[mresseguie]

Well, I just had an interesting experience. A gentleman came to my home to audition the pair of Paradigm Studio 20 v.3 monitors I have for sale. I turned everything on and started playing the CD that was already in the Oppo. The guy asked to hear Jazz instead, so I stopped the CD and left the livingroom for 25 seconds to fetch another CD. When I came back in and played the new CD, the right channel wasn't working. [It had just been fine!] I checked all the wiring. I switched speakers to demonstrate it wasn't the right speaker not working. I guessed the right channel fuse had blown though I could not guess why.

By this time (5 minutes) the guy was clearly becoming impatient. I offered to switch out my other amp. He said he was going to go somewhere in his car (idk where) and that he could return later. He left. I've called his number twice and left messages. I do not expect him to return.

He knew both speakers work. He knew I had another amp. Yet he chose to leave. He supposedly drove an hour to listen to these speakers. He was alone in my living room for 30 seconds with a perfectly working system.

I do not know the gentleman other than his cell phone number and his first name. He saw my ad in Craigslist.

I suspect he used a key or other device to short my right channel. Why the hell else would the right channel fuse have shorted without any cables being pulled and crossed/touching?

I replaced the blown fuse.....it works just fine. WTH?

Okay. Tell me I'm being paranoid.

Damn it all anyway!
 

[RDavidson]

That's very strange, but likely just a coincidence that your amp blew a fuse at that time.

BUT, next time, don't invite a stranger over to your house regarding a Craigslist ad without someone else at home with you. It's always better to play it safe. No stranger danger.

[charmerci]

Sure, the fuse just happened to blow when he was there. "Geez, his damn system is crap" and he walks out.

Just bad luck.

[Doublej]

You are being paranoid until you find out that his cell phone is a burner. Did you get his plate number?

[Murphy12]

Seems like a coincidence to me. No one would plan something like that ahead of time or think it up on the spot; too much could go wrong with little possibility for gain. You'd have to know something about electronics to do that intentionally and the average person would not know how to do that.

Possible motivation would be a quick theft and a reason to leave quickly but too much could go wrong in that scenario to be very plausible. All the same, I would do a quick room search to see if anything is missing. 

[James Romeyn]

Unrelated except for Craigs list experience.  Right before I left CA for better places, the SF Chronicle had a long article as follows. 

Local guy lists a mid-level bike for sale.  Guy allegedly from USA NW calls.  He mails check including overly generous payment for seller to properly pack and ship bike.  Seller thinks he's a smart guy, no one's gonna stick him with a rubber check.   

He takes check to local BofA to cash BA check (I've been to this branch in SF; it was robbed by gunmen while my then-sister in law worked there...I think the PD killed one of the robbers in the street).  He waits a long time at the window.  Clerk away from window at a desk calls the manager over but seller hears no conversation.  Manager pushes hidden red button.

Check was stolen and forged from BofA.  PD arrive and cuff seller and he stands for a looooong time with old ladies walking by looking at him like he's Charlie Manson.  Guess what he tells the PD: "I'm innocent, I had nothing to do with this check."  I mean, a bank robber wouldn't lie, would he?  Gee whiz, guess what?  They don't believe him.

He's booked for attempted felony bank theft/fraud, and IIRC spends the weekend in SF County Jail, a very nice place I'm sure.  Bail was not economy class.  DA continues with criminal process till seller's criminal defense attorney (estimate $500/hour in SF now) convinces DA seller was criminally stupid, not a mere criminal.         

About a year later and after $9k in legal defense fees seller publicly attempts to chastise BA for wrongly charging a nice pleasant looking young hip white SF guy with bank robbery. 

BA president laughs at demand for apology, but does say he's sorry for seller's "predicament."  BA promises exact same outcome for every similar future attempted theft.  Again, I mean, a bank thief wouldn't lie, would he?   

Never ever in a million years attempt to CASH a check from unknown party.  Deposit is fine, but cash attempt of any forged instrument is attempted theft/bank fraud, a federal felony.  If you merely deposit, it's a mere visit at home and/or work by FBI agents.  Answer every question fully and accurately or face immediate arrest and call your attorney.  Attempted cash withdrawal is attempted theft/fraud.

[mresseguie]

I forgot to mention there were two house guests in the kitchen the whole time he was here. The guests were minding their own business though.

My paranoid thought was he did it for either of two reasons: to get a lower price for defective goods, or as an easy way to back out of any negotiation since he decided on the spot he didn't want them.

Okay. I just read that. That is REALLY paranoid. Now everyone reading this is wondering what the hell is wrong with me. 

I think I ought to open a bottle of nicer wine this evening, play some cool tunes, and mellow the f*@$ out.

I did not get his license number or make of vehicle. There doesn't appear to be anything missing. Oh, wait. The upright piano is GONE! Oh....just kidding.

It's just not fair. Isn't life supposed to be fair? Sigh.

[Murphy12]

I forgot to mention there were two house guests in the kitchen the whole time he was here. The guests were minding their own business though.

My paranoid thought was he did it for either of two reasons: to get a lower price for defective goods, or as an easy way to back out of any negotiation since he decided on the spot he didn't want them.

Okay. I just read that. That is REALLY paranoid. Now everyone reading this is wondering what the hell is wrong with me. 

I think I ought to open a bottle of nicer wine this evening, play some cool tunes, and mellow the f*@$ out.

I did not get his license number or make of vehicle. There doesn't appear to be anything missing. Oh, wait. The upright piano is GONE! Oh....just kidding.

It's just not fair. Isn't life supposed to be fair? Sigh.

  LOL this made me laugh in what was otherwise a rough day - thanks

[Tyson]

Actually you WERE tricked.  But the purpose of the mysterious visitor was not to rob you or to get a better deal.  No, his real purpose was to MAKE YOU PARANOID!  He is reading this thread now and quietly chuckling to himself....

[Murphy12]

this thread keeps getting better and better 

[Nick77]

Pretty bizarre, although he had no reason to believe that changing to Jazz would require you leaving the room.

[Wayner]

Have you checked the house for missing items? This guy could have easily ripped you off with anything that was laying around the house. He also now knows the status of your security system (if you have one) and also knows what kinds of window and door latching that you have.

You, IMO, were not duped, but possibly under surveillance.....

Why do I say this?

You were asked to leave the room.
An odd thing happened.
He abruptly left.

Looks like a duck, quacked like a duck.

[RDavidson]

Something to keep in mind here : The potential buyer probably got annoyed because he thought he was the one being "tricked" into buying bad speakers (or at least one bad speaker). I mean, from his perspective, it was pretty strange for the amp to suddenly blow a fuse too. So rather than take a risk, he just decided not deal with it then or in the future. I think that's likely the reasonable explanation.

Two sides to every coin.

[srb]

Actually you WERE tricked.  But the purpose of the mysterious visitor was not to rob you or to get a better deal.  No, his real purpose was to MAKE YOU PARANOID!  He is reading this thread now and quietly chuckling to himself....

Sounds like too much time and energy wasted for a small reward.  But apparently people will do things to cause you trouble, inconvenience or to waste your time, particularly if their time and energy investment is minimal.

A few months ago I was driving down the far left lane of a six lane divided street in town when the occupants of an SUV next to me were shouting and pointing down to the ground.  I rolled down my window to hear "your tire!".  I waved "thank you" and quickly made my way over to the right lane and turned into an apartment complex.  I got out to see if I had a flat, or the wheel was coming loose or what.  Tires OK, wheels OK, lugnuts OK.  ??????

Still, it's hard to understand the reward of enjoyment they reaped from their "joke".

Steve

[Doublej]

A great thief leaves no trail. That way they can steal your identity and use your credit card numbers before you catch on!

[Devil Doc]

Have you checked the house for missing items? This guy could have easily ripped you off with anything that was laying around the house. He also now knows the status of your security system (if you have one) and also knows what kinds of window and door latching that you have.

You, IMO, were not duped, but possibly under surveillance.....

Why do I say this?

You were asked to leave the room.
An odd thing happened.
He abruptly left.

Looks like a duck, quacked like a duck.

Sounds like target Acquisition and Reconnaissance to me. I'd be very careful the next few weeks.

Doc

[mresseguie]

Something to keep in mind here : The potential buyer probably got annoyed because he thought he was the one being "tricked" into buying bad speakers (or at least one bad speaker). I mean, from his perspective, it was pretty strange for the amp to suddenly blow a fuse too. So rather than take a risk, he just decided not deal with it then or in the future. I think that's likely the reasonable explanation.

Two sides to every coin.

Now wait one minute. This is MY paranoid thread. We dont need reason here. We get to say and do all sorts of wild eyed ideas or statements. If he wants his own paranoid thread, he can start his own.

It must be Friday.

I'd like to point out that I shaved yesterday and shower fairly often, so I didnt exactly look (or smell) especially offensive.

[Speedskater]

Yet on the other hand, Murphy's Law always takes precedent:

"Things will pick the worst possible moment to go bad"

My system works just fine until we have a party, then a hell breaks loose.

[thunderbrick]

I'd like to point out that I shaved yesterday and shower fairly often, so I didnt exactly look (or smell) especially offensive.

Post a photo of yourself and we'll decide what's "especially offensive."   

[bacobits1]

Did he look like that shady "trivago" guy? 

Never use Craig's List for anything.