me of the Wii scams at xmas, where they were selling "Wii things".

RHRN

This reminded of that story Dara O'Briain said in his newest DVD, about the "Aura Repairing Service" for £640

This isn't a consumer issue, this is a fcuking eejit issue :P

newmills

Worked with 2 brothers who bought 2 camera phones when they had just come out from 2 lads operating out the window of a car. When they opened the bag - yes bag - it was full of stones. I think we laughed solidly in their faces for 6 hours!!

Duck's hoop

swingking wrote: »

Seriously, who would be stupid enough to buy a laptop(badly constructed) house in Carlow from 2 guys in a jeep.
People who give in to this don't deserve any sympathy

:mad:

S.I.R

21st century travelers, always one fricken step ahead :mad:

Capt'n Midnight

RHRN wrote: »

This reminded of that story Dara O'Briain said in his newest DVD, about the "Aura Repairing Service" for £640

This isn't a consumer issue, this is a fcuking eejit issue :P

£604 :eek:

I got my Aura fixed and polished with a 12 month guarantee for less than half that.

S.I.R

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

£604 :eek:

I got my Aura fixed and polished with a 12 month guarantee for less than half that.

i got my halo fixed with only 6 months warranty... *sigh*

Capt'n Midnight

S.I.R wrote: »

21st century travelers, always one fricken step ahead :mad:

24th century ones too :eek:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_the_Long_Ladder

to ensure fast development of a healthy, sustainable new generation. ... Dr. Pulaski suggests that each woman will have to have three husbands of different genetic makeup, and each man will have three wives.

AlmightyCushion

Birdie086 wrote: »

They were at that in Limerick a few years ago. Except it milk they used. A good few idiots paid 250E for 2 litres of milk!!!! Even after it was highlighted in ALL local newspapers and radio people still fell for it!!! The general public are very thick.

Ah that was during the boom years though. Most newsagents were probably charging more than €250 for milk back then. :pac:

dutchcat

wonder if they would accept a travellers cheque;)

ynotdu

Brand new Labtop running the finished version of windows 7!

One day only sale.

Venue:red hi-ace Naas road.

Please bring photo I.D

Price negotiable.

dutchcat

wonder if its a dell,peggydell of burnt sticks off it:D

Newbie2IE

It happened to a guy I know few days back on Celbridge main road and I know he was a easy target but I feel bad for him. This happens everywhere in the world as these guys do it for so long they seem to show everything like receipts and make people to act in impulsive way for one loose moment which is enough for them.

humanji

Please don't drag up 5 year old threads.