LEGO Barcode Rip Off

[Redav]

Gee, bit of an obvious one when you think about it do but people go to some lengths to make a buck. Has anyone come across this guy or heard this before?

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/05/multi ... code-scam/

[Medieval Guy]

I haven't heard of him, but I must say that that's a clever system. However, I'd expect it to be obvious to the cashier that this guy is paying less for his sets, even though they're not on sale.

[Count Blacktron]

There must have been some addiction factor at work here. Why would a multi-millionaire both (a) rip off the store to buy them at a lower cost, and (b) sell them on Ebay? Some weird psychology going on there. I'm sure there is an answer.

[Kev]

Something similar happened 5-10 years ago. A lego collector was buying cheaper sets at one Target, then putting a scanned barcode sticker from a more expensive set on it, and then returning them at other Targets. He got caught and busted with a van load of lego boxes, rolls of barcodes, and a map with Target store locations marked on it.

[jediknight219]

I went to Wal-Mart a couple of months ago, and the Black Pearl I got rang up as $15. The cashier asked if that was right, and I was honest and said "I doubt it". She rang me up anyway, and I didn't question it. It was exactly what the article describes. A Ninjago barcode had been stickered over the original barcode.

[krzyzak]

Wow.People do a lot just to get things cheap. I couldn't sleep at night if I did that.

[Quickblade22]

The worst part for me is that in both this and the Swanberg case, they both ripped off Target. If your gonna cheat someone, why not Walmart or TRU, who are more deserving candidates But seriously, both cases are a crime and it's good they were caught. I'm sure our hobby isn't the only one that suffers this type of crime.

[Heir of Black Falcon]

Yeah I just saw this. What an odd and of course dishonest system.

I worked at TRU and these corp. stores spend a great deal of time on loss prevention. You'd think these gents, being as smart as they are would know corporations double check their incoming and outgoing costs to products.

Sad in all accounts.

Heir

[footsteps]

The day that Swanberg was arrested, in the parking lot of an Oregon Target, I received in the mail a package of Lego parts that I had purchased from his BL store. His store had a vast variety of parts at good prices, as well as many SW sets at discount. I felt sick. I didn't touch the package for days. Finally, the email for the lead detective was posted, so I contacted him to identify myself and what I had in my possession. I never did receive a reply -- he was probably inundated with contacts.

Eventually I opened the package and started building. I had bought parts specifically to build this stairwell idea, which was built into this tower - like so.