# Scam or not?



## Laowei (Nov 29, 2009)

Last night as i was coming out of meadows town centre a guy of 'supposedly Italian descent' approached in a white Rav 4. His story was he is in fashion industry and had been given several gifts of suits, as he was travelling back to Italy tonight he didnt want to take them as he would have to pay huge duty. Because i the suits were my size he wanted to give me a gift of some suits, he then showed me various suits with Armani labels, Cerruttio etc, just the labels and not much of the suit. here is a rough transcript:

Him: hey sir you are you Italian?
me: ???
Him: i want to give you gifta
Me: What and why?
Him \: I go back milano, with too many suites i want to make gift for you, free.
Me: Why me?
Him: you good size, look i show you, beautiful suites.
Me: no thanks, got suites.
Him: i dont offend please looke. Then showed several labels ons suits the suits looked crap quality.then as my boot was open dumped 5 suits in the back of my car.all the suits were in bags which i recognised form my time in China as the typical cheap crap used in the fake market. 
Me: look pal, not interested thanks anyway.
Him: no problemo, you take gifta
Me whats the catch?
Him: maybe you do me small favour
Me: Oh yeah, go on?
Him (and now the money shot) I have to buy my wife gift but have only few euros, maybe you buy my wife gift?
me some flowers maybe??
Him: No you funny guy she wants iphone 4, you help me buy.
Me: yeah right (opens boot and throws suits back into his car) 
Him hey you no want gift?
Me: P#$# o##
Him scampers into car and goes.

Now in China being subjected to scams was part of life, in fact Shanghai expat has a sticker with loads of pages on advise and caveats.

Was i over-reacting with my scam radar set too senstive? Or was this baldy bloke, in a white rave 4 a geniune tourist in distress?


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

This exact thing was reported in the paper a few weeks ago, they were going around Jumeira Beach Road doing the same thing.

I wonder what would happen if you just closed your boot, said thanks and drove off?


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## indoMLA (Feb 6, 2011)

A tourist in distress wouldn't ask for an Iphone 4 but for food, shelter, a taxi fare or ride, etc. instead.


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## Laowei (Nov 29, 2009)

Must of missed that, crafty sod parked his car just behind mine blocking it in, so beware of the short baldy guy with small goatee beard with prada glasses, with a comedy Italian accent.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

This happened to me just last week on the slip road outside Oasis Mall on SZR. It's a very old scam, usually involving watches, TV's, designer clothes, laptops or HiFi equipment. 

Always the same story, sales rep either has been giving too much stock from the warehouse, doesn't want to pay excess baggage going back or wants to buy a gift at the airport and happy to offload his stock at any price.

What you will always buy is very poor quality items or bad quality fakes at inflated prices.

The guys I used to see do this on service stations on the M1 looked the part and were almost believable ie merc or bmw, sharp suit and tie, well groomed etc. The guy the other day handed me his business card and I just laughed saying, "if you want to pull this off mate I'd invest more than 20 dirhams in cards from Karama". I don't think he got what I was on about but he soon sped off.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

More info here - White van speaker scam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The other line I've heard in London with clothes is that "I'm just back from a fashion/video shoot and these weren't booked out properly".


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## indoMLA (Feb 6, 2011)

Also, if he offered you the suits for free, then you should have closed the trunk and drove the hell away.... if he chased you, then drive straight to the police station and let him explain the story there...

For anyone else that gets this scam, write down the dude's license plate and send it to the police. That would stop them from continuing this crap in the future.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

indoMLA said:


> For anyone else that gets this scam, write down the dude's license plate and send it to the police.


If they are not selling fakes, but just poor quality items hyped up - which a lot of the scammers actually do. Then it's not illegal.


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## Moe78 (Oct 29, 2010)

As he stated, he stopped behind him and blocked his exit so he couldn't just drive away.


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## zin (Oct 28, 2010)

Laowei, thanks for making me talk in an Italian accent for the rest of the day


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## Lita_Rulez (Nov 4, 2010)

Laowei said:


> so beware of the short baldy guy with small goatee beard with prada glasses, with a comedy Italian accent.


Well, it must be a good enough business, because I met this guy in garhoud about 2 years ago !


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## cobragb (Mar 15, 2010)

Yep, me too.


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## Bigjimbo (Oct 28, 2010)

I cant wait to meet this guy! I'll close the boot lock the car and go for a coffee!


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## RedMac (Jul 25, 2009)

zin said:


> Laowei, thanks for making me talk in an Italian accent for the rest of the day


This scam was being operated for a few months ten years ago in the UK. Usually at service stations on motorways. There must have been hundreds of guys and girls doing it. I was approached twice, in locations hundreds of miles apart . They must succeed now and again or they wouldn't be at it. Hard to believe it is still going on.


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## Canuck_Sens (Nov 16, 2010)

If I had met that guy, I would have said "Sir, me is on the same business" ..after he showed me all his stuff..


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Happened to me in 2005 in Bur Dubai, total scam...

(I didn't buy them)...


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## ALLAITH (May 19, 2011)

Hi
this people are much in this time now, and every one should be careful
for example My friend was in Jumaira park last week. 
than one guy come to him with Iphone 4 and he told him that he buy it since a week and now he have problime and he want to sale it, he ask for 1700 and he show my friend invoice with 2800.
my friend not know the Iphone as well so he think this is the great deal, he offer the man 1000 Dhs after he take and pay the 1000, he go to the mobile market. than the Iphone was CHine with 150 Dhs new
he he he


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## g11king (Apr 3, 2011)

i heard about this scam in Abu Dhabi few weeks ago!! Was a Ipod for his daughter I am sure!


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## BIG ADD (May 4, 2011)

Mr Rossi said:


> This happened to me just last week on the slip road outside Oasis Mall on SZR. It's a very old scam, usually involving watches, TV's, designer clothes, laptops or HiFi equipment.
> 
> Always the same story, sales rep either has been giving too much stock from the warehouse, doesn't want to pay excess baggage going back or wants to buy a gift at the airport and happy to offload his stock at any price.
> 
> ...


ha ha ive seen the m1 scammers a few times they do make me laugh, how anyone is ever daft enough to fall for it is beyond me


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## bluester (Sep 23, 2010)

Bit of a thread revival here, but for those of you who are interested, or haven't heard the scam, the Italian stallion is alive and well and pitched up outside ikea in festival city! Apparently he's now on the design team who kitted out the Armani hotel! LMAO


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## thecork (Apr 20, 2009)

BIG ADD said:


> ha ha ive seen the m1 scammers a few times they do make me laugh, how anyone is ever daft enough to fall for it is beyond me


Yup I've seen the Italian man at Toddington a few times!!


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