The ‘white van scam’ has surfaced in Langley, this time in a blue Jeep.
The scam is people selling knock-off electronics “for a fraction of the retail price” out of the back of their vehicle.
The Langley instance took place on Sept. 2 in the Army and Navy parking lot, said Langley RCMP. The ‘mark’ was approached by two men in a blue Jeep.
They offered to sell projector units and screens. The scammers suggested that their company had been shipped too many of the items, priced at $4,300. They indicated they were willing to sell them for only $1,000.
But the scammers had met their match. He declined the offer and recorded the license plate of the Jeep. Unfortunately, the plate had been terminated long ago, said Cpl. Holly Marks.
Typically, these scams involved one to three individuals. They may be casually dressed or even have uniforms. Often, they use a minivan or commercial vehicle (usually a white, commercial van, which can be rented inexpensively). They set up in moderately-trafficked areas such as parking lots or gas stations.
The scammers will often claim they work for some sort of audio retailer or installer and through some sort of corporate error, they have extra items for sale. For a variety of reasons, they will be looking to sell the items at ‘well below retail’ prices. They may even go so far as to purportedly verify the price by displaying a website, brochure or magazine advertisement.
If the mark declines the offer, the scammer may use a variety of high-pressure negotiation sales tactics.
Police stay to be strong and don’t give in. Police also appreciate any reports of this activity, descriptions of suspects and licence numbers.