Armslist Scammers

jbett98 · Jan 28, 2017

I posted a Colt Diamondback .22lr revolver for sale on this site and on Armslist this afternoon.
I went to look at my Armslist ad this evening and found it had been removed somehow and the gun is now for sale in North Carolina for $300.00 less then what I was asking for it.
This a new one for me. I know that there are bogus ads and bootlegged pics, but how does a scam artist eliminate my original ad?
I just re-posted it again in an attempt to keep it online.

salmonriverjohn · Jan 28, 2017

Please keep us up to date as to the outcome @jbett98 that's odd as hell.

Kruel J · Jan 28, 2017

I've never heard of that, but I quit using Armslist quite a while ago.

jbett98 · Jan 28, 2017

I added a warning on the Armslist ad about this:

Warning!
I have this firearm listed on another firearms site called NW Firearms and my 100% positive feedback can be verified there.
I noticed that some scam artist has taken my pics and posted this revolver for sale in N. Carolina.
Please don't respond to this crook.

MilitantBEEMER · Jan 28, 2017

Make sure you change your Armslist password, just to be safe.

jbett98 · Jan 28, 2017

Good Idea. Just did it.

etrain16 · Jan 28, 2017

jbett98 said:
I added a warning on the Armslist ad about this:

Warning!
I have this firearm listed on another firearms site called NW Firearms and my 100% positive feedback can be verified there.
I noticed that some scam artist has taken my pics and posted this revolver for sale in N. Carolina.
Please don't respond to this crook.

I've seen something similar to this on Armslist, not with my ads, but ads that had prices that seemed too good to be true. What these scumbag scammers do is pull photos from someone else, maybe from a forum or other site and post them as their own, along with the description.

If I suspect an ad is a scam, I'll try right clicking on the image and use the "search Google for this image" to see if it shows up somewhere else - sometimes it's from an ad that is several years old. I'll do the same with the text of the add - maybe a paragraph, and search Google for that text - again, I'll sometimes find it on an ad from another site, maybe several years old. The whole scam is to get you to send your payment, then they disappear. While I'm using AL less and less, if I see this, I report the ads.

ThemGunsThough · Jan 28, 2017

That's really odd. I'm glad you updated your password. Your issue is the first I've heard of that situation. For me it's the scam emails and/or sketchy people

FireArm · Jan 28, 2017

I always get three or four of the lets meet no FFL people on AL.
Seen the scams too. I request info before I send money and I verify its a real person. Good deals on the other side of the country, the PNW gun prices run high.

robertvarner · Feb 6, 2019

I contacted the supposed FFL used by a person responding to three of my ArmsList ads. FFL said he has NOT been working with this person and told me what their scam is.

They send a fake cashier's check for $1000 over the amount of the sell price (supposedly for the cost of shipping), then ask you to send a real cashier's check for the difference. That way they have your money and you are left dealing with your bank trying to clear their fraudulent cashier's check.

Contacting the FFL before the transaction moves ahead is a good tactic to use to.prevent being taken. That and always be cautious....

Alexx1401 · Feb 6, 2019

This stuff is just to be expected. Have a gun on there now. Got a couple of those. Along with a couple wanting me to ship. The ones who wanted it shipped I told only one way I would. I take it to an FFL here who they pay to send it on it's way. Of course they did not want to do that. Also of course get some funny low ball offers. Hey it's like Craig's list for guns so I expect this.

Tim50 · Feb 7, 2019

Armslist is a questionable site at best! I did have one good transaction there but I have also had numerous replies about scams there. Do your homework and error on the side of caution.

PNWguy · Feb 7, 2019

I do my best to not sell anything online anymore at sites like Armslist or Craigslist. For every one legitimate interest in the item, there are five scam attempts. I can sell household and automotive stuff on an electronic bulletin board at work, and for guns, well, I haven't sold but one gun in the last few years and it was to a coworker.

I did sell a JM Marlin 1894 in .357 Mag on Gunbroker back in 2013 and had no issues. Set a reserve at $750 and bidding hit $1000. Had a local FFL ship it to his FFL in California and it was easy as pie.

Alexx1401 · Feb 7, 2019

PNWguy said:
I do my best to not sell anything online anymore at sites like Armslist or Craigslist. For every one legitimate interest in the item, there are five scam attempts. I can sell household and automotive stuff on an electronic bulletin board at work, and for guns, well, I haven't sold but one gun in the last few years and it was to a coworker.

I did sell a JM Marlin 1894 in .357 Mag on Gunbroker back in 2013 and had no issues. Set a reserve at $750 and bidding hit $1000. Had a local FFL ship it to his FFL in California and it was easy as pie.

When I bought a new car I let the dealership have my trade in for a couple hundred less for just that reason. Figured I could get 7 for it, they offered 5, I said it's yours. I could just invision the multiple contacts, when I work nights, saying they were coming over, then never show. Of the ones who would show then want to offer 2 for it and such. For a couple hundred it was just not worth my time since the dealer was a good drive away. Did not feel like having to go get Wife, just to get the car back here, then deal with the idiots.
Did get rid of the extra rims and snow tires for it on Craigs. After the first couple "let me send you a check" someone actually showed up and bought them. It's just something I expect when doing this any more. It is what it is kind of thing.