Laptop potato scammers turn to onions

Two men have been arrested in Reading for recycling the classic laptop switch scam, but with a twist. The laptop potato scam has been a mainstay of British conmen for years. Punters are shown a laptop at a knockdown price. But when they hand over the money the bag or box is switched for one traditionally filled with spuds to …

[Charles 9]

Has the scammer ever been scammed?

Does anyone know of an instance in which the spud switch takes place, but the supposed conman later learns to his dismay that the supposed rube paid with counterfeit money? I mean, I don't think it's something you could take to the police: that you tried to con someone and got conned yourself.

[Anonymous Coward]

I've paid for some massive drugs

with dodgy notes before. One bloke I know paid for £200 quid's worth of herbal stuff with 4 identical (the serial numbers were the same) fifty's. I don't like taking one fifty unless I have thouroughly checked it!

[Anonymous Coward]

Great Idea..

..it could be know as the 'Free Spuds' or 'Free Onions' scam.

Also just imagine that in 100 years time, the cost of a potato could be more than a '100 year old laptop' and the whole scam could be reversed - if you follow me..

[TeeCee]

Spuds are ok for some.

Potatoes may not be an acceptable laptop substitute for all, but they can get online video through YouTuber. For music there's eyeTunes of course.

[Elmer Phud]

value added

At least with spuds you get a box of chips (which is pretty much all a laptop is anyway)

[Tigra 07]

This is well old

I heard something similar, only they were paying for iphones and getting lemons

[Anonymous Coward]

Seems reasonable...

I believe the price of spuds per pound, sorry kilo, has gone up, but onions have stayed the same. No I am serious! Anyway crooks have overheads too you know!

[mhoulden]

A fool and his money

Last time I checked, Dell, Toshiba et al didn't tend to use dodgy looking blokes on street corners as part of their distribution channels. Even second hand machines tend to go through somewhere like eBay, 2nd hand shops or things like uni notice boards. What kind of person decides to pay cash for a laptop from someone they've bumped into on the street without asking questions and wanting to see what they're paying for?

[Anonymous Coward]

When life hands you onions...

...make onion soup.

[James 5]

So...

... that's what happened to all those French onion sellers on bikes!

[David 39]

I've had this

I once bought a box of spuds that had a laptop in it, i was incensed!

[Anonymous Coward]

Coffee!

New keyboard sir!

[Anonymous Coward]

Ahh, a fool

and its money, you know the rest. Serves em fuckin' right for having an IQ a glass of pop would be ashamed of.

Beer, well, its friday.

[digital_age]

iSpud

Apple's new take on Mr Potatohead...

[sT0rNG b4R3 duRiD]

No... Apples

You'd think for an Apple bait and switch, they'd at least put APPLES in the box.

Actually...

On second thoughts, if I ever fell victim (not that I ever will :P), I'd prefer the spuds, at least I could make chips...

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

re: A fool and his money

>What kind of person decides to pay cash for a laptop from someone they've bumped into on the street

The kind that grows up and joins the government where they are put in charge of IT projects.

[JaitcH]

This sounds like the Thai jewellery scam!

Fools and suckers are enticed into buying unmounted, cut jewels - with a 'guaranteed value,' with a money back guarantee - that are sold sealed in tough, transparent, plastic containers. The only condition is that seal not be broken.

The catch is that no purchaser can get an assessment of the value without breaking the seal at which time they are 'worthless'.

Tip: Never buy any jewellery in Thailand, nor anything from Duty Free!

[Neoc]

New Apple product

"a British man was arrested in Germany last year for selling iPods and laptops which on closer inspection were nothing more than spuds"

Ahhh, the iPud.