PART 1: How To Spot A Potential Scam From A Home Audio Dealer

[@jaysaudiolab]

If you want to see more content like this - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND HIT THE LIKE BUTTON - This video was done FOR YOU so you don’t get scammed like I did.

[@mauricecuffee7220]

Have bought stuff from both these guys and they are the real deal. Everything I have purchased from them has been delivered on time and has made MAJOR improvements in my system.

[@philstevens9914]

Jay: I know and appreciate you have been scammed, but I do have this to say, and I speak from experience. Authorized dealer networks exist for a reason. If you are buying new product it should come from your local authorized dealer. If you get ripped by your local McIntosh dealer for example, then you have every right to put pressure on McIntosh to in-turn put pressure on the dealer to make things right. When you are buying any new equipment from non-authorized dealers then you are taking a risk. Trying to save money by by-passing the dealer is always a risk. There is more and more counterfeit product out there today also and that is becoming a major issue.

[@alexkane84]

Jay saves money and large percentages buying gray market then passes on the cost to all of us because the dealers have to raise prices to make up for the undercutting Jay does on the illegal market

[@alexkane84]

It's funny that Jay is one of most unethical buyers but lacks self awareness

[@DBTAudio]

@@alexkane84How is Jay an unethical buyer?

[@jonwatchesnyc8777]

Nice post, glad to see you guys together

[@carminedesanto6746]

We all want to find a unicorn of a deal …and scammers know this🤬

[@rrd1975]

This comment will age me somewhat, but in the mid 1970s as I was entering the audio hobby, many audio retailers engaged in a deception called "steering". These dealers would advertise bargain prices on highly sought after components. When customers came to audition and purchase a specific component, the salesman would tell them to "forget about it" because you really want brand X over there, and please buy it today to get the sale price. These salesmen saw a young man or women and immediately thought, dumb and gullible. I had to prove several times that "I'm not the one" and walk away.

[@watdanuqta-mf5ms]

Steering hasn't exactly disappeared. Today there are these large mail order out fits that carry many products at the same price points. In other words, rather than have a product that they feel is the best product at a particular price, they have four or five things at the same price point, there by insuring that they have something to sell you. If they're out of your first choice in an amp, they'll have something else at the same price. They're simply salesman, they might have spent an hour at best with a product and really selling you on price. Might as well be a car salesman or kitchen appliances. There's no real passion for the hobby.

[@seanb3303]

There is a room acoustics dealer that apparently did jail time for doing this very thing. He apparently served his time and is back in business

[@jaysaudiolab]

Names

[@seanb3303]

@@jaysaudiolab here is what i found on AVS forum. I have no first hand knowledge btw. “Dennis Foley is a con artist. In 2000, he served 7 years of a 14 year prison sentence for fraudulent schemes and artifices, and was ordered to pay back over $1.9 million dollars that he stole. google Marcopa County, AZ and look him up: Print Inmate Earlier this year (2021) he lost a small claims case against a business in Florida: 7101 N. MIAMI AVE. LLC, ET AL. VS DENNIS FOLEY, ET AL.”

[@GreekAudioGeek]

@@jaysaudiolab There is an entire thread on WBF about him and warning people to not do business with him. It's been running for years.

[@GreekAudioGeek]

@@jaysaudiolab There is a long thread on it that's been running for years on WBF.

[@seanb3303]

@@67Pepper i replied with name and my comment was either deleted by Jay or filtered by YT.

[@jscol34]

The following comment is slightly unrelated to this video, however there is a large retailer in Australia who are also distributors for numerous high end brands that I have spoken to a few times in the past and it felt like I was liaising with the audio mafia. They didn't do anything wrong, it just felt like I was speaking with mafia bosses, a bit of smoke and mirrors shall we say. I also have empathy for dealers with bricks and mortar stores, paying to display stock, to only have people come in, take a listen, then purchase the item online for a cheaper price, from a home dealer without the overheads.

[@YankeeBobCat]

I ask a brick-and-mortar retailer for 10-15% if I'm a regular customer. From a home dealer with no store front to support I expect at least 20%. Home dealers, if the file tax returns, get to deduct basically personal home expenses. So, being a home dealer is very tax aggregative! Recently, purchased a VAC Master pre from Jay. Professional and a great transaction!

[@ericpwiseguy6921]

This is what we CALL A 2 TEAM PARLAY in my world .. Good video gents

[@isobutylquinoline]

Mikey drop kicked Jay in the lower back with perfect form once. Through the air perfectly horizontal and stiff as a board, like right out of a cannon. Afterwards, Jay skipped away whimsically while giggling. True story.

[@bentleygt3716]

there are scammers (lowlife) in every industry. unbelievable the world we live in today !!!. great to see you guys in one awesome and important video... and all the best for Jay . hope you'll resolve this issue peacefully.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thank you

[@Coneman3]

I don’t believe either of these guys would ever con anyone. 💯 proper business guys. I’ve bought from Mikey, all good. He shipped to UK for me.

[@peterfreeman3317]

Anyone with common sense can sniff out a deal that is suspect.

[@052RC]

What does it smell like?

[@TheZslewis]

my two favorite guys on yt! awesome video, important video. We have very little insight into this industry apart from you kind gents

[@markhampton7559]

OCD Mikey, you are looking great. Congratulations...

[@brunodenis294]

Sorry for you jay but nice to see you together.

[@Audio-Ranch]

I've always known this process as "two stepping". I got my start in high end by having a friend who was a dealer for Martin Logan who would sell me speakers for just a bit over his cost so he could make his quarterly quotas to keep the ML dealership and meet a certain discount level from ML. Most manufactures frown on this process and dealers can lose the line. What Jay described in his first video sounded like the dealer who he was two stepping through was also two stepping to get the equipment. Nothing really wrong with that, but all those layers can present many problems for the "dealers" involved and also for the end user if there happens to be problems with the equipment. As an example Miyajima Japan will not even repair a cartridge purchased through two stepping or gray market dealers. If the dealer is on Audiogon or eBay, feedback is a real good way to see a dealers past dealings... Always use caution.

[@joelowens5211]

Some scammers take an amp case from the real manufacturer so looks legit and then strip out all quality parts and put in junk and sell it like you are getting a steal of a deal.

[@samuelcain5426]

Praying Jay you get justice !!!

[@jaysaudiolab]

My lawyer will make this right unless this dealer comes to me

[@UptownReef]

You guys should do more livestreams together. Good for both your channels/audiences.

[@fullranger3435]

Hey, good to see you see both men! Good to see you well Mikey, all the best and always be well man! I think Jay could use your cable-cooker in some projects of his!

[@nicolatovey2687]

Great video jay.very helpful in this day in life.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Glad it was helpful!

[@paulhallford1904]

Morning from tropical Scotland 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I hope everyone is safe and well 😁 about time you two sorted thing out, whether you both realise it or not you work brilliantly together, please do more videos together 😁 please stay safe everyone and look after yourselves 😁

[@67Pepper]

Tropical Scotland is something I'd like to see. 🤣

[@D65Cinder11HDR]

Let's Doooooo this 💪💪💪💪💪🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙

[@michaelsegel8758]

Hi listening to this ... Group purchases can be legit. But to Mikey's point... a deal too good to be true probably isn't. Group purchases tend to be done for products where there is a minimum purchase required. But these are usually at the regular price or some discount off price like 10% - 20% Not some price over wholesale... I mean for example Dayton audio has a minimum purchase to special order a specific driver. So you may see a group buy on an audio site. I did talk to a dealer of a portable dac where they wouldn't bring the product in because they would have to risk buying a minimum from the manufacturer unless they get a commitment. Overall... you guys are spot on...

[@johnsonadekunle7675]

You need to do your due diligence to avoid a situation like this. I bought a product from Sweden via wire transfer. I remember when I did the transfer my bank kept warning me once the transfer is done, they have no way of getting it back. It's a product I've wanted for some time but it's pricey. Then I saw it listed on a Swedish dealer's website. Reached out to them and they emailed me an invoice. Now, my speakers (Marten) were manufactured in Sweden and I have communicated with Marten multiple times in the past. I quickly used our email thread and asked them about this dealer. Marten confirmed they are legit and that everyone knows them over there in Sweden. I did the transfer and I received the product in like new condition for about a third of the msrp. In your case Jay, it's a different situation since the dealer is someone you've done business with before. If you can't trust someone like that, who can you trust? Dealing with some people is like smoking with the devil. Smoking will kill you and the devil will smoke at your funeral.

[@s.t.e.r.e.o.]

Great to see you two together.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thanks 👍

[@sidesup8286]

Great video Jay. Two of the best on the same video. I hope the guy comes through for you. I think things are getting worse. On average, I give less than one negative feedback on ebay pper year, and I buy quite a bit. Mostly essentials now, but some music too. But within the last few months it's gone downhill. One seller tried to blame Hurricane Helene for his not being able to fulfill my order. He lives in Oklahoma, at least 700 miles away, and it was sunny and pleasant there when it hit the east coast..Another guy claims he sent, & the tracking says he didn't. Believe the tracking!... Another guy might have put some chinsy toys in his for sale items on purpose, so when he didn't send, he could blame it on his kid; like it was his kid's account. Another one had an auction end on a Saturday Night, when you can't mail a thing, and claimed to be having heart surgery on Monday. So there goes Monday and the rest of the week; you'll have to wait. It isn't like it used to be. "Other people" used to be people's entertainment.They'd sit out on their stoops or in their yards talking to each other every night. The advent of television drove people indoors. After that, people they'd normally talk to most every night, they might see once or twice a month, and just wave a hello. People spending most of their days outside became spending most of their days inside. The outdoors is better. Except when listening to music...of course.

[@2002sprocket]

Jay time to make a house call! Is this dealer in Chicago?

[@glenncurry3041]

Loved the recent Dartzeel battle!

[@lexlarkin]

I don’t have the patience to watch your videos, but are you saying that OCD Mikey is a scam home audio dealer?

[@jaysaudiolab]

Don’t have the patience to answer you…

[@bentleygt3716]

are you for real ????!!!!!!! 🤔😳

[@markhampton7559]

I personally have bought from OCD Mikey, and had nothing but the best experience..

[@petekutheis3822]

uh I recall Devore perhaps having a beef..cant remember the details/

[@D65Cinder11HDR]

What happened

[@jaysaudiolab]

The description says PART 1

[@lbrizzle18]

👍

[@pawellachowicz]

That scammer is really really stupid. He should get a cable, paint it gold, call it "magic cable", ask for 100k and watch you try to convince yourself and other it's true gain.

[@67Pepper]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@CarlVanDoren61]

Let's not forget the China 😮 clone machine, buy authentic

[@billybunter3753]

Hey OCD Mikey, I just heard your sneeze on my Sennheiser HD600 headphones. The air in the recording was incredible! 😂

[@carminedesanto6746]

I follow you guys both ..as something aspirational 🥹

[@j.m.harris4202]

Jay, I told Mikey a long time ago that the world I came out of, "that Everybody including myself was a Mark"! Assessing who we are Dealing with including their Weaknesses is the Best Way to Protect ourselves! Honor and Integrity can and will only be Restored by GOD inside of us!🙌💪