Armslist Scams - please explain

[sleepygreen]

I am selling something on Armslist and have gotten some offers from buyers in other states. One is obviously a scam, which I have learned to detect through craigslist type dealings. Question is what does the "buyer" have to gain? Given how it is worded, they are most likely foreign. They send me fake money order, I send gun to US FFL, how does foreigner obtain gun or what info are they gaining?

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[wayoutwest]

Is it the " I'll send you X amount over the asking price, you can keep some and wire me back the difference"

Are they actually telling you to send it to an FFL or that they will arrange something?

Only thing I see they get is your address where you have other guns. And their "acquaintance" will then break i into your home sometime.?? Maybe.

 

[Koda]

I am selling something on Armslist and have gotten some offers from buyers in other states. One is obviously a scam, which I have learned to detect through craigslist type dealings. Question is what does the "buyer" have to gain? Given how it is worded, they are most likely foreign. They send me fake money order, I send gun to US FFL, how does foreigner obtain gun or what info are they gaining?

How does one put fake money into your account? Wouldnt it get rejected by your bank?

Once you send the gun all they need to do it pay the FFL the transfer fee. They have everything to gain...

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

face to face in public and cash is king. those are my armslist thoughts.

 

[sleepygreen]

I agree, that's all I can see. They did not offer to send more.

 

[sleepygreen]

If the money order is fake I can attempt to deposit it and I will have to pay the funds back once it gets rejected which can take weeks.

 

[Connor Murphy]

Yes, the fake money order scam is the most likely. The bank will process it but it will eventually get kicked back upstream and the bank will reverse the deposit into your account. Bad guy has firearm, you have nothing but the bank fees.

 

[otterpilot]

Hard to believe but there are unscrupulous FFL's out there.
Some have even taken consignment guns, sold them and kept the money. (personal experience, TWICE)
In this case its "SELLER" beware

 

[etrain16]

Every time I've been approached with the 'money order' scam, I have always asked for the contact information for the FFL they want me to use. As someone who has sold out of state to buyers and NEVER had a problem, I find this stops them cold in their tracks. I suspect the scammers are not really using an FFL, but giving you a bogus FFL address. To date, not a single scammer will give me so much as a phone number to contact their FFL - so I tell them, rather rudely, to pound sand.

No, every legitimate out of state sale was done using PP or Postal Money Order - purchased at and shipped direct to me by the US Postal Service and I had the contact info for the FFL before any money was exchanged - and I contacted that FFL, confirmed they knew the buyer and confirmed they would accept a gun from a private party.

It's a lot of work, and usually not worth it unless you have something that just isn't selling locally. Otherwise local sales are enough of a pain as it is, so I've pretty much backed off of out of state sales at this point.

 

[Koda]

I didnt know the banks made the money available to you until the funds were actually transferred to your bank...?

When I deposite a check it shows up as "deposited funds not available"... Meaning I can see the deposite but I cant use that money.

Other than cash, it doesnt matter what kind of payment or how long it takes the bank to transfer funds, Im not shipping anything until the funds are available in my account.

 

[etrain16]

I didnt know the banks made the money available to you until the funds were actually transferred to your bank...?

When I deposite a check it shows up as "deposited funds not available"... Meaning I can see the deposite but I cant use that money.

Other than cash, it doesnt matter what kind of payment or how long it takes the bank to transfer funds, Im not shipping anything until the funds are available in my account.

Having done some research on this, money orders can show the funds available in your account long before a phony money order can be discovered - I found it can take 4-6 weeks to discover a phony money order, by which time you've spent the money and they'll come back to get it from you. That's a big reason why scammers like the money order thing - by the time you know you've been had, they are LONG gone.

A Postal Money order is a bit safer because you can cash it at the Post Office and get cash from them. Again, doing some research, it seems to be one of the safer methods. PayPal cash gift can work too, but don't let PP know in any way, such as generating an invoice through them, what it is for, or they'll suspend your account.

 

[otterpilot]

I have had very good luck with the same procedure.
As I said Seller beware, do your homework.
I only send out when certified funds are in the bank.
NWF and GB have feedback on sellers and buyers if you choose to use them.
Its not perfect but it has worked for me.
The only total scam I had the displeasure of being party to was with a LGS.

 

[Koda]

Having done some research on this, money orders can show the funds available in your account long before a phony money order can be discovered - I found it can take 4-6 weeks to discover a phony money order, by which time you've spent the money and they'll come back to get it from you. That's a big reason why scammers like the money order thing - by the time you know you've been had, they are LONG gone.

A Postal Money order is a bit safer because you can cash it at the Post Office and get cash from them. Again, doing some research, it seems to be one of the safer methods. PayPal cash gift can work too, but don't let PP know in any way, such as generating an invoice through them, what it is for, or they'll suspend your account.

This is good to know, thanks for explaining. Sounds like I will just deny any money order transactions..

 

[Member 5605]

USPS money orders only.

Cash it the day you mail long gun via USPS to their FFL.

https://www.usps.com/shop/money-orders.htm

 

[Alexx1401]

This is good to know, thanks for explaining. Sounds like I will just deny any money order transactions..

This is a VERY old scam that just seems to keep giving since it's still tried. The first time I heard of it I thought the same thing. If I wait till my bank says "good to go, money is here" I would be fine. Then talked to a guy who worked at one. He laughed and said no that's not how it works. Some of these Money Orders are drawn from a rats nest of banking for just this reason. Takes a long time till your bank finds out it was no good. Then they are out. Well you know what comes next, they take any money you have to cover it. Strange that it can still work these days but according to the banks it does. Money orders other than the one you can cash at the Post Office are a PITA.

 

[wired]

USPS money orders only.

Cash it the day you mail long gun via USPS to their FFL.

https://www.usps.com/shop/money-orders.htm

Keep in mind that there is absolutely no recourse for protection if you send someone a postal money order and they do not ship you anything. That old "postal inspector" filing mail fraud charges is a urban legend.

 

[etrain16]

Keep in mind that there is absolutely no recourse for protection if you send someone a postal money order and they do not ship you anything. That old "postal inspector" filing mail fraud charges is a urban legend.

That's why I won't buy from individuals out of state. But, if a buyer insists on buying from me out of state, then I push more of the burden to them than to me - if they agree to those terms and are willing to accept the risk (of which I'm no risk to a buyer), then we can proceed. I'll only buy out of state from a verified business, no private party deals, period.

 

[Koda]

Crazy to think that in todays electronic age there isnt an easy, safe and simple way to send someone money.

 

[Member 5605]

Crazy to think that in todays electronic age there isnt an easy, safe and simple way to send someone money.

There is.

Send me $1
Pay Me here. No fees, instant and non reversible.

 

[Member 5605]

Keep in mind that there is absolutely no recourse for protection if you send someone a postal money order and they do not ship you anything. That old "postal inspector" filing mail fraud charges is a urban legend.

Of course. My reference was to shipping not receiving. I've shipped about 5 firearms or so and a few things such as ammo out of state.

I've also had scammers swear they were the person that send me the ID scan.

USPS money order or electronic payment via Square Cash.