Axer Lens = Scam / Ripoff . Run Quick! Friend Ripped Off

[o hey tyler]

Robin is either in denial or associated with Axer. Either way the revival of this thread just puts it higher on the google returns list.

Currently this thread is #1 return when you google Axer lens and hopefully have saved a few people from this scam. Im just afraid if it hurts business to much they will rebrand it and call it something else.

Overall I am pleased that as a community we have helped other photographers avoid this scam.

Did you post the business name where your friend bought there's? I didn't see it anywhere.

 

[daggah]

Well, at least we know now that if a camera store tries to sell us an Axer lens, that we can promptly leave and not waste our time, so there's that, at least.

 

[Strommer]

My father just got ripped off by a store in San Francisco yesterday.

AXER Titanium Magenta coated lens worth 20 sold at 475USD+tax. Also a Olympus SZ 14 retailing at 139, can be found at 100, sold at 450USD+tax !
And on the receipt it says they don't accept refunds. My father did not notice that even though he was asked to sign the receipt. So no returns !
I called back and obviously they have no goodwill and just points to the receipt which says that they accept no returns.

This business is setup to scam, checking how much you know about cameras, exploiting the ones who don't know so much, divert from the object you where interested in towards a scam item and charge 1100USD for something worth around 150USD. Then when you come home and find out, you understand why you had to sign the receipt : it states a no refund policy which is worse than the minimum by law if nothing was stated.

Is this even legal ?

Here is the review on yelp, and the store name: Frisco Electronics - Fisherman's Wharf - San Francisco, CA

 

[Bulb]

My father just got ripped off by a store in San Francisco yesterday.

AXER Titanium Magenta coated lens worth 20 sold at 475USD+tax. Also a Olympus SZ 14 retailing at 139, can be found at 100, sold at 450USD+tax !
And on the receipt it says they don't accept refunds. My father did not notice that even though he was asked to sign the receipt. So no returns !
I called back and obviously they have no goodwill and just points to the receipt which says that they accept no returns.

This business is setup to scam, checking how much you know about cameras, exploiting the ones who don't know so much, divert from the object you where interested in towards a scam item and charge 1100USD for something worth around 150USD. Then when you come home and find out, you understand why you had to sign the receipt : it states a no refund policy which is worse than the minimum by law if nothing was stated.

Is this even legal ?

Here is the review on yelp, and the store name: Frisco Electronics - Fisherman's Wharf - San Francisco, CA

I would return it anyway.

They will take it back if you make it clear to them how much bad PR they're about to receive if they don't.

Facebook, Twitter, online forums (!), better business bureau complaints, scam alert sites, or even walking into the store and telling the other customers your story...

There's no excuse for taking advantage of people who don't know the prices.

 

[KmH]

Caveat Emptor.

Caveat emptor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[astroNikon]

So .. she's happy right now
Until she tries to use it

Then what ???

Truthfully, you need to contact her immediately and tell her that the lens is not what they sold her
Then let her take it back
If they do not refund her the money then there are other options

I would feel awful if a friend bought a lens and then they thought they didn't know what they were doing and then stopped photography altogether.
Don't let her "dream" continue any more, tell her reality and let her take it back as soon as possible without using it at all.

at least she would know the truth, from a friend.


oh wow .. this is a super old thread ....

 

[Bulb]

oh wow .. this is a super old thread ....

But it looks like this AXER scam is still going strong. Since its creation, others have come forward with similar stories.

It's good that the thread is still getting some attention. Hopefully some people are doing their research and seeing this thread before they make the decision to buy one. Every page view makes it more likely to be at the top of the search results.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Reading this I wondered what state laws might be related to overcharging, fraud etc. and a quick search found this.
Protecting Consumers | State of California - Department of Justice - Kamala D. Harris Attorney General
The store seems to already have an F rating from the BBB and apparently hasn't responded to complaints filed w/the BBB.

 

[NancyMoranG]

My father just got ripped off by a store in San Francisco yesterday.

AXER Titanium Magenta coated lens worth 20 sold at 475USD+tax. Also a Olympus SZ 14 retailing at 139, can be found at 100, sold at 450USD+tax !
And on the receipt it says they don't accept refunds. My father did not notice that even though he was asked to sign the receipt. So no returns !
I called back and obviously they have no goodwill and just points to the receipt which says that they accept no returns.

This business is setup to scam, checking how much you know about cameras, exploiting the ones who don't know so much, divert from the object you where interested in towards a scam item and charge 1100USD for something worth around 150USD. Then when you come home and find out, you understand why you had to sign the receipt : it states a no refund policy which is worse than the minimum by law if nothing was stated.

Is this even legal ?

Here is the review on yelp, and the store name: Frisco Electronics - Fisherman's Wharf - San Francisco, CA

If it matters, I went to your review and clicked 'useful' information. Maybe it will help, but they will figure on enough people not knowing these reviews first.
stand outside the store with a sign??
Sorry for your dad.
Nancy

 

[Droid04]

I made this account only so that I can post here.

My family went to a trip to New York this week (November 2013). Since we're from Europe, I asked my father to buy a Nikon 35mm f/1.8G lens for about 200 USD. When he returned he was so very proud that he bought me something so much better. He has no ideea about photography, and these sellers from N.Y. (the receipt states 45TH ST GIFTS &GALLERY, but it may have another front name) sold him a AXER TITANIUM lens series 52mm for 700 USD! They made a show for giving him a promotion from the site price that was 949 USD.
And now, I found this thread ... of course I won't tell him he got duped. And of course I can't send it back from Europe...
So I hope next time someone searches for AXERUSA.COM or AXER TITANIUM LENS SERIES, they read this thread...

 

[Steve5D]

A little bit of research goes a long way...

 

[Derrel]

The whole "AXER" lens thing is kind of an elaborate operation, with web pages maintained with fresh, up-to-date "positive reviews" posted on-line. Like this page 58mm Titanium Lens Series

The "AXER" company also maintains a simple web page that shows the various filter thread models and lists outrageous retail prices, over $900, for these $20, screw in wide-angle adapters. A quick search on my Phone reveals the "AXER" company's official web pages as the first three search results, taking up the entire first screen...followed by a link to this thread. The AXER lens line is designed to scam tourists out of money!

 

[Overread]

Yeah this is one of those situations where the company has taken steps to try and confuse the internet by flooding it with positive reviews here and there and by getting a high google ranking. Most people only look at the first few results and if the store keeper is also promoting the product well it can't be all bad (most people expect a shop keeper to get some profit out of them - the idea that a brick and mortar store would scam esp an older established store, just doesn't enter peoples minds).

By targeting the tourists it also works twice as well because they are less likely to demand refunds over international boundaries.

 

[robbins.photo]

So my friend just came over to the house to show me her new lens and was really excited. Last thing I heard she was going to get a Nikon 50 mm 1.4 so I was excited to see her new purchase. She arrived at the house and proceeded to show me a Axer brand lens and explained to me how awesome it was etc etc. Told me how she went into the camera store and the salesman showed her this and gave her a real good deal at $600. Of course she googles the price first and finds the website which shows it as a whopping $1500.

Long story short I do some researching and realize this lens is nothing more than a re branded $20 wide angle adapter and is one of the most common scams perpetrated in camera stores.

So the delima is, do I tell her? Right now she is happy with her purchase and has no idea she got screwed. I feel that there is no way the store would refund her money and me telling her would just make her bitter. On the other hand she believes the store has great people working in it and they gave her a great deal. Im torn what to do.

Main thing is, no matter what do not buy Axer lenses for $100's. I really hope Google web crawler finds this thread so others don't get screwed over.

I guess my first quesiton would be, why is there "no way" the store would refund the money? You would be downright amazed at how far you can get by going in and politely asking for a refund. If they refuse and start to give you a lot of hassle, don't scream and yell or jump up and down. Again, politely insist on the refund, and start using words like "Attorney", "Lawsuit", "Investigative reporting" and of course "Attorney General" as well as "misrepresentation" and of course my personal favorite "fraud" followed up by "felony".

You'd be downright amazed at just how quickly the store's policy on refunds will change.

 

[MiFleur]

I really don't get it, yes if your father, your friend or your neighbor got ripped off, of course you say it, if nobody tries to stop it, it is like encouraging it, they won't feel good but it is the truth, won't you tell your kid that if they want to eat chicken, an animal has to be killed first? I know we live in a world of illusion but let's look at the fact, she has been stolen and there is no way in my book that anybody should get away with it.