piano scam email

This is an actual email one of our staff received from a piano scammer. Click the image to read it in full size.

Those of us who play the piano know the joy it brings. We love pianos, but we may not always have the budget for the instrument of our dreams.  We WANT that feeling of satisfaction and joy we get when we play a truly excellent instrument and we so want to believe in finding that “once-in-a-lifetime” deal. That is what makes falling victim to a piano scam so easy.  They prey on our emotions and envelop us in a web of plausible lies until they get what they’re really after:  our hard-earned money.

Piano scammers are tech savvy, experienced, heartless and clever.  They know how to hook us with emotion and how to weave a shockingly convincing (but completely untrue) story that can cost us hundreds – even thousands – of dollars if we fall victim.

…but how do we avoid falling for these fraudsters?  What are the warning signs?  How can we tell a “great deal” apart from something that is literally “too good to be true?”

Well, after decades in the piano business, I have seen all kinds of piano scams and – though avoiding them can be tricky – there are some simple things you can do to protect yourself.  Let’s take a look at the most common piano scams and the simple tools you can use to avoid them.

The Free Piano Scam

Yamaha piano scam

This is a common scam that pops up all over the internet. As you can see, these fraudsters are just as happy to scam schools, churches and private individuals. Beware the “Free Piano Scam.”

Last week, an older couple came into my store asking if we moved pianos. I told them we had a service we used and asked them what they needed to move. They said they were getting a free piano and wondered how much it would cost to move it. Immediately concerned, I asked them to explain the situation to me.  Here was their story:

They received an email from a lady who claimed to have just lost her husband.  She said she wanted to give his 2014 Yamaha baby grand away to someone who could use and appreciate it because it was what her husband wanted after he passed. The lady further explained that the piano was in storage with a professional moving company in Colorado and the older couple could have it for free if they really wanted it.  All they had to do was pay to have the piano delivered to their home. Thrilled, the older couple contacted the “moving company” and got a quote of $1200 to have the Yamaha baby grand piano delivered to them. Of course, the moving company said they had spoken to other interested parties and the “free piano” would go to the first one to pay them for the move.  The story made sense to the older couple, but they wanted to get a second moving quote before they paid the Colorado moving company their $1200 fee.  Thankfully, they came to me and I was able to save them some heartbreak and a cool $1200.

I explained that this was a very common scam that has been making the rounds on social media, email, Craigslist and other sites for decades now. The piano is usually a Yamaha or Steinway and it’s usually a model from the 2010s.  They were shocked that the woman who seemed so nice in the email was actually a heartless scammer out to steal their money.  I explained that – once they pay the moving fee – the scammers (usually from the fake “moving company in Colorado”) will explain that there’s a problem shipping the piano across state lines or that the piano isn’t insured.  They might even ask you to pay an additional “insurance deposit” of $1000 or so that they claim will be “refundable upon delivery.”  In the end, they’ll come up with some weird excuse and then run off with the money you gave them.  Piano scam complete.

Piano Scam Insurance

Here, the scammers are requesting 10% of the piano’s “value” (an arbitrary number they came up with) to insure the piano so it can ship. They (falsely) claim the money will be refundable upon delivery.

Thankfully, this couple “accidentally” saved themselves by asking for a second moving quote from a reputable piano company.  …but there are ways to know for sure that the “free piano” in, in fact, a scam.  First, make sure to ask the piano’s model number, serial number, age, size, and finish colorAlso, ask for a few photos.  You can simply explain that you need this information and the photos “to make sure the piano will fit in your home.”  Then, armed with this information, contact us and confirm that everything checks out.  Scammers will often use photos that don’t match; they will get the model number wrong; or they will give you a serial number that doesn’t match the piano’s age.  We can catch these inconsistencies and save you from a costly scammer.  We can even help you search the phone numbers for both the scammer and their supposed “moving company” to determine if they are reputable businesses.  Nine times out of ten, we can debunk the story and expose the scam with that information alone.  If not, we have more advanced means at our disposal, but suffice to say, we’re excellent allies to have in a case like this and we don’t charge a dime to help you!

…but first, you have to be suspicious of anyone offering you a free piano.  Who wouldn’t be excited at the prospect of getting a nearly new, name brand baby grand for only the cost of shipping?! Unfortunately, scammers are counting on this excitement to override your natural sense of suspicion.  Is it realistic to believe someone is just going to give away a piano worth $20,000 or more?

No… but you sure WANT to believe it, don’t you?  That is how they get you.

Another question that should arouse your suspicion is how did these people find you in the first place?  I asked the aforementioned couple why they had received the email and they said they didn’t know. They had been looking around online and thought they may have left their contact info with someone, but they weren’t really sure.  It’s a good idea to be cautious whenever you get an email from someone you don’t know – especially if they are offering you something expensive for free.  It’s never a good idea to give someone you don’t know money without checking them out first.  That’s a great way to protect yourself from a piano scam.

The Over-Payment Scam

used spinet piano

Be cautious whenever anyone sends you more money thank you asked for – and never accept a check from a stranger.

“Free pianos” aren’t the only piano scams out there, though.  Another common piano scam involves you selling your piano to someone else.  This can happen to a school or church, a private individual – even a piano store!  Here’s how it works:

Someone contacts you through email or text and wants to buy your piano, but they’re from out of town. They agree to your price and say they will send you a check. You receive the check and it looks like a legitimate cashier’s check but it’s for $1000 more than you were asking. When you contact them to ask about the over-payment, they will tell you that the extra money is for their piano moving service.   They explain that the company they hired to move the piano will pick it up from you and collect the $1000 upon pickup.  This saves them from having to write two checks or wait for the second check to arrive, etc.  There’s always a “reasonable explanation” for doing this.  …but here’s the rub:  The delivery people will show up that day or the next to pick up the piano – before the check has had time to clear the bank.  Before you know it, they’ve got your piano and an extra $1000 of your money before your bank calls to inform you that the check they sent was no good.  You’ll never hear from them again.  Piano scam complete.

Sometimes they’ll ask you to pay their “delivery team” through PayPal or via some other method. If you do that, they’ll just take your money and run.  They might not even pick up the piano! It’s a quick way to steal some cash without having to involve others.  Piano scam complete.

The moral of this story is to never take a check of any kind from someone you don’t know, or – if you do – make sure it clears your bank before you give up your piano.  Never give a stranger money and never send money to a company you haven’t vetted first.  Whenever someone gives you more money than you asked for – contact us for help.  You’re likely dealing with a piano scammer.

 

The (Actually) Free Piano Scam

free piano

Free pianos aren’t really free. You have to pay to move them, tune them and repair them. Have that “free piano” looked at by a professional tech before you bring it home.

Another common piano scam is the (Actually) FREE PIANO scam.  This one is so subtle, most people (even the scammers) don’t really think of it as a scam… but that is exactly what it is.  This one is different from the first piano scam in that the used piano is local and they ARE actually willing to give it to you for free.  All you have to do is pick it up.  It might even look beautiful on the outside!  So many of them do.  …but – due to ignorance or neglect – the piano’s interior is very much NOT in good shape and you’ll be picking up a massive money pit. Most likely it will be an old upright or spinet piano that won’t hold a tune that they’ve been trying to sell but couldn’t. The owners know it will cost them several hundred dollars to have the piano hauled off, so – to save themselves that expense – they decide to “give it away” (ie – make it someone else’s problem). Since the piano looks good and the owners told you it’s in good shape, you decide to take it off their hands and bring it home.  …but – when you call a piano technician – you find out that the piano is going to cost several hundred dollars (even thousands in some cases) to repair – IF it can be repaired at all.  By now, the piano is in your home and is your problem.  YOU have to scam someone else or pay to dispose of it.  Piano scam complete.

The solution here is simple.  Good pianos have value.  NEVER pick up a “free” (or very cheap) piano before having a piano tuner look at it and evaluate its internal condition. Sure, the piano might look beautiful, but that doesn’t mean it will play well – just like a car could have a beautiful body and a massive oil leak!  The small amount of money you’ll pay to get a professional’s opinion might just save you from a big headache! As I’ve said many times, “free pianos” are never really free. After moving, tuning, and some very basic repairs, it’s easy to put $500 or more into that “free” piano.  …but if that piano has serious internal problems as a result of neglect (ie – lack of tuning) or extreme age, you could find yourself spending thousands to restore it to its former glory.  Make sure you know what you’re getting inside and out before you bring a piano – any piano – home.

 

The “Made in…” Scam

made in germany

There are a variety of ways to find out where a piano is actually made. Contact us for legitimate, third-party sources and never just trust a sticker.

Unfortunately, you can be scammed at a piano dealership as well!  Because most people aren’t as familiar with piano brands as they are with car brands, it’s easy to simply “take a salesperson’s word for it” and fall victim to a piano scam.  I recently saw a piano dealer have “Made in Germany” decals made at a local print shop.  He then applied these decals to several of his discount Chinese pianos falsely claiming that they were “made in Germany.” He would even show customers the “company address.” Though the German address he showed them did belong to the company, it referred to a sales office – not a manufacturing facility.  In truth, few people know where in China this brand is made, but everyone – including the piano manufacturer – confirms the pianos are made entirely in China.  The German office has nothing to do with the pianos’ location of origin.  …but the salesperson used it to sell these cheap pianos at much higher prices – scamming good people out of thousands of dollars before they did enough research to discover the fraud.  By then, it’s too late.  Piano scam complete.

Don’t get me wrong.  Just because a piano is made in China doesn’t mean it isn’t a good piano.  It does mean, however, that the piano won’t command as much value as one made in Germany.  …and lying about a piano’s origin to inflate its selling price is as dishonest as it gets.  Piano salespeople should always tell their clients the truth.  Anything else is a piano scam.  Make sure you do your research before you buy a piano brand you’ve never heard of.  …and make sure you know everything you can about the piano dealer you’re considering buying from.  Contact us and ask for a free copy of our Piano Buyer’s Guide.  It will help you know what to look for in a piano – and in a piano dealer.  Arming yourself with this knowledge will help you avoid piano scams like this one.

 

The Truth about Piano Scams is this:  They are everywhere and the you have little protection from people who intend to take your money or pass off their junk to someone else.  Whenever you see a “free piano” offer, your “Spidey Senses” should tingle because you are probably dealing with some type of piano scam.  Again – good pianos hold their value better than cars or furniture.  If they really are in good shape, they will be worth money.  They won’t be free.  If they are free – they won’t be “in good shape” no matter how much the owner might claim otherwise.  In the end, you are the only one who can protect yourself from fraud, but you don’t have to do it alone.  Contact us for free help anytime.  We won’t judge you and we won’t lead you away from a “good deal.”  We will, however, recommend a good technician to help you evaluate the piano and we will help you make sure the people you are working with are safe.  Do yourself a favor and ask for help.

As a family-owned premium piano dealership, we have a vested interest in making sure you have a good piano experience – even if you don’t buy from us.