Oregon Armslist Emails

[FullMetalJerk]

Where should I report these emails? Local law enforcement or some website? These seem like traps if you get my drift so maybe reporting them is pointless. These emails are annoying and non-stop:

"Hi,

Thanks for reaching out. Is it perfectly working? No faults, dings, scratches or wear marks? Well, i m an OTR driver located in Marysville WA. I m ready to make an instant purchase. I have a local gun shop (FFL) to receive it for me if you are willing to ship here. If yes, what's your shipping cost to 98270?? Or i can arrange for a dealer in your area for you to drop off and they will do what's necessary for me to receive it and this is after you must have receive payment."
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Here's a better example:

From: Daniel Garza <[email protected]>

"I appreciate the quick reply.I am OK with the price stated and I would like to make an instant purchase through a certified cashier check due to tight frame work and really occupied schedule which is the reason I won't be able to come for the pick up. I will be adding an extra $70 for shipping, insurance and holding of the item on my behalf …I urge you to get back to me with the details requested below to get the check mailed out to you without delay, If you are not willing to ship or never shipped before I could organize for a local pick up by a FFL dealer close to you

Details needed:

Name to be on the check…..

Complete address to receive the check…..

Phone number............(so i can text you)

Final asking price..

Here's the FFL dealer's License # 5-74-259-01-1F-07903, i can email you a copy of the dealer's FFL license copy if you want."

Read More

 

[Dirt Sample]

I just laugh and ignore them. Part of the price for doing biz on Armslist. That and the people that always offer you half of asking price. If the original message says if the firearm is still available, instead of make and model of what I'm selling, it doesn't even get a response.

 

[gmerkt]

Maybe I'm missing something here. What has been said that would warrant notifying law enforcement? The guy makes reference to dealing through an FFL so no lawbreaking re. transfer has been suggested. If you suspect fraud, he hasn't done anything yet that is illegal. "Is it perfectly working" isn't the kind of English word order that is current and arouses a bit if suspicion. Otherwise, I agree with Dirt Sample above, it's part of doing biz on Armslist. I've made a few sales through Armslist and when I get replies such as this, I'll take them as far as they will go before the smelling rat is too big to ignore. Some don't get answered. I've been surprised when a goofy approach has actually led to a sale.

Do you think law enforcement has the resources to deal with stuff like this even if obvious illegal activity had been suggested? Do you think law enforcement devotes resources to setting up traps on Armslist to catch law-breakers? I don't know the answer but I wonder. I'm guessing that maybe if it was part of a larger case related to a big smuggling operation, it might be an issue. Meaning, some person or group that was trying to rope in quantities of sales via Armlist so they could be grouped for smuggling.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I had a guy from out of state wanting to have me ship a pistol to his house and have him pay via credit card.
So many red flags. Armslist needs a feedback system to help end the scammers.

 

[Hueco]

If it is a scam or phish then your best bet of recourse is to get in touch with the website and then your local internet service provider and email service provider.

Thing is, neither a scam attempt nor phishing expedition has yet to break a law. But, no one likes these guys and if anyone up from the company (armslist) to the ISP to the ESP can track a pattern (like many of the same types of messages coming from the same account, email address, IP address, etc) then they can be shut down at various levels.

Armslist can shut down the offending account and possibly IP address from creating another account (sure it's not a permanent solution but it will work for a bit. Longer if the scammer is not up on technology), or some other recourse.

Your ISP and ESP can likewise take action. Attempted scams are most likely against their ESP's policies so that may get their account suspended.

Other than reporting to those groups, there really isn't a legal recourse.

Of course, you could ship him the gun, get scammed, then go after him for fraud and theft (legal recourse). Your call on which hill you want to die on to "get the bad guy."

 

[Mygrainman]

NWFA is definitely a spoiler for all the other firearm sites....
I've done over 150 transactions here, only had to give 1 negative feedback.
That guy actually accepted fault and promised to do better in the future, so it worked out well.

Armslist on the other hand has been about 50/50.

 

[Member 5605]

Arms list is like stapling an ad to a telephone pole on every street corner across the nation.

Consider your market and expect these results.

 

[jbett98]

I sure miss OutdoorsTrader. Just a bunch of old collectors that held up their end of the deal.

 

[Member 5605]

I sure miss OutdoorsTrader. Just a bunch of old collectors that held up their end of the deal.

That's where I found out about NWFA

 

[Jcon268]

I had a guy from out of state wanting to have me ship a pistol to his house and have him pay via credit card.
So many red flags. Armslist needs a feedback system to help end the scammers.

I can beat that. I had a guy wanting me to ship my firearm to him.... along with the suppressor that was mounted to it for picture purposes (as was clearly notated). Yeah buddy I don't need my suppressor anymore why don't ya just have it? What planet are you from and how dumb do you think I am?

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I can beat that. I had a guy wanting me to ship my firearm to him.... along with the suppressor that was mounted to it for picture purposes (as was clearly notated). Yeah buddy I don't need my suppressor anymore why don't ya just have it? What planet are you from and how dumb do you think I am?

Hahaha sure just ship a federally regulated NFA item for a private transaction no paperwork needed.. he'll just Venmo you.
Oh man that is good!

 

[Jcon268]

Hahaha sure just ship a federally regulated NFA item for a private transaction no paperwork needed.. he'll just Venmo you.
Oh man that is good!

Didn't even offer extra for it or to cover my tax stamp money! He'd just give me my asking price if I'd throw that little thing in. I should have told him he can have my whole estate when I'm sitting in prison

 

[titsonritz]

Maybe I'm missing something here.

I'm glad I'm not the only one.

 

[JeffPDX]

The only time I reported a potential scam to Armslist was when they were using one of my pictures for their post. It was more irritating that they were also under cutting my price.

 

[DB is Here]

It was more irritating that they were also under cutting my price.

Ok, that's funny right there.

 

[rupey7]

Armslist is a crap shoot for sure. The first thing I do on any site is initiate a phone conversation, no conversation then no further discussion.
Sometimes you can hear the saggy pants and dysfunction over the phone. I've found this everywhere but fewer occurrences on NWFA.
Sometimes you have to sift the mud to find a gold nugget!

 

[FullMetalJerk]

Forgot to mention the most important detail.... Usually I get messages about the buyer wanting to pay with a cashiers check. That, and they always have a story about being a truck driver living out of state and someone else picking the gun up for them.

 

[Flymph]

NWFA is definitely a spoiler for all the other firearm sites....
I've done over 150 transactions here, only had to give 1 negative feedback.
That guy actually accepted fault and promised to do better in the future, so it worked out well.

Armslist on the other hand has been about 50/50.

Laughed so hard when my package showed up as "Flymph" and realized I forgot to tell you my name!

 

[trevi]

Where should I report these emails? Local law enforcement or some website? These seem like traps if you get my drift so maybe reporting them is pointless. These emails are annoying and non-stop:

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out. Is it perfectly working? No faults, dings, scratches or wear marks? Well, i m an OTR driver located in Marysville WA. I m ready to make an instant purchase. I have a local gun shop (FFL) to receive it for me if you are willing to ship here. If yes, what's your shipping cost to 98270?? Or i can arrange for a dealer in your area for you to drop off and they will do what's necessary for me to receive it and this is after you must have receive payment.

I am with the other poster who does not understand what is wrong with this. FFL was offered as a go between. But yes, I have had my share of replies that were downright scammy, but I have also bought a few firearms that went through without redflags or failure.

 

[strick]

Having listed many times on armslist, I tend too turn that scam back onto them, figure if they are wasting time with me, then that is less time they have finding more victims.