Rob Horgan
ROCK legend Rick Parfitt has been conned out of thousands of euros after falling for an age-old trick.
The Status Quo guitarist and vocalist was duped into buying ‘luxury’ pots, pans and cutlery for €1,465 from a pair of slick conmen posing as Swiss salesmen in Guadalmina.
It was only when the 66-year-old British rocker returned to his Marbella mansion that he realised he had been sold a dud.
Instead of ‘luxury Swiss finery’ it soon became apparent that he had acquired ‘a load of old tosh’ with ‘made in China’ inscribed on the base of the pans.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, Parfitt’s wife Lyndsay was ALSO tricked by the same fraudsters completely by coincidence.
Approached separately in Nueva Andalucia, two days before, Lyndsay handed over the same amount as her husband, leaving the Parfitts €2,930 down with nothing to show for it.
The pair have now called in the police, after Lyndsay amazingly then met the same men in IKEA’s car park in Malaga a week later.
Having taken their photo and given police their details, she is hoping for a quick conviction.
“I cannot believe that we both fell for it,” fitness instructor Lyndsay told the Olive Press.
“Neither of us are stupid or gullible so it just goes to show how professional these guys are.
“They are dressed in slick suits and drive luxury BMWs and claim to be from Switzerland.
“They are very good at their act, so it is vital that people must be warned about them.”
The con involves the two ‘businessmen’ approaching their ‘target’ while they are in a stationary car, usually in a car park, Lyndsay explained.
From there they claim to have leftover stock from a nearby exhibition, which they are willing to sell for a cut-price as they can’t transport it back to Switzerland.
“It is all very believable,” Lyndsay added. “They show you some genuine gear while you are seated in your car and then start throwing deals at you.
“When they start loading the boxes into the boot of your car it all looks legitimate.
“It is only when you get home that you realise you’ve bought a lot of cheap rubbish.”
Always on the lookout for a bargain, the Parfitts married in Gibraltar in 2006 in a £46 ceremony.
They now split their time in Spain between properties in Alhaurin el Grande and Marbella.
Honestly, who buys kitchenware from a car park? Duh.
Can’t believe they have fallen for that con. Has been around on the coast for years. Cutlery, leather jackets, digital cameras. Mainly aimed at tourists as locals know all about it…..a fool and his money.
Two professional salesmen selling top branded kitchen wear …… in a car park. Story says it all. Trouble is when most people are shown what they think is a bargain their common sense goes out of the window.
Rick’s wife said “it’s not as if we are stupid and gullible” right!
If Mr. Parfitt would like to contact me I can provide him with a very long list of cons commonly used on the Costa del Sol. This will hopefully save him and his wife a considerable amount of money if they are conned this easily. My old mum had these chancers trying this scam on with her about 15 years ago and she sent them on their way with several fleas in their ears.
Incredible that anyone would buy anything in a car park. These jokers were in sotogrande in 2007 and i saw loads of people buying that rubbish. Blew my mind
I’m surprised how many people living here in Spain have never been to a market or a car boot sale and if they have for what reason. Just curios that’s all.
They tried it with me in April in the car park of plaza major, knew straight away, sent them on their way.
“Neither of us are stupid or gullible…..” ….well, actually, yes you are. As just about everyone else has said, who in their right mind parts with €2,930 in cash in a car park (well, two car parks I guess so double the stupidity) for anything let alone saucepans. Seriously? I wonder if they bought their Rolexes in the same way…..news flash! :)