A scam is taking place in Anchorage, police said in a community message on Monday. In the scam, unsuspecting victims are presented with a serendipitous story of unsold electronics being heavily discounted, priced to move right then and there.

Citizens are usually approached in parking lots, by what the Anchorage Police Department describes as "a group of Pacific Islander males." Their offer seems too good to be true, and it later turns out to be. According to APD, the men tell prospective buyers that they had ordered the electronics for a customer who then backed out of the deal, providing them with a lot of unsold merchandise which is priced to sell fast.

Those who agreed to the transactions, upon bringing the boxes home, open up the boxes and "discover they are full of rocks" to emulate the proper weight of electronic devices.

Last month,

At that time, APD gave some advice that mirrored what they said of the box of rocks scam.

"Police would like to remind citizens that whenever they enter into a private seller transaction, it becomes a “buyer beware” situation. Whenever possible meet in a public location at a time when other people will be around. Do not go alone, bring a buddy," APD wrote in the statement Monday.

Unlike the iPad theft in May, the box of rocks sales offer a different set of issues in protecting yourself against scams. Police gave the advice to make sure buyers "actually lay eyes on whatever product you are buying and, if possible, confirm it’s in working order." This can be tricky when presented with what appears to be unopened or shrink-wrapped merchandise.

The men selling the boxes of rocks allegedly claimed to have a reputable resale business, complete with a business phone, website, and license, APD said. They also said the sellers are using different makes and models of vehicles to sell the electronics and they may be changing out license plates as well.

Have you or anyone you know fallen victim to this scam? We want to hear from you. Contact us via Facebook message, reply in the comment section below, or email us your story at news@ktuu.com.