Bankruptcy Sale Local hotel - legit? Faulty goods

Vamp369

Hello all.
I went to a "bankruptcy" sale on Monday in Kildare. It was supposed to be a company going bankrupt trying to get rid of their stock, electrical equipment such as TV's, PS3's, Wii's etc. I found out about the sale by a leaflet through the door the day before.

The sale itself was held in a hotel so I thought the it would be up to scratch not like some dodgy market. But I was wrong.

The way the items were sold was by the main guy banging his socket wrench of a table and first to put their hand up got the item. The room was packed with people and it created a it of a frenzy. One of the items they were selling was an "A pad", Googles version of a tablet PC. The main guy told story a that they aren't on sale due to Apple having an injunction against Google so only could be bought in Ireland. They only had 12 or so of the tablets so it was a case of who stuck they're hand up the quickest.

I bought one, got a receipt which was written on a piece of A4 paper, for €200. But when I got home and checked it out, it had nothing to do with Google apart from the operating system. I was ripped off. The model I did get can be bought of the internet for between €80-€100.

I've tried ringing the company number on the leaflet, it rings and then goes to voicemail. The leaflet aslo says that an "Irish Stock Directors Permit" had been granted, I can't find out about that, nothing comes up in an online search.

So I came to the conclusion the company was a con and me and 50 or so other people got ripped off. I went to the local Gardai station and was advised to talk to a solicitor as this is a civil matter. I thought fraud was illegal but anyhow.

But what good is it talking to a solicitor if they I can't contact the supposed "company"?

Any help is much appreciated.
Thanks

Jarren

read this OP
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055459093

Vamp369

I could understand if I was told I was buying some unknown brand of item, I wasn't, we were all told it was a Google product, its not.

I just don't get how the Gardai let them away with it? Isn't it fraud?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Buyer Beware! Did you inspect the goods before you bought? Thought not! Your own fault really. It's a scam but a well known one. Who would buy anything without examining it?

Zab

You might be able to attempt to go down the small claims court route as the device wasn't as described, but I'm not sure how much success you'll have. First you'll have to find out exactly who or what sold you the device in the first place, then you'll have to get a judgement against them (it'll be your word against theirs if they show up) AND work out a way to collect on it. The problem here is that they're basically thieves to begin with so the usual avenues won't be open to you.

I would say that I think you should try out the above route, but I don't expect that you'll be successful. Depends on whether you think it's worth the time and effort. The vast majority of people in your position just chalk it up to experience.

Personally I think the hotel should be ashamed of themselves.

coylemj

This type of sale has been going on in Ireland since at least the 70s, dodgy sales guys usually from the UK shifting complete junk through pressure sales tactics and by working the crowd into a frenzy. Can't understand how there are people out there still capable of falling for this scam.

Sorry but any outfit which sets up in a hotel for a 'bankruptcy' sale is by definition a 'fly by night' operation, avoid at all costs. Trying to get your money back will be a case of throwing good money after bad, these people have no assets you can chase or even an address where a civil summons can be served so what's the point in even attempting to bring them to court?

the_syco

Is this the auctions ran by a certain company from Carlow?

dudara

Threads merged

dudara

keithclancy

Ezequiel Unkempt Muscle wrote: »

Buyer Beware! Did you inspect the goods before you bought? Thought not! Your own fault really. It's a scam but a well known one. Who would buy anything without examining it?

Anyone thats ever bought a house off plans.

Anyone thats purchased a car from order.

Anyone thats purchased an item off eBay.

The list goes on ...

Capt'n Midnight

First off contact the hotel as it's their name that's being tarnished

they won't be able to help you directly, but they should have contact details for the vendors

tell the hotel you are ringing Joe

jor el

Vamp369 wrote: »

I just don't get how the Gardai let them away with it? Isn't it fraud?

No, it's not fraud. You were told you were getting a tablet, and you were told the cost. It's up to you to decide to buy that or not. You decided to buy, so if you're not happy about the description you were given then you take it up under consumer law, not criminal law.

There may not be much you can do under consumer law either. This pretty much comes under a change of mind, which is not catered for in law. The only thing you have in your favour is that they described it as a Google product. If it has an Android OS, then that is a connection to Google, so it all comes down to how much they stressed this part, and what you can prove.

The small claims court is an option, but by no means a guarantee you'll get your money back. You were shown an over priced product and you agreed to pay for it. No different that what happens in thousands of shops every day.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

keithclancy wrote: »

Anyone thats ever bought a house off plans.

Anyone thats purchased a car from order.

Anyone thats purchased an item off eBay.

The list goes on ...

Yes, possibly, to the Ebay example (depening on vendor and product) but the others are completely different situations, and contracts, to a verbal description at an auction.

He bought it without examining it. The item was there had he insisted on examining it. No fraud. I'll state it again in case it just didn't register Caveat emptor

foggy_lad

the_syco wrote: »

Is this the auctions ran by a certain company from Carlow?

Sounds like the same operation.

Fighting Irish

I think it's best to let people fall for this sh1t, it's either this or they fall for the next scam they come across. Most people need to learn the hard way!

Fighting Irish

Vamp369 wrote: »

Hello all.
I went to a "bankruptcy" sale on Monday in Kildare. It was supposed to be a company going bankrupt trying to get rid of their stock, electrical equipment such as TV's, PS3's, Wii's etc. I found out about the sale by a leaflet through the door the day before.

The sale itself was held in a hotel so I thought the it would be up to scratch not like some dodgy market. But I was wrong.

The way the items were sold was by the main guy banging his socket wrench of a table and first to put their hand up got the item. The room was packed with people and it created a it of a frenzy. One of the items they were selling was an "A pad", Googles version of a tablet PC. The main guy told story a that they aren't on sale due to Apple having an injunction against Google so only could be bought in Ireland. They only had 12 or so of the tablets so it was a case of who stuck they're hand up the quickest.

I bought one, got a receipt which was written on a piece of A4 paper, for €200. But when I got home and checked it out, it had nothing to do with Google apart from the operating system. I was ripped off. The model I did get can be bought of the internet for between €80-€100.

I've tried ringing the company number on the leaflet, it rings and then goes to voicemail. The leaflet aslo says that an "Irish Stock Directors Permit" had been granted, I can't find out about that, nothing comes up in an online search.

So I came to the conclusion the company was a con and me and 50 or so other people got ripped off. I went to the local Gardai station and was advised to talk to a solicitor as this is a civil matter. I thought fraud was illegal but anyhow.

But what good is it talking to a solicitor if they I can't contact the supposed "company"?

Any help is much appreciated.
Thanks

It's not really fraud when they offer you something for a certain price and you buy it though, is it?

This isn't really a scam, it's just taking advantage of the dumb

Vamp369

jor el wrote: »

The only thing you have in your favour is that they described it as a Google product. If it has an Android OS, then that is a connection to Google, so it all comes down to how much they stressed this part, and what you can prove.

The main guy stressed at least four times that the tablet was a Google product. Told a story that Apple had brought an injunction against Google so the product could not be sold in the UK only the ROI. And he did say it ran the Android OS. Why say Google at all if the OS was the only Google thing about it? You would only say Android.

With regards to it been my word against theirs if I do track them down, three or four of the hotel employees were present at the sale. Thats were I'm off to now to get contact details for when they booked the suite.

Fighting Irish wrote: »

It's not really fraud when they offer you something for a certain price and you buy it though, is it?

This isn't really a scam, it's just taking advantage of the dumb

If you walk in to a shop and buy a toaster, go home, open the box and find a sandwich maker, you would want your money back. Same situation here.

The big difference here is how do you know for sure the product it what its supposed to be when the battery needs charging so one can not turn it on to check the system details? Thats what I did when I got home and plugged it in.

I, along with everyone else was told it was an "A pad", an actual google product. Its not, its actually one of these.

http://www.mcbub.com/item/VIA-WM-8650-7---Tablet-PC-Android-2-2-Camera-WIFI-3G-Flash-10-1-MID-epad-Silver-134180/

Zab

Well, please do pursue this and good luck with it. The fact that they mislead you about the product is key here. Keep us informed.

McLoughlin

I remember the first appearence of these shows back in 2002 I bought a VCR/DVD combo for 200 quid and its stil working great today but I did find the whole thing to be a bit confusing for people who didnt understand what was going on.

coylemj

McLoughlin wrote: »

I remember the first appearence of these shows back in 2002 I bought a VCR/DVD combo for 200 quid and its stil working great today but I did find the whole thing to be a bit confusing for people who didnt understand what was going on.

Glad you bought something that actually worked.

This type of operation goes back at least to the 1970s. In Dublin I remember they used to rent vacant premises in Moore St. The format was always the same, there was multiple 'sales' advertised for specific times, they did not allow people to wander in and out, you had to come in and sit down for a specific timed 'sale'.

So they'd fill the hall for the 10 a.m. sale and then close the doors. The main man with a slick sales patter would then give away a few trinkets for knockdown prices and promise more goodies to come. In stages he would then work the crowd into a frenzy, then he'd reach the climax of the 'sale' - a fantastic multiband radio, worth £100 and for sale for only £50.

Of course there was only a 'limited' number of these bargains, cue people charging to the stage waving money and the suckers have been hooked.

What happened when the mugs punters hit the street was that they'd have second thoughts, then they'd go around the corner to Peat's in Parnell St. and ask for the actual street price of the radio only to be told that it was Russian crap, dangerous if plugged into the mains and probably worth no more than £10. They would then (like the guy who resurrected this thread) go to the local Garda Station to complain only to be told it was a 'civil' matter i.e. PFO.

Any sale in a temporary premises needs to be avoided, you have no comeback which means you will be sold crap at inflated prices.

Fighting Irish

Vamp369 wrote: »

If you walk in to a shop and buy a toaster, go home, open the box and find a sandwich maker, you would want your money back. Same situation here.

The big difference here is how do you know for sure the product it what its supposed to be when the battery needs charging so one can not turn it on to check the system details? Thats what I did when I got home and plugged it in.

I, along with everyone else was told it was an "A pad", an actual google product. Its not, its actually one of these.

http://www.mcbub.com/item/VIA-WM-8650-7---Tablet-PC-Android-2-2-Camera-WIFI-3G-Flash-10-1-MID-epad-Silver-134180/

Are you sure of exactly what he said and how he worded it?

wingnut

coylemj wrote: »

This type of operation goes back at least to the 1970s.

Watch this before going to one of those:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117969/

Sam Mac

eth0_ wrote: »

darc wrote: »

you've been duped!

write to the hotel about the complaint - thye can't do anything but at least it will stop the scam merchants coming back.

Come on though, the hotels know well that it's a scam, and yet they still hire their conference rooms to these tinks.

That's very true. You'd think the hotels would have a bit of cop on

AltAccount

What's a Google APad? I've never heard of it. Do Google sell a tablet at all?

Is it possible you bought an item that doesn't exist?

AKA you bought an item with zero research and now you're annoyed because someone took advantage of your ignorance.