WARNING~ PIRANHA SPORTS~ SCAM

[wiseguy67]

There has been a few fisho web sites covering this promo and it appears that 'If it too good to be true....."

In the Tackle section of Ausfish there is a forum "Free Rod Offer"
I feel it is necessary to post this in the general area as its an on going issue.

I have been waiting for the first 'free rod' offer and as it never arrived when expected i wrote to Piranha Sports and was told be patient etc.
Then I wrote to the magazine that ran the promotion and this is the last email recieved from them.

Futhermore Fair trading office at this point say they are not able to assist.
I would like to know how many fishos have been sucked into this scam. Nation wide I imagine the numbers to be up there....


Due to the advice of ausfish I have deleated the email as it is against the law to post it here....

[DR]

wise67, according to a letter from Piranha Sports on another site, they had 12,575 people take them up on the offer.
work it out at $30 each they got for postage.
then work out the retail @$189
even if the rods cost them $80 t0 get on the market, it's a bucket load of money for what is supposedly a crap product.
my personal opinion is that they are very poor businessmen who do little research, or it's a scam & 12,575 went for it..

oh, & apparently of those 12,575 only 75 were unhappy.

[bignick]

It never ceases to amaze me how gullible people can be. Now, I'm not entirely up to speed on the whole Piranha caper, but I've had the nuts 'n' bolts explained to me and it's one of those "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" sagas. Nobody with any business sense gives away supposedly $100 (+) rods for $30; not in this day and age anyway. There is no such thing as "something for nothing" from businesses these days, and this is just another example. And, to top things off nicely, the perpertrators of this scam will walk away scot free with everyone's money. I just can't believe that people continue to tumble into these scams. The only consolation is that maybe the scammers will take their ill-gotten loot and spend it in some far off land on some dirty "hostesses" of ill-repute and contract a nasty social disease.

Cheers,
NICK.

[DR]

will take their ill-gotten loot and spend it in some far off land on some dirty "hostesses" of ill-repute and contract a nasty social disease.

Cheers,
NICK.

stop it Nick,we're getting all excited

[wiseguy67]

12575 multiply by $29.95 = $376621.25 not bad for a few months effort

It appears to me that even if they only sent out a third of the crappy rods that some people have stated are worth ten dollars they still aim to make a bloody good profit. Say $100,000 after expense.
This can all be achieved with a truck load of cheap glass rods and some advertising in a reputable magazine.
Unfortuneatly I understand the magazine may be held accountable. Aid and Abet rings a bell in this case, I am sure they (the magazine) had not intended to. The magazine needs to publish a warning and an apology ASAP nation wide via newspapers etc.

I have spoken to the Victoria Consumer Affairs:
CONSUMER AFFAIRS VICTORIA
(Victorian Issues Only)
452 Flinders St Melb
Public hours 8:30am - 4:30pm Mon-Fri
www.consumer.vic.gov.au
CONSUMER AND TENANCY ENQUIRIES
Cost of a local call 1300 558 181

They are sending me the forms to start an investigation.
I suggest others do the same.

Its the sort of crime that people get away with because befor the authorities do anything the culprits have vanished.

Makes my blood boil.

Gerard

[bundopeace]

Exactly pple, wat are these people thinking... totally out of hand

[Az]

im glad I never got around to sending my money off then

[rajawolf]

AZ....... same here mate.. PHEW!

[88fishframe]

Anyone recieved a rod along with a TAX INVOICE showing ABN ect ...?

If no tax invoice I'd be rining the ATO as well. They have bigger teeth >

[wiseguy67]

I have had to deleat the letter from Modern fishing magazine as Ausfish has advised:
It is against the law in Australia to forward or reproduce in any form an E-mail with out the permission of the sender.

[wiseguy67]

I have become concerned in regards to the Forum I started on the Piranha Sports issue.

Today I spoke with Alex Bermudez de Romano the CEO of the Brazilian parent company of Piranha Sport. We spoke at length in regards to my concern of the time it has taken to send me the rod and the mostly negative comments left on two web sites including ausfish.com.au and fishnet.com.au as well the correspondence between the editor of Modern fishing magazine and myself.

When i read him the letter from Daniel (editor of Modern Fishing) he asked me to forward the email to him so that he could sue the magazine. I said that until i receive the rod and have satisfied my concerns regarding the delivery and satisfaction of aproximately 15000 customers. Of which he said there are 10000 waiting for this weeks shipment that has been delayed due to the commonwealth games taking place etc etc then i may consider sending him the email. Not very likely this will ever happen as i don't condone money hungry lawsuit seeking parasites.

OK to get to the point of this email:
Was I in the right to share Daniels email on this website with out his consent? Does the email need to be made anonymous?
Am i opening a can of worms that will not catch any fish!?

I know this is not a joking matter, I have spent the better part of the last two days speaking Modern fishing magazine, Piranha Sport, NSW Fair Trading office and the Consumer Affairs Office in Victoria.

Even though I have only $30.00 involved I am not one to watch others get scammed if i am aware/suspicious and may be capable of preventing further loss.

Today Alex assured me that i will be happy with the rod, he also assured me it would arrive this week, but, maybe as late as next week due to Melbourne Post Office being slowed down due to the Games!?? then went on to say that Daniel is a ignorant 27 year old that has no idea of what a rod is worth and has told lies because the competition (other rod suppliers) is complaining to him????
I do wish that i had been able to record the conversation as what was said makes my blood boil controllably.

Regards,

Gerard

[ironman2]

I too have spoken to Piranha Sport at lengths about the free rods. The rod I got in the January Promo was supposed to be the Eustary 70 three piece. What I got was not a three piece rod but a two piece labelled Eustary 70. When I spoke to them about it they told me that they were only a distributor of the rods and they weren't liable for their own stuff up. When I asked them which rod did I get then they had know idea. They said if I liked I could send the rod back to them at MY expense with another $30 to get the rod I was supposed to get. I don't think so, I'll put up with the over priced rod they sent me. If they think this rod is worth $189 as they stated on the form in the Modern Fishing magazine then I'm a monkey's uncle.

It may be a Brazillian company but the girl I spoke to let slip they were made in China......I'm still waiting for the second rod which was supposed to have been from the Pantera range but once again it appears a stuff up by this organisation.

[wiseguy67]

no rod arrived this week..

[Dug]

Apply the rule:" If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is"

[Barrymundi]

Young Daniel from Modern Fishing is a good bloke who loves his fishing.

Al