Online Electronics Stores Caught in Consumer Fraud

[kshapero]

Here we go again:
"As part of the deal, five of the companies — Best Price Camera, Foto Connection, 1 Way Photo, 86th Street Photo and Broadway Photo — have agreed to change their business practices and accept continual monitoring. Two other companies, Camera Wiz and Sonic Photo, will close."

 

[ruben]

What was the fraud about ?

 

[JRG]

"What was the fraud about ?"

Here you go:

http://www.r8ny.com/node/143400

 

[btgc]

I've heard about buyers, choosing to buy gear at low much lower price than on average, and discovering after delivery they are asked to buy essential components like charger or connecting cables for inflated prices.

There's saying - nothing is for free, except cheese in mouse trap. I really don't think it's wise to buy from unknown or susceptible e-shops. It's like with motorcycles - first buy protective wear and for rest choose vehicle. Safety is the word.

 

[Al Patterson]

This has been going on for years. Frankly, I'm suprised anybody would be stupid enough to fall for this garbage.

As for government shutting them down, even these guys deserve a chance to change their ways. If they don't modify their behaviour, put them in the cell next to Bernie Madoff next time they get caught.

 

[Tuolumne]

It has never ceased to amaze me how gullible people are. Why wouldn't you just buy from a well-known store instead of trying to save a few bucks here and there? When you talk to these places on the phone you can tell they are not honest dealers.

/T

 

[kshapero]

My recommended storefronts (in no particular order):
PopFlash
CameraQuest
PhotoVillage
BH Photo
Adorama
KEH
RFF Classifieds
Amazon

 

[Pablito]

As for government shutting them down, even these guys deserve a chance to change their ways.

WHY? They have been ripping off people forever. How many chances are they supposed to get?

I get naive students all the time asking why they should buy from B&H if they can get it for $500 less, or whatever, at "Best Price Camera". Folks are gullible and if it's on the internet it MUST be legit! ha ha.

 

[btgc]

hmmmm....probably today many want to reach "one model farther" than they actually should, so this kind of stores looks like a good deal?

I don't exactly know how it were in days of film gear - if one could not leap for top brands, they got topmodel from second or third tier manufacturers or tried for cheapest model, though from first tier manufacturers?

I know many passed Samsung dslr (even it were same as Pentax) to go for Canon or Nikon and then seeking this kind of shops to get same package as money would buy if choosing Samsung or Pentax. Probably body + IS lens anyway were more expensive than body with IS + lens. Go figure....

 

[NickTrop]

Good. Shut them down. This stuff has been going on forever. Must be profitable. Sure, people shouldn't be so stupid, but they are - obvs. Doesn't justify what these rip-off artists do. Sometimes, the deals aren't "that" great - 10-20% below the lowest on-line price. If my mom (God rest her soul) new to the Internet, not knowing where to buy, not knowing much about cameras... she "might" bite to save a few bucks. That's who these b-stards prey on I bet... and cash-strapped people just trying to save a buck.

 

[bmattock]

www.resellerratings.com

Use it or be an idiot. Those who read the complaints on the worst dealers and choose to try to buy anyway are stupid and asking to have their money taken away.

 

[Oscar Levant]

They've been conducting business this way since at least the late 1940's through magazine ads in publications like Modern Photograpy, then they switched to the web in the late 1990's.

They've been shut down dozens of times by dozens of "Andrew Cuomos", and then immediately reopened.

Basically, if you're stupid, you might get snared, if you're not stupid, you would instantly realize what was going on and would never be taken.

Unfortunately, there is an endless supply of the stupid.

 

[lorriman]

WHY? They have been ripping off people forever. How many chances are they supposed to get?

I reckon fools and their money should be separated. Makes for a much better world.

The alternative is mountains of legislation befouling our lives with red-tape further protecting us from discovering the real meaning of trust and protection and making life ever more dangerous and arbitrary.

 

[kshapero]

I remember a guy in Virginia in the 80's who sold "snake oil" mail order. He would tell his wholesalers he was having a super sale and increase his credit line by double. Then he would sale off everything at a super discount, then give himself a big bonus equal to the amount he owed the wholesaler. Then his company (not him personally) would declare bankruptcy. Six months later he would start another mail order company and do it again and again and again. he would brag to me how it was all legal. BTW this was NOT a friend of mine. just someone I knew about. Sick, eh?

 

[Beemermark]

Here we go again:
"As part of the deal, five of the companies — Best Price Camera, Foto Connection, 1 Way Photo, 86th Street Photo and Broadway Photo — have agreed to change their business practices and accept continual monitoring. Two other companies, Camera Wiz and Sonic Photo, will close."

What a joke, these companies have been targets of consumer fraud for at least 35 years. I don't know how many times they've "agreed" to change thier ways. I break up laughing when I read these statements. 86th St photo nailed me back in the early '70s and I learned my lesson then.

 

[rover]

I have made some edits to this thread.

Please discuss the business practices in question here.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I reckon fools and their money should be separated. Makes for a much better world.

The alternative is mountains of legislation befouling our lives with red-tape further protecting us from discovering the real meaning of trust and protection and making life ever more dangerous and arbitrary.

You mean you WANT people to be able to sell contaminated food, fake goods, etc.? And to strip out e.g. power supplies and then charge extra for them? Or to practise 'bait and switch' advertising, often lying in the process? That sounds a lot more 'dangerous and arbitrary' to me.

Often, we don't know until afterwards that we're dealing with crooks. But a pattern of crookedness, and following known crooked behaviour, is relatively easy to spot and to legislate against.

I don't know exactly what these companies have been doing, but bent NYC bait-and-switch dealers have been pulling dishonest tricks for at least 30 years to my personal knowledge.

Tashi delek,

R.

 

[35mmdelux]

Pre-1900's fraud was seen as a joke played on "dumb" buyer. This supposedly changed and fraud became a crime, supposedly.

 

[-doomed-]

P.T. Barnum said it best " There's a Sucker born every minute , and two to take em"

Ripoff artists will exist as long as there are idiots buy whatever they're selling , I'm not saying its right but that's how it will be until people wise up.

 

[Al Patterson]

My recommended storefronts (in no particular order):
PopFlash
CameraQuest
PhotoVillage
BH Photo
Adorama
KEH
RFF Classifieds
Amazon

That would be similar to mine. I'd add a few places like Samy's in CA and Calumet, but wouldn't suggest any deletions...