Recently, law enforcement personnel in El Dorado County have encountered individuals purporting to sell “expensive” stereo equipment, typically speakers, to persons they have contacted informally in parking lots or on the street. Several citations have been issued to such individuals for conducting business without the requisite licenses.
The prospective buyer is told that the equipment is worth hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, but that the sellers are willing to part with it for a fraction of that amount. In support of inflated claims of value, potential customers are often shown printed catalogs and brochures or directed to a purported company website. A cash sale is often insisted upon.
Once the customer takes the equipment home, they most often find that it is extremely cheap and not even worth what they paid for it. Generally, warranty service is non-existent.
The District Attorney’s Office urges persons encountering this sort of opportunity to use caution and, if in doubt about the legality of the transaction, to contact their local law enforcement agency before proceeding with any purchase.