Category Archives: Basic Business Concepts

[We welcome PajamasMedia visitors!] Before you buy a camera online…please read this post On the internet, you can’t tell that the highly-advertised camera store you are talking to is an empty storefront with a bunch of hustlers on phones. Almost … Continue reading →

If you have read my previous articles on the Brooklyn camera shop known as Royal Camera, City Camera, Tcscamera.com, and bananaboatcamera.com, you already know that this outfit is a master of bait and switch and a dealer in gray market cameras. It appears that they may be moving further to the dark side.

One of my readers just sent me a email making a case that Royal Scamera may be altering merchandise by removing serial numbers, which if true, is fraud.

If you have received Sigma lenses from this company, you should read her letter and contact the authorities using the information she provides.

In fact, you should read her letter anyway if you are thinking of buying anything from this company:

Good Morning David:

My name is Carol Brophy. I am a partner with Nossaman, Guthner, Knox
and Elliott in California. I have been a victim of serious wire fraud
(RICO), and other consumer fraud by Royal Camera (also doing business
as City Camera, Tcscamera.com, bananaboatcamera.com, maybe others)

About 10 days ago I purchased a Nikon d200 package (advertised as elite
pro) which was to include two Nikon VR lenses. Long story short, they
sent a Hong Kong body (complete with an Asian plug on the charger, and
of course no warranty) and Sigma Lenses, rather than the Nikon VR.

I
called Sigma and learned that the serial numbers on the two lenses
(Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG Macro; and Sigma 135-400mm 4.5-5.6 APO DG) had
been removed and a black plastic strip with bogus serial numbers had
been inserted in the inset cavity where the factory applied serial
number should have been. Sigma verified that no lens with either of the
serial numbers had ever been produced by the Sigma factory. Without the
correct serial number it is impossible to determine where the lens came
from. It is also possible that these are stolen goods. Of course, if
the serial number is fraudulent there is no warranty at all.

This is much more than bait and switch. With the alteration of merchandise it becomes fraud.

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