Plenty of sour notes with these ‘free’ pianos | Sam Venable
Although blessed with a computer-savvy wife who has me scared witless about the potential for electronic scams, I initially nibbled on this one.
It started when I recognized the name on an email (which turned out to be the result of a hack) and read words to this effect: “I’ve got a free piano that nobody in my family wants. Do you know someone who might be interested?”
I typed a reply: “Try the Joy of Music School in Knoxville. It’s a nonprofit organization that provides instruments and lessons for kids in need.”
A day or two later, the sender wanted more information — information that’s readily available for anyone who takes time to check the Joy of Music’s website. Red flags began to flutter. Ever since, I’ve never opened, let alone replied to, any piano inquiries. Straight to “report phishing.”
But I was curious enough to do some probing. That’s when I discovered the “piano scam” is merely another in a long line of flim-flam schemes intended to separate well-intentioned people from their money.
“This has been going on for about five years,” says Frank Graffeo, Joy of Music’s executive director. “No telling how many we’ve heard about.”
The Better Business Bureau of East Tennessee echoed Graffeo’s experience.
A bureau staff member directed me to the BBB scam alert list. It showed dozens of “free piano” complaints from all over the U.S., some as recently as late April. Most had been filed by individuals but also musical groups and schools.
The exact wording of the initial appeal differs, but the message never varies.
Seems there’s always a husband-wife-aunt-uncle-cousin-friend who has died and left an excellent piano nobody wants. It’s “in storage” and free to a good home. All they ask is that you pay to have it delivered.
You know where this is headed, of course.
Money gets sent. Piano never arrives. On to the next pigeon.
Graffeo admits being intrigued the first time he received one of these messages. Fortunately, he was cautious enough to investigate the “warehouse” and “moving company” and found out they were fake.
What’s particularly frustrating for the folks at Joy of Music is that real, honest, free piano offers come in all the time.
“We probably get two or three a week,” Graffeo told me. “We’ve gotten pretty good at figuring out what’s real and what isn’t.”
He did offer foolproof advice for anyone tempted to accept this “free” offer.
“Tell them you’ve already contacted a company here in Knoxville that’s going to drive out and pick up the piano at no charge, no matter where it is. I’ll guarantee that’s the last you’ll ever hear.”
There’s a music lesson we all need to memorize.
Sam Venable’s column appears every Sunday. Contact him at sam.venable@outlook.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Sam Venable: Plenty of sour notes with these ‘free’ pianos
