Fake goods in Poland

I just wanted to pass on a little story that happened to my father in law.

He was in the Castorama parking lot in Gdynia and was approached by a nice looking man in a suit who spoke perfect Italian. He was near tears because he was trying to get back to Italy after a conference and had a generator and a few chainsaws that they wouldn't let him take on the flight. He had the boarding passes and everything.

yes of course, everybody here is thinking- red flag, b.s. story. Yes it is. Unfortunately my father in law is quite a trusting man. He is not a simple burak - he has travelled extensively but basically- he got played, and bought the stuff from the guy. Spent 5,000 pln. After a blast from my husband - we found a colleague who was looking to buy some of this stuff.

So they took it and tested it. Basically, it is a joke. It is dangerous. The generator can't run a hair dryer and the chain saw looks as if it is going to explode.

They are Honda knock offs. In fact after searching on the internet there are loads of forums with people who got played by the same guy- with the same story.

So now my father in law is in a former communist panic and is trying to figure out what to do with this garbage. The best option is to take it all apart and sell it to a place that melts old metal.

maybe he will get 100pln for it.

The whole situation is unbelievably embarrassing ---but it can happen to the best of us.

The guy had a business card with a web site, wearing a suit- had a good story---but he is a thief and he targets men in their late 50s early 60s who remember communist life and the black market buying and smuggling--and then speaks in only Italian to make his story more believable.

I know somebody that has happened too, only he was span the "i bought this in Leroy Merlin story and they wont take it back because.....blag...blag.." The person i know bought a crappy chainsaw. I also know quite a few people in the UK that have bought fake gold and fake watches from the scammers that hire new BMW's for the day, the Police have really clamped down on those guys now.

Its a forgone conclusion really that theses types of people exists, if a deals too good to be true thats usually because it is.


He sounds like a pretty good scam artist, he should work for an insurance company.... Its the bargain angle they like to exploit, everybody love a bargain, and the people they are selling to start thinking "i can sell this merchandise on and make a killing", essentially its greed that makes us buy this crap and fall for the BS stories.

Your father in law not know what a decent generator or chainsaw looks like? the fakes usually stand out a mile.

these are amazing fakes. The only difference is the weight. There are loads of the exact model on Allegro. The funny thing is my father in law is an electrician--so he should have known. It is such a ridiculous situation and now he has to keep secret from my mother in law that he blew 5,000 pln on fake garbage generators and saws.

And if anything comes of the whole embarrassing situation is that by spreading the word- hopefully more people will know about the scam. I don't know how to go about it- maybe contact the news stations or something. It is not as bad as Amber Gold- but still a scam all the same.

pip,does any of the local news affiliates have investigative reporting shows in Poland?

I think so, I don't watch tv- so I am not a good one to ask. I don't think my father in law wants to rehash the embarrassment- but perhaps a story can be told without mentioning his name.

It is a good idea.

pip,That's what I was thinking,perhaps put some kind of notice in the paper asking people if this has happened to them and to contact you and then discuss this proposal,if you get enough people then the media would become interested.Worth a shot.His name wouldn't have to come in the picture at all.

These types of scams have been going on in London for years, normally the Italians want to sell you top end leather jackets or designer gear. They pull up next to you in a van and offer you the real deal and then switch at the last minute. If you want to inform someone contact the venues where this guy is plying his trade. As WB previously mentioned you can't cheat an honest person.

The lesson your F.I.L has learned is worth more than the overpayment of the goods ' Caveat venditor '

and here endeth the lesson.

It reminds me of the Russian market in Warsaw. But there at least you knew that about everything was fake.

Yes you can,thats a bad generalisation. Its *easier* to con a greedy dishonest person but honest people can be dupped,just with more subtle methods,take that from a former 2 for 3 salesman.

it has left me and my husband scratching out heads. My husband has said to his father- what the hell, you are not a burak- how has this happened to you? I think he was sold on the outward appearance of the seller and believed the unbelievable story.

Happens to the best of us.
But- I want more people to be aware of this scam- I would have thought buying electronic goods in the parking lot of a Castorama is a dead give away- apparently not.

Unbelievable, isn't it?

Thankfully, I'd never fall for this sort of thing because I have no idea about such goods ;)

A sad story. Thanks for sharing it s people will know.

It might be worth mentioning this to the police (any complaint would have to come from your father-in-law or your husband if he has pelnomocnictwo) so they can investigate - it may be that they know about the guy already.

Pip's F.I.L paid for goods which he received in full. This purchase did not include a contract with a guarantee ( working order) so therefore it was done on a offer and acceptance basis ( sold as seen). The F.I.L may have payed over the odds and so the Italian was not ethical in his dealings.


On what basis can the F.I.L report this to the Police, he has received what he paid for, as a Polish person he has forgotten one rule - no contract no deal.

From the description, it sounds as if he was sold what was purported to be of a certain brand but was not.

The story from the guy was that he was attending some conference and he couldn't get back to Italy by plane with these Honda generators and saws. He was selling them as legitimate Hondas.

There is no question about filing a claim- that is not what this post is about. The money is gone. My father in law will be happy if he can get 100 pln from the parts.

Basically, I would like people to spread the word- some are already doing this via forums and youtube.
Buying something from a Russian or Gypsy- one expects them to be fake.
I think my father in law got taken in because the man was sharply dressed, spoke only in Italian and his story was crazy enough to be believable....

I don't think Honda make chainsaws, generators and lawn mowers sure.


In the end people will know catch on. I was thinking today about a BS story a kid gave my wife a couple of years ago to get a few PLN out of her. Something about a bully will beat him up unless he paid 50 PLN within a day - bloody well worked too.

No it cannot.Not to "the best of us"anyway.BTW,I have the Brooklyn bridge for sale,perhaps your father in law would be interested?

But I am at a loss how anybody can buy a chainsaw on a parking - when 20 mtrs further on you can buy the real article?

For example I bought on the Russian market years ago CD's. Which still work fine.
My brother on the other hand bought there MS Office - do not remember which edition - and it turned out to be Bulgarian :)
But we are talking here about some CD's.
But a chainsaw and a generator???

Anybody interested in some Rulex watches?

as I said this guy targets older men that remember the smuggling mentality of the communist era. Thinking they got a good deal.

a moment of poor judgement. happens sometimes. I don't get it either. My father in law has been to greenpoint- he knows the bridge isn't for sale. nice one, though

How about a vehicle you supposedly won at the national lottery, you lucky bastard ... and all you have to do is just to pay some mere $800 to cover the shipping costs and tax. The offer is valid for today only, the payment must go to some numbered account?

Courtesy of a phone scam artist calling you from Montreal - the scam capital of the world!

That car is bigger than a chain saw and a generator, and you even did not see it. :-)

Fake goods. And the police are interested in confidence tricksters who prey on the elderly. They also publicise scams like this on the local news.

I dont think so.

homeofficeweekly.com/business/avoid-scams1.html

Oh, well, Vancouver is keeping up too.

I see,no problem.How about some oceanfront property in Arizona?CHEAP!!!

Two very good reasons to go to the police about this.


Why am I not surprised to find that you've bought both the Brooklyn bridge and oceanfront property in AZ?

I believe it would be very difficult to prove that Pip's F.I.L was scammed or deceived by the Italian, there are no bills of sale, it was just a cash in hand deal. If there are fake " Honda" goods being offered in Poland by foreigners purporting to be Italian representatives of the " Honda" group, I would personally be contacting Honda.

Honda Poland has exclusivity on the polish market and parallel selling is considered unethical.

That's only a small part of the point. Part of the role of the police is crime prevention and protection of the vulnerable - and they do quite a good job of publicising sharp dealing on the local news.

Is Pips F.I.L vunerable or has a crime been commited or has Pip's F.I.L merely over paid for goods which he could have bought elsewhere at a lesser price. Based on Pip's account I would consider the actions of the Italian as unethical, although it would be very interesting to see if the Police consider his actions criminal.


That is the whole point if there is no crime, there is no justification for complaint.