Finding “too good” camcorder deals online

[jas128]

Post back what their store front is like (if they even have one!). It certainly would be interesting to see what these scam sites are like face-to-face.

[jas128]

If it sounds too good to be true it (usually) is.

I’m looking for a reasonably priced SONY hvr-a1u online. It’s amazing how much the price varies. The cheapest one I found was at bnsexpress.com but there is no info to be found on them on watchdog sites.

I noticed someone in this forum was also wondering about bnsexpress.com so I went and did some research.

They have all the marks of a scam. Cheap prices, inventory you wouldn’t believe, a brand new domain name and lots of domain names (registered under other names or veiled by private registrations) that funnel traffic to their site. They’ve registered model IDs like HVRA1U.net and HVRFX1.net and others, obviously to get ahead in the search machines. All these domains are registered in the last couple of weeks. Also domain names with no visible relation to electronics, like tcaland.com – actually, I found a lot of these domains and not a single one which is listed under the company name BNSEXPRESS, if there even is such a company.

What makes me wonder is their marketing strategy. They’ve listed their cameras on these model ID domains and there they list comparative prices from legit stores with the highest prices they can find. The hvra1u.net site lists PROJECTORSUPERSTORE.COM offering this camera at $ 3,100 compared to their own bnsexpress at $ 1,680. I have no problem with a site listing comparing prices but when they hide their identity in the whois and pretend to be unaffiliated with this "price watching" site hrva1u.net site – that’s where I draw the line.

bnsexpress.com has an answering machine on their phone. Their address is in the city of Orange, CA. I might just swing by to see their storefront since I live practically in their neighborhood. At any rate, I guess we will hear about this "bargain site" bnsexpress.com in the next weeks. Hopefully only good things but buyer beware. Paying $ 1,680 for a Sony HVR-A1U is "a steal"…

jas128

[ralck]

Checked out their store front yet? Or do they even have a store front, or are they just like a P.O. Box?

[truegrow]

Hi jas128,

Any luck with these online scammers??? Just lost $1.700 with BNS bnsexpress.com…beleive it or not. So, please if there are any news re their storefront, because I am really interested if they are so stupid giving that address, doing this and actually working from that place.

Sorry for rude words, but I am really }:-@ }:-@ }:-@ }:-@ and I am going to try to put them on the court these days.

Thanks in advance!

truegrow

[Anonymous]

truegrow,

try heading over to http://www.aa419.org. The can’t get your money back, but they might be able to get the store shut down.

It’s worth a shot.

[dfwsphotog]

I looked into a few of these "deals" when I bought my Z1U last month. You have to be careful or they will take advantage of you. I asked one "supplier" if the Z1U they were selling included the fold out viewfinder. He said, "are you kidding me? At that price? Of course not!"
I hung up and bought a slightly used, previously loved Z1U on E-bay and paid hundreds less than the "deals" on the internet.
I love my camera!

[Author]

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