Online Gun Auction Fraud - Tip

45 for me · Jul 2, 2016

I would bet you this auction is a fraud:

Barrett Firearms Manufacturing INC. BARRETT M107A1 29 SEMI-AUTO .50BMG RIFLE GREY .50 BMG (http://www.gunauction.com/buy/14011003)

The pictures are lifted from an actual gun dealer in Florida (not Oklahoma)

Barrett Rifles on Sale : BARRETT M107A1 #14453 50BMG 29INCH GREY 10RD MAG (http://www.kellyenterprises.net/barrett-rifles-on-sale/barrett-m107a1-50bmg-29inch-grey-10rd-detail.html)

This guy has no feedback and is selling at a price to good to be true.

I find these type of deals a lot. especially on Armslist.com. Many of you may already know this, but those who don't, here is a way that will expose many a scammer.

Right click on one of the pictures:

Click "Google Search For Image"

This will look up images of a similar name, or similar info on the page, so a lot of time it finds them right off. You can also look through the visually similar images. Scum frequently yank from other live auctions or legitimate dealers.

Now you know

jbett98 · Jul 2, 2016

Every other ad on Armslist is a scam lately, especially for mint in box Pythons.

Fordcragar · Jul 2, 2016

Thanks for the heads up. I'm usually very cautious on things that I'm not able to touch. I have a friend that is a lot more trusting than me.

Joe13 · Jul 2, 2016

I only do local meet ups for Armslist and craigslist.

Fordcragar · Jul 2, 2016

I've been buying on EBay for almost 20 years and only had one bad experience; which took almost a month hassling with the seller, who misrepresented the item. He then made it right.

Sgt Nambu · Jul 2, 2016

If it's not in my hand, I'm not buying it!

Truth be told, I don't buy many firearms anymore and when I do it's from one of the fine members on this site!

Osarion · Jul 3, 2016

45 for me said:
Now you know

Very good tips, thanks

U8395279 · Jul 3, 2016

45 for me said:
I would bet you this auction is a fraud:

Barrett Firearms Manufacturing INC. BARRETT M107A1 29 SEMI-AUTO .50BMG RIFLE GREY .50 BMG (http://www.gunauction.com/buy/14011003)

The pictures are lifted from an actual gun dealer in Florida (not Oklahoma)

Barrett Rifles on Sale : BARRETT M107A1 #14453 50BMG 29INCH GREY 10RD MAG (http://www.kellyenterprises.net/barrett-rifles-on-sale/barrett-m107a1-50bmg-29inch-grey-10rd-detail.html)

This guy has no feedback and is selling at a price to good to be true.

I find these type of deals a lot. especially on Armslist.com. Many of you may already know this, but those who don't, here is a way that will expose many a scammer.

Right click on one of the pictures:

Click "Google Search For Image"

This will look up images of a similar name, or similar info on the page, so a lot of time it finds them right off. You can also look through the visually similar images. Scum frequently yank from other live auctions or legitimate dealers.

Now you know

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Doc In UPlace · Jul 3, 2016

Does the right-click Google Search For Image work in Chrome? It doesn't in my version of IE.

Charger · Jul 3, 2016

Here is a nother tip.
I was looking into buying a gun that the price was to good to be true but said he needed money on armslist.
When I called the number of took a while for them to answer and was a lot of static.
Things were not adding up.
So I called the number a couple times in a row waited a few rings and hung up than on the last call wait to see if you get a recording.
I did and it was a Magic Jack number.
It was a disposable number and can be forwarded to anywhere in the world.

Also if you get an adderss Google it on maps, see where your sending the money.
In my case it was a trailer in a trailer park.
The gun would have been worth more the trailer.

You can also call a local gun shop in their area to do the transfer and they will run the serial number make sure you are not getting stolen.

For me it is to much work. Buy local.

etrain16 · Jul 3, 2016

Caveat emptor...

I avoid the gun auction sites for the most part. If I were to consider an item, it would only be from a vendor/seller with established positive feedback history. On the listing in the OP, no chance I'd consider it. Even the username "eaglescout" and the promise to donate part of the sale to the NRA just seems a bit 'too good to be true', yet the auction already has 23 bids!!

BTW, another tip for any auction site, such as Ebay - don't bid on the item until the time is almost up. Bidding days before the auction ends only drives the price up. I bought an item off Ebay last week - no bids, so I just waited and put in my bid about 1 minute before the auction ended and won the item, at 50% below the "buy it now" price. I honestly don't understand why anyone would put in a bid days before an auction ends, unless they enjoy running the price up. The only bid that matters in the end is the winning bid

I hope the poor saps that are bidding on that rifle get wise and get out before they win the thing.

45 for me · Jul 3, 2016

Doc In UPlace said:
Does the right-click Google Search For Image work in Chrome? It doesn't in my version of IE.

Yes, sorry I am using Chrome and it is just a right click. You can do it in IE too, but it is more difficult, you have to get the image URL and then paste it into Google reverse image search.