The Regina Police Service would like to warn residents of an incident reported in Regina this week. In this transaction, police do not believe a criminal offence occurred; however, the “buyer” was left with poor quality merchandise, having paid a significant sum of money.
This type of activity is not new and, although the specific circumstances vary, a typical scenario is as follows: the “seller” parks a vehicle in a store parking lot and approaches people with a story that includes details like, “I’m a delivery person,” and “My boss ordered too much inventory”, and then tries to persuade the potential “buyer” to purchase the overflow. The products are typically electronics, sound systems, entertainment systems and projectors. The delivery person says that these items are worth a lot of money, but he or she will give the potential buyer a great deal. The sales person is typically very persistent in trying to make sales and will sometimes produce pamphlets and other promotional material to add legitimacy to the story. The “buyer” is persuaded to purchase the products and discovers later, at home, that the so-called high-end electronics are cheap and almost worthless.
Residents are reminded that most legitimate companies will not sell you products from a vehicle in a parking lot of another business. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you suspect you’re being charged too much for a product, take the time to look up the product by brand name on the internet, to verify a recommended retail price.
If you see suspicious activity, call the Regina Police Service 306-777-6500 or your local police agency and report it.
