The clearance house in blackpool

DIXIE100

This is a "auction" shop in blackpool -whilst I am sure that it is lawful as trading standards would well have shut it down by now I am amazed at how normal people are almost hypnotised in to parting with hundreds of pounds willingly for junk-

The auctioneers catchprase -"how are you going to pay is it cash or cashpoint" should have alarm bells ringing but to no avail -people stilwillingly fight to part with their cash -let me give you a description of a sale last week-

Firstly the auctioneer gets the crowd going by offering a bag of mystery goods for £50.00 (If your lucky you may get a DVD player worth around £20 if your unlucky perfume worth a fiver (However as its such a great bargian you cannot open it until the end of the auction as everybody will want one!!

Next comes the really clever bit -

The auctioneer asks mugs -sorry people who have just spent £50.00 to put their hand up.He then asks for their £50 pound parcels back.He puts them on the counter in front of everybody (In a sealed plastic bag) then says If I throw in an MP4 player or a digital camcorder (A cheap digital one worth about £50) and £50.00 -would you give me £200.00 for the lot -its worth £800.00 honest gov!!!!!

And then the classic line -hang on I have already got £50.00 (The fifty pounds I offered to give you) so will you give me £150.00 for the lot - A £50.00 MP4 player AND THE GOODS YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID £50.00

Therefore you pay £100.00 for a cheap and nasty MP4 player and £50.00 for goods you have just paid £50.00 for CLASSIC!!!!

Its almost as good as a derren brown stunt -Has anybody else heard or seen or been scammed by these guys (When I see people running to a cashpoint to get the cash out thinking they have got the bargain of the century I almost want to run after them and shout stop !!!

Dixie

username

Yeah sounds familiar, I saw something about this on the Real Hustle once.

blue_haddock

Some of the oldest tricks in the book.

i_wanna_save_money!

I went to one in Blackpool years ago and they locked all the customers in and did similar to what you described. People were paying like £50 for a pound shop vase and trying to demand money back off the heavies but they didn't get it as no one was allowed to open their sealed bags until they went outside, but by then it was too late as the doors were locked and the heavies simply said you took a chance at what you were buying. Scandalous - can't believe it still happens.

Lip_Stick

So... what would happen someone opened their bag to see a load of junk, or do they not give the bags until people are virtually stepping out the door? What I'm wondering is why are people scared to open them if they've paid good money for them?