Guitar heroes and keyboard masters – don’t let scammers play you for a fool!
As Sam Ash Music shuts down all retail stores, sophisticated online fraudsters aim to profit off the closings. They’ve launched fake e-commerce sites offering unbelievable “closing down” deals on Fenders, Gibsons, Taylor acoustics, and more. But in reality, these too-good-to-be-true offers will just steal your money.
Don’t get played by scammy closing sales ads on social media. Avoid sketchy lookalike sites with similar names. Only shop the one legitimate samash.com store online or head to physical locations while you still can.
Keep reading to uncover these deceptive tactics and learn how to protect your wallet, identity, and love of making music…
Overview of the Sam Ash Store Closing Sale Scam
The recent announcement that Sam Ash Music will be shutting down all retail locations has created an ideal opportunity for online scammers. They have quickly launched sophisticated schemes to deceptively profit from the Sam Ash store closures.
This prevalent scam revolves around fake e-commerce websites and social media advertisements that falsely claim to offer huge closing down sales and clearance deals on Sam Ash gear. Scammers leverage the trusted Sam Ash brand name and real news of closures to trick enthusiastic musicians into thinking they are getting unbelievable bargains on premium instruments and equipment.
However, these “deals” are completely fraudulent. The scam websites have no actual relationship with Sam Ash Music. They are designed to steal credit card details and payments from victims who believe they are ordering from the real Sam Ash store.
Scammers are able to create convincing fake sites by copying images, logos, and even website layouts directly from the official Sam Ash e-commerce platform. They specifically highlight popular musician must-haves like Gibson and Fender guitars, Yamaha keyboards, and high-end Taylor acoustics.
Some examples of fraudulent domain names include samashcloseouts.com, samashmusicstore.top, ashmusicshop.shop, and samashclosing.store. Scammers frequently register these lookalike domains to deceive customers.
Once users place an order on the fake sites, the criminals either ship nothing or a cheap counterfeit item. Victims have received toy plastic guitars or $5 guitar tuners after ordering $2,000 Les Pauls online. The scam sites then disappear, leaving angry customers with no way to pursue refunds.
The Better Business Bureau has reported over 500 complaints related to fake Sam Ash closing sales over the past month. Credit card providers also note a surge in fraud claims from musicians duped by these convincing scams. This has become a widespread issue that all buyers need to be aware of.
It is essential for music gear shoppers to be vigilant and learn how to spot unauthorized Sam Ash imitations. Stay far away from sketchy social media ads and unfamiliar sites. Stick to the one legitimate e-commerce store at samash.com or physical Sam Ash locations. Don’t let scammers commodify the unfortunate closing news to rip you off!
How the Sam Ash Closing Sale Scam Works
The scam begins with an ad on social media or search engines announcing the fake closing down sale. Here are the steps scammers use to execute this scam:
Step 1 – Creating Fake Websites and Ads
The scammers first purchase domains intended to sound like the real Sam Ash site. Examples include samashstore.shop, samashclearance.top, guitarsale.store, and sammusic.top.
Next, they design the sites to closely resemble the look and feel of samash.com using copied images and logos. Scammers also create social media ads with the Sam Ash logo stating the company is going out of business.
Step 2 – Promising Unrealistic Discounts
The fake Sam Ash sites advertise discounts up to 90% off all inventory. Common examples are Gibson Les Pauls for $89 instead of $2,000, or Marshall amps for $79 instead of $800.
These unrealistic prices are intended to get shoppers excited about huge savings so they make impulse purchases without doing proper research.
Step 3 – Collecting Payment and Customer Data
When a customer adds items to their cart and goes to checkout, they are prompted to enter their payment information and shipping address.
The scam sites use fraudulent security seals and HTTPS to appear legitimate and trick users into submitting sensitive data. Their sole goal is collecting peoples’ money and information.
Step 4 – Never Delivering Orders
After receiving payment, the scam companies either ship nothing, or send the wrong cheap item. For example, customers might receive a low-quality $5 guitar tuner instead of the $2,000 Les Paul they ordered.
The scammers rarely provide any way for customers to contact them with issues or request refunds. Their sites vanish after collecting enough victim payments.
How to Identify Fake Sam Ash Music Websites
With the recent announcement of Sam Ash Music store closures, scammers have taken the opportunity to create fake Sam Ash websites to try and profit from unsuspecting customers. It’s important to be able to identify these fraudulent sites to avoid falling victim to their scams. Here are some tips on spotting fake Sam Ash Music websites:
1. Use Caution with Newly Created Domains
Scam sites often use newly created domains with generic names like “.shop”, “.store”, “.top” to try to mimic legitimate sites. For example:
- samashmusic.store
- samashgear.shop
- ashmusicshop.top
These are clear red flags. Sam Ash Music’s real website is samash.com – which has been registered for over 20 years.
2. Look for Lack of Contact Information
Fake sites typically only provide an email address, and no phone number or physical address. This is because they are not legitimate businesses. The real Sam Ash site has full contact details including store locations and phone numbers.
3. Be Wary of Unbelievable Deals
If you see discounts like “90% off Clearance Sale” or “Store Closing Sale” on a Sam Ash site, it’s likely a scam. The real Sam Ash is offering discounts on closing locations, but nothing near 90% off entire product lines.
4. Watch for Stolen Images and Content
Scam sites often steal product images and descriptions from the real Sam Ash site or elsewhere online. You may notice low-quality or watermarked images that clearly weren’t created for their site.
5. Analyze the Design and Content
Fake sites tend to use template designs with little customization. They also contain lots of typos, grammar errors, and duplicated content scraped from other sources.
By being vigilant and watching for these red flags, you can avoid the scam websites trying to profit off the Sam Ash name. Stick to samash.com or physical Sam Ash store locations for legitimate deals. Don’t let scammers steal your money or information.
How to Identify Sam Ash Scams on Social Media
How to Identify Sam Ash Scams on Facebook
Facebook is flooded with fraudulent Sam Ash ads promoting unbelievable deals. Here’s how to spot them:
- Headlines with enticing slogans like “Store Closing Sale”, “Warehouse Sale!” or “Going Out of Business Sale!”
- Images of premium guitars and gear with “90% Off!” overlays
- Links to sketchy websites instead of samash.com
- Fake accounts with stock photos and no followers posting the ads
- Comments disabled on the posts so users can’t expose the scams
- Newly created Facebook pages with titles like “Sam Ash Clearance”
- No blue verification checkmark on the Page name
Don’t click on these ads or visit the linked sites – you won’t get real Sam Ash deals and they may steal your personal information. Stick with the verified Sam Ash Music Facebook Page for legitimate news and offers.
Identifying Sam Ash Scam Ads on Instagram
Scammers are heavily active on Instagram as well. Here are ways to detect fake Sam Ash Instagram ads:
- Profile photos, bios and posts are AI-generated or stolen
- Highly discounted “Flash Sale!” promotions
- Comment sections turned off so users can’t warn others
- Link in bio goes to a sketchy site, not samash.com
- Using Sam Ash in the username (@samashclearancesale)
- Very few posts, followers and following accounts
- Offering insane deals like “Today Only – All Guitars 90% Off!”
Be very cautious of any Instagram account promoting huge Sam Ash discounts or closings. Verify it’s the real @samashmusic Instagram account before engaging.
How to Spot Fake Sam Ash TikTok Videos
Sam Ash scammers are very active on TikTok as well. Watch for:
- Videos promoting massive sales with urgent captions like “Hurry, ends today!”
- Clips showing pristine guitars with overlay text touting unreasonable discounts
- Comments disabled to prevent warnings about scams
- AI-generated voiceovers instead of real people talking
- Link in bio directs to sketchy site, not the official samash.com
- Very few followers/following and generic content
Don’t trust TikTok videos pushing too-good-to-be-true Sam Ash deals. They aim to bait people towards scam websites to steal money and information. Verify the account and deals through samash.com.
What to Do If You Are a Victim of the Scam
If you placed an order on a fraudulent Sam Ash closing sale website, here are important steps to take in response:
- Contact your bank immediately: Notify your bank or credit card provider and explain that you believe you were scammed. Acting quickly can increase the chances of recovering your payment.
- Report the incident to the FTC: File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission so they can investigate the scam website. This helps warn others.
- Leave online reviews: Post warnings on consumer sites like Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau to make the scam more visible.
- Spread awareness on social media: Share your experience in community groups and forums to alert fellow musicians.
- Search for contact information: Look online to see if the scam site has left any trace of valid contact details that you can use to try and reach them.
- Consult with professionals if needed: Speak with a lawyer if you believe legal action is required, especially if the amount lost is substantial.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Sam Ash Store Closing Sale Scam
1. Are the Sam Ash store closing sales on Facebook real?
No, any Facebook ads promoting huge 90% off Sam Ash closing sales are absolutely fake and fraudulent. Sam Ash is not running any authorized closing sales on social media. These ads aim to mislead you and steal your money and information. Only trust samash.com for online orders.
2. What about the Sam Ash closing sale websites – are they legit?
No. Any website other than the official samash.com promoting store closing sales is an outright scam. These copycat sites just steal the Sam Ash brand and assets. They cannot actually fulfill orders and will simply pocket your payment. Avoid them at all costs.
3. How can I tell if a Sam Ash website is fake?
Fake sites use new generic domains like .shop or .store instead of .com. They lack real contact info. Product images appear stolen. Prices are absurdly low like 90% off. Content seems awkwardly written. They also use high pressure slogans about limited time offers.
4. What happens if I order from a scam website?
You will lose your money and receive nothing. At best you may eventually get a cheap counterfeit instrument. Worse, scammers can steal your personal and payment information for identity theft. Under no circumstances should you order from the fake sites.
5. Is Sam Ash really going out of business?
Yes, Sam Ash announced that all their retail stores will soon begin closing down. However, their official e-commerce site at samash.com remains open for real closing deals. Visit locations before they shut, and only use the one real website.
6. Where can I get authentic Sam Ash closing sale deals?
The only place to safely purchase from real Sam Ash closing sales is on samash.com – their one legitimate website. You can also still visit physical Sam Ash stores that remain open for now. Do not trust any other sites or ads promoting Sam Ash deals.
7. What should I do if I suspect a scam website?
Avoid entering any personal or payment details. Report fraudulent sites to the FTC and BBB to help warn others. You may also contact Sam Ash customer service to notify them of copycats illegally using their brand without permission.
8. How can I stay safe from these music gear scams?
Only order from reputable authorized dealers like Sweetwater and Guitar Center. Beware too good to be true deals. Vet websites carefully and look for signs of fraud. Limit exposing personal information online. Use credit cards for better fraud protection.
Final Tips for Avoiding Fake Closing Sale Scams
- Only use the real Sam Ash website at samash.com for online orders.
- Search for contact information and read reviews before buying from unfamiliar sites.
- Beware of social media ads with prices that seem unrealistic.
- Stick to well-known retailers when making big purchases.
- Use payment methods with purchase protection whenever possible.
- Trust your intuition – if a deal seems sketchy, it probably is.
The Sam Ash store closing sale scam preys on enthusiastic musicians hoping to save money. But armed with knowledge of how this scam operates, you can enjoy the real deals while avoiding the scammers. Stay vigilant and happy music gear hunting!
