Scam

RidgeRunner · 06-15-2019, 11:01 AM

I put a gun for sale on Armslist. I got an immediate reply wanting to buy the gun. There was no question on price. The "buyer" was quick to say he would pay whatever the freight was. Two red flags began waving in my brain. He then said to send him my name and address and he would send me a cashiers check. This is toooo easy.
I told him to contact his FFL dealer and I would contact his FFL and discuss this with him before giving any of my personal info. Almost immediately he sent me a copy of an FFL. Red flag number three. I called the FFL and the owner of the gun store in Maine tells me it is a scam. He is getting three calls a day where this guy is trying to scam people. The FFL has talked to the BATF with little help from them. The FFL does not know how the scammer got a copy of his FFL. The FFL said he almost got scammed out of $5000 and a machine gun. The "buyer" had him convinced he was legit except for one mistake on some of the paper work. The FFL said to be extra cautious when selling over the internet. He thinks this is a much larger problem than we are being told. I forwarded all of my communications with the scammer to the FFL who is going to pass it on to the BATF.

I have sold a few of my guns over the internet and other than the hassle of boxing, shipping and going through my FFL I have never had a problem. I'm thinking in the future I will stay within the state of Georgia, face-to-face. Be careful y'all.

Shakyshoot · 06-15-2019, 11:36 AM

These days I think I'd insist on USPS money order. Even they can be faked, but the thing is you can cash it at the PO before you send your thing out. Can be hard to cash a big one though.

RidgeRunner · 06-15-2019, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shakyshoot

These days I think I'd insist on USPS money order. Even they can be faked, but the thing is you can cash it at the PO before you send your thing out. Can be hard to cash a big one though.

That is what I insist on. I won't take anything else. I cash it at the post office. I'm not selling anything too expensive.

Terry_P · 06-15-2019, 05:07 PM

I have never sold a gun on the web but have sold stuff on Craig's List. Terms are always the same cash only you pick up. I have had the sight unseen buyers with the cashiers check, ya,ya and when I tell them cash only they disappear.

Just out of curiosity who was the FFL in Maine?

RidgeRunner · 06-16-2019, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry_P

Just out of curiosity who was the FFL in Maine?

Fox Firearms, Vassalboro, ME

Terry_P · 06-17-2019, 04:22 AM

A little over 2 hours from me. Looks like a small dealer operating out of his barn in a pretty rural area. Really makes you wonder how someone got a hold of his FFL.

RidgeRunner · 06-17-2019, 08:08 AM

A suspicious mind might think he is part of the scam.

Sightngrl · 06-17-2019, 11:12 AM

I've only sold 1 firearm face to face to a cpl holder for cash, under ultra secure circumstances. I still didn't like it.

Travler · 06-17-2019, 04:25 PM

I will trying to sell 2 XD-40cal at the gun show this weekend.
There you can look at the person buying. I have sold and bought at gun shows in the past,
no problems.

Dead-Eye · 06-20-2019, 03:59 AM

Yep. Face-to-face, cash work just fine, they don't get it until the green is in your hand. And the same the other way around. You bring cash if you're serious. Buying or selling, I like gun shows for simplicity.

I forgot to mention that I know the folks at Fox firearms in Vassalboro, Maine. They're good folks, I've and I've never heard anything but good about them. I'm from Maine, not a half hour from them. In Maine, that's what they call "right up the street." As I recall, they're kind of heavy into the ARs, but they have plenty of other types of guns too. I've always been a service type guy who is on the road all the time, so I would drop in when I was rolling past. If you were ever there, you'd know what I mean. Their store is on the shore of a lake. It's beautiful. No way they would ever risk all that for a few back-channel sales.

If you ever watch North Woods Law, those Wardens you see on that show are good guys, but they're like a dog with a bone when they get a whiff of any kind of impropriety with guns. They'll find whoever it is, if they're in Maine. I guarantee it. Same with the Maine State Police.

Jim

Cowboy Gun Fan · 06-20-2019, 06:00 PM

Good catch. Anyone too eager to send a "Cashiers Check" is a red flag for sure. And there are times they will say "My secretary made out the check and made a mistake. More than you wanted will be arriving soon. Just take out what I owe you and send the rest back".

...yeah, right.

I usually don't sell, but if I ever do, it will either be on a good forum like this one or it will go to my LGS on consignment.

44s Rock · 06-22-2019, 06:46 AM

I sold my two Vaqueros through a local hunting forum. We met in the parking lot of my LGS in Ellensburg (center of WA.) as he was from another city in central WA., required CPL & DL. Turned out he was a US Marshall, all went well, I did have armed backup though, just in case! It was also just before the law changed requiring a background check on "all" transfers.

06-15-2019, 11:01 AM	#1
RidgeRunner Senior Member Joined: Nov 2015 From: Buck Ridge, Georgia Posts: 3,428	Scam I put a gun for sale on Armslist. I got an immediate reply wanting to buy the gun. There was no question on price. The "buyer" was quick to say he would pay whatever the freight was. Two red flags began waving in my brain. He then said to send him my name and address and he would send me a cashiers check. This is toooo easy. I told him to contact his FFL dealer and I would contact his FFL and discuss this with him before giving any of my personal info. Almost immediately he sent me a copy of an FFL. Red flag number three. I called the FFL and the owner of the gun store in Maine tells me it is a scam. He is getting three calls a day where this guy is trying to scam people. The FFL has talked to the BATF with little help from them. The FFL does not know how the scammer got a copy of his FFL. The FFL said he almost got scammed out of $5000 and a machine gun. The "buyer" had him convinced he was legit except for one mistake on some of the paper work. The FFL said to be extra cautious when selling over the internet. He thinks this is a much larger problem than we are being told. I forwarded all of my communications with the scammer to the FFL who is going to pass it on to the BATF. I have sold a few of my guns over the internet and other than the hassle of boxing, shipping and going through my FFL I have never had a problem. I'm thinking in the future I will stay within the state of Georgia, face-to-face. Be careful y'all.

06-20-2019, 03:59 AM	#10
Dead-Eye Junior Member Joined: Jan 2019 From: Blakeley Battlegrounds, southern Alabama Posts: 3	Yep. Face-to-face, cash work just fine, they don't get it until the green is in your hand. And the same the other way around. You bring cash if you're serious. Buying or selling, I like gun shows for simplicity. I forgot to mention that I know the folks at Fox firearms in Vassalboro, Maine. They're good folks, I've and I've never heard anything but good about them. I'm from Maine, not a half hour from them. In Maine, that's what they call "right up the street." As I recall, they're kind of heavy into the ARs, but they have plenty of other types of guns too. I've always been a service type guy who is on the road all the time, so I would drop in when I was rolling past. If you were ever there, you'd know what I mean. Their store is on the shore of a lake. It's beautiful. No way they would ever risk all that for a few back-channel sales. If you ever watch North Woods Law, those Wardens you see on that show are good guys, but they're like a dog with a bone when they get a whiff of any kind of impropriety with guns. They'll find whoever it is, if they're in Maine. I guarantee it. Same with the Maine State Police. Jim Last edited by Dead-Eye; 07-18-2019 at 03:41 AM. Reason: left something out

06-20-2019, 06:00 PM	#11
Cowboy Gun Fan Senior Member Joined: May 2015 From: SW Virginia Posts: 426	Good catch. Anyone too eager to send a "Cashiers Check" is a red flag for sure. And there are times they will say "My secretary made out the check and made a mistake. More than you wanted will be arriving soon. Just take out what I owe you and send the rest back". ...yeah, right. I usually don't sell, but if I ever do, it will either be on a good forum like this one or it will go to my LGS on consignment. Last edited by Cowboy Gun Fan; 06-20-2019 at 06:02 PM.

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06-15-2019, 11:36 AM	#2
Shakyshoot Senior Member Joined: Jun 2015 From: High Desert of South Arizona Posts: 863	These days I think I'd insist on USPS money order. Even they can be faked, but the thing is you can cash it at the PO before you send your thing out. Can be hard to cash a big one though.

06-15-2019, 05:07 PM	#4
Terry_P Super Moderator Joined: Apr 2008 From: Where it's warm Posts: 10,484	I have never sold a gun on the web but have sold stuff on Craig's List. Terms are always the same cash only you pick up. I have had the sight unseen buyers with the cashiers check, ya,ya and when I tell them cash only they disappear. Just out of curiosity who was the FFL in Maine?

06-17-2019, 04:22 AM	#6
Terry_P Super Moderator Joined: Apr 2008 From: Where it's warm Posts: 10,484	A little over 2 hours from me. Looks like a small dealer operating out of his barn in a pretty rural area. Really makes you wonder how someone got a hold of his FFL.

06-17-2019, 08:08 AM	#7
RidgeRunner Senior Member Joined: Nov 2015 From: Buck Ridge, Georgia Posts: 3,428	A suspicious mind might think he is part of the scam.

06-17-2019, 11:12 AM	#8
Sightngrl Senior Member Joined: Dec 2012 From: in the wind or on the beach Posts: 4,946	I've only sold 1 firearm face to face to a cpl holder for cash, under ultra secure circumstances. I still didn't like it.

06-17-2019, 04:25 PM	#9
Travler Junior Member Joined: Feb 2016 From: New Mexico Posts: 22	I will trying to sell 2 XD-40cal at the gun show this weekend. There you can look at the person buying. I have sold and bought at gun shows in the past, no problems.

06-22-2019, 06:46 AM	#12
44s Rock Senior Member Joined: Jan 2009 From: Far Western WA. Posts: 10,898	I sold my two Vaqueros through a local hunting forum. We met in the parking lot of my LGS in Ellensburg (center of WA.) as he was from another city in central WA., required CPL & DL. Turned out he was a US Marshall, all went well, I did have armed backup though, just in case! It was also just before the law changed requiring a background check on "all" transfers.