Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

It has come to my attention that several of the big box retailers in my area have discovered a new vacuum scam perpetrated by some deceitful customers.  The buyers are purchasing high end vacuums, new in the boxes, and then returning for full refunds.  Why?  They claim when the vacuums are returned that several attachments, usually 2 or 3, are missing from the cartons.  Rather than obtain the missing attachments from the retailers/companies, these buyers opt to get full refunds on the purchases.  One customer has perpetrated this scam 3 times at the same big box store location in the last several months.  Wonder what the persons are doing with the "slickied" attachments?

Carmine D.

I neglected to mention an important detail:  They always pay with cash when making the purchases.  Not unusual here in Las Vegas for customers to use cash at the registers/cashiers.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
I can't imagine any advantage to this unless they are buying with "funny money" and getting real cash back by way of the refund OR if its some kind of laundering scam. Nonetheless, I can't see the point to that either since you'd have to repeat the process who knows how many times if you're talking a substantial amount of cash.

Venson

Venson wrote:

Hi Venson:

It's not money laundering.  It's desperate times and lots of free time on hand to nickel and dime the big box retailers.  Smart scam.  Vacuum consumers always have a demand for new attachments.  But this scam is too small to bother to track, and prosecute.  But big enough if done in volume to make a day, week, and/or month of mad money [for gambling on the slots and horses and sports].

Carmine D.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was those vacs that Carmine has gifted. 

HARDSELL wrote:

Hi HARDSELL:

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if closer inspections of the insides of the cartons didn't show that more than the 2 and/or 3 attachments are missing.  Bags, filters.....................the attachments are the excuse for the scammer to cover the refunds/returns.   I'd bet on it.  The vacuum returns appear to be still packed up just like brand new save the missing attachments.  Usually the returns are inspected by customer service clerks, and only on rare occasions.  They really don't know what to look at and look for and take the scammers' words.

Not long ago we posted here about the tie downs added to new vacuum cartons to ensure the cartons are not opened and tampered with before sale.  Scammers now have a work around.  Seemingly legitimate purchases, which allow pilferages of the vacuums' parts unbeknownst to the retailers, and then returned for full refunds. 

Carmine D.

If they owned a Bosch, and If they bought another Bosch with the six free bag,s then returned it, keeping the (ahem) "missing Bags" they wouldn't have to pay $25.00 to purchase a new box of Bosch Bags. LOL

Lucky1 wrote:

How about that?  Or a $20 filter?  Or a $45 filter?  Or a $80 low rise floor tool?  Resell on line for all profit.  Save time and effort.  And if you're inclined to go to the store anyway, you've got nothing to lose.

Carmine D.

I've got a better one for you!
In the UK, we have a retailer company called Argos. You basically fill out the order card by writing down the order number and you buy on the basis "sold as seen" either looking through their website or colour catalogue. Then when you get the vacuum home you can return it within days if there's something wrong with it. A friend of mine used to do this all the time - he'd take off the important bits of a flagship model and stick it /custom build his own vacuum cleaner. Eventually however Argos had to catch up with him as now they take your postcode/address and add it to the system, obviously there are restricted times to how many times a customer can come back with a complaint and the model they originally bought. I adore Argos and would never betray their trust doing that!

vacmanuk wrote:

In this most recent LV retailers' scam, there is no record of the customers because cash is tendered for the purchased and returned for the refund.  Retailers, like the one I mentioned, who was hit by the same customer 3 times, will have to devise a method to track these scammers and put an end to the nickel and dime-ing.  In good times, big box retailers write it off as an operating expense.  Not worth the bother.  In bad times, they crack down.

Carmine D.

Venson wrote:

Hi Venson:

Last year, a couple was apprehended for this and a slot machine scam.  The slot machines accept cash and at any point a player can cash out and get a paper voucher for the cash which is redeemable at a kiosk for cash.  Using counterfeit bills, the couple traded in the funny money for the real thing.  They would have gotten away with the ploy too.  Except, they used their player cards in the slot machines.  The casinos had all their personal information, deployed the local authorities and napped them at their home.  They were not too bright.

Carmine D.