Just down the street from the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop (which is featured on a reality show on cable) at 212 S. Las Vegas Boulevard, there is a nasty loan shark by the name of EZ PAWN, who preys on unsuspecting victims when they innocently stroll through the doors.
The owners are pretty slick, alright.
Under the guise of providing top dollar for gold jewellery, desperate individuals (who are often down-on-their-luck or out-of-work) are usually hood-winked into parting with their precious heirlooms, watches, and wedding rings without proper discloure, a legit professional appraisal, or the right to have the terms and conditions of the tricky legal ageements (loan papers) explained to them as required by law.
In a nutshell, the staff at EZPAWN are dishonest rip-off artists who engage in deceptive business practices.
For example, when one of my "schills" sauntered in to check out their dishonest business conduct first-hand, he was immediately struck by the fact that the cashier assessing the value of a piece of jewellery for a short-term loan was not basing the gold on current market values.
Say what?
When the gent handed over a gold chain for evaluation, he casually asked the squat unkempt clerk if the price of gold had gone up that morning due to the recent debt crisis snafu.
"Oh, I don't know," she half-whispered, as she turned her back to him, and proceeded to place the item on a scale.
Huh?
How was it possible to determine the value on the loan article if the clerk was not enlightened of the price of gold per ounce that day?
Well, that was the big tip-off, wasn't it?
Obviously, the slovenly employee didn't intend to give an honest appraisal (or full value) as the advertisements for EZPAWN promised (and boasted) to do.
Then, after pacting a deal with the customer, the gal - who acted like her shit didn't stink - failed to disclose the terms and conditions of the loan agreement.
For instance, she neglected to inform the applicant about the length of the agreement, the amount of payment due each month in interest, what kind of penalties would be applied if an installment was missed, and - of course - hid the total cost of the interest by virtue of her deliberate reluctance to disclose.
Once the consumer returned home, and read the documents, they would be shocked to learn that EZPAWN was charging an outrageous (illegal?) sum of 135% interest annually!
Other questionable business practices are also quite diabolical (and criminal) at the rip-off joint, too.
When a customer expresses an interest in a laptop computer, for example, they encounter some highly suspicious business practices in this department, as well.
A large percentage of the laptops in stock are "dead" in the display case - that is to say - the batteries have been allowed to run down.
Thus, an interested party must first track down a charger, in order to rev up the computer and check out all its bells and whistles (of which, in this instant case, there are usually none).
It also shocks a consumer's sensibilities when they try to web surf on eight or so laptops that are plugged in - and discover to their dismay - that the store doesn't have any Internet (or WiFi) service.
Imagine that!
How is a potential purchaser supposed to verify the quality of a laptop or desktop PC if there isn't any access to the world-wide-web?
Precisely.
They can't.
The big reveal comes when (and if) a customer opts to take the risk and purchase the untested computer anyway. There should have some legal recourse if the computer turns out to be a lemon, right?
Not so fast, sucker!
At this juncture, when a customer approaches the cashier's wicket, he or she is informed for the first time that the sale is final.
No returns or money-back guarantees at EZPAWN!
What a bunch of disreputable crooks, eh?
Other aspects of the store are a big turn-off, too.
Most of the clients that wing their way in-and-out of their pawn shop appear to be absolute dregs of the earth, for starters.
Uh-huh!
I wouldn't be surprised if quite a few of the pricey pieces of gold jewellery, watches, and cameras are stolen property.
The staff look like down-and-out low-lifes, after all, who haven't bathed in a week.
They sure aren't professional salespeople.
In fact, many people exit EZPAWN in disgust after they've been left waiting for thirty or forty-five minutes, without having been given so much as a hello from the incompetent staff who are too busy scratching their butts and turning their noses up at any well-meaning customer who does happen to stumble in.
If you're smart, you'll avoid this pawn shop - and the pack of losers (and thieves) who run it - like the plague.
Amen!
http://www.thetattler.biz
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