BEWARE - fake leather jacket scam. Reportage

newmum1

eyelinerprincess wrote: »

It was on The Real Hustle a few months ago.

Yeah i remember it from this too.........

hsgamboy

I too fell for it over a year ago in Lichfield, Staffordshire. I bet it was the same guy with the same storyline. I bought three of those jackets after an hour of refusing to - the guy wouldn't take no for an answer. I was really skint at that time and had only £75 in my current account, so parted with £60. He wasn't happy that i brought him down from an initial £400 asking price for all three jackets to a mere £60, so I guess I won in the end.

Wore each one of those jackets a couple of times and hated them. Few months ago some guy at work was complaining how he didn't have any jackets to wear in the cold. So I gave him all three for free. Now he wears them with pride and thanked me for giving him such nice jackets.

I see him each working day wearing these jacket and it makes me happy that I was able to help someone- so some godd did come of them. Though it wouldn't stop me kicking the s*it off this Italian guy should our path were ever to cross.

wlf

Its NOT the same guy!!

It's just a common scam, perpetrated by many people(mainly italians) around the world.

before_hollywood

similar thing happened to me a few months ago but this time it was watches, a guy in the car park at an aldi just outside manchester, well dressed, brand new car and everything had watches to sell, had been advertised for over a thousand in merc owners mags (i think it was) and was offering them for £100 a peice, didn't buy one (haven't got that kind of money), but i have seen same thing going on at these strange auctions where people are planted to buy the good stuff cheap and everyone else gets ripped off. have decided if i want anything like that cheap, i'll stick to mse its a lot safer

borosteve_2

If you ever see a perfume seller on your local high street though always take them up on their £5 per bottle offer - just take the "tester". Even 2/3 of a bottle of real edt has got to be worth a good £5:D
Sometimes when I was out with a few mates in London we would do this. I ended up with a really good aftershave collection for a few quid.

The sellers tend not to like it too much but on a busy street they tend not to want to cause too much trouble:T

jonnyb

here's an idea if the scam is tried on you.

ask seller if he can wait 10 mins, as you need to go inside the services for something.(make up any excuse - e.g. cash machine, toilet).

find a way to contact the the police and report the idiot; if you are really lucky there will be some traffic cops loitering around the services.

borosteve_2

jonnyb wrote: »

here's an idea if the scam is tried on you.

ask seller if he can wait 10 mins, as you need to go inside the services for something.(make up any excuse - e.g. cash machine, toilet).

find a way to contact the the police and report the idiot; if you are really lucky there will be some traffic cops loitering around the services.

Great idea in principle, just make sure you don't phone them on your mobile whilst sat in your car in the car park with the engine running or you'll be the one that ends up in trouble.....

Mumstheword

Wow, this one is an old one. BIL was approached in Manchester city centre by a bloke who was leaving the country and selling his lovely leather jacket....but that was at least 11 years ago!

dizzy_lizzie

Our story is we were sitting outside the services,last year, can't remember which one though not far from the NEC Birmingham. Two 'italian' guys, same patter as the others, been to the show etc. showed us his flight ticket! Three 'leather' jackets shown to hubby, I'm shouting 'No thanks we don't want them' Hubby saying 'Well let's just have a look' etc etc. Also being a vegan I was getting really annoyed with hubby.(so glad they turned out to be fake) Can't remember what hubby paid but it was more than 100 less than 200!!!! I was fuming. He sold one for £50 and was going to keep the others but after sitting in his wardrobe all this time never worn I took one to Oxfam, with his agreement, last week, and the other, which looks like suede, will be given to a relative, free. And believe me I remind hubby of this often and it's a lesson he won't forget, namely to listen to his wife!!!!

wlf

jonnyb wrote: »

here's an idea if the scam is tried on you.

ask seller if he can wait 10 mins, as you need to go inside the services for something.(make up any excuse - e.g. cash machine, toilet).

find a way to contact the the police and report the idiot; if you are really lucky there will be some traffic cops loitering around the services.

What crime are they committing?