Scam site list.

[wombatz]

I was doing my weekly check for small pistol primers. Someday they will be available again. This is *also* a good way to find the scam sites. I decided to start putting them into a host file "drop" list and then came here to search for a longer list of sites. I did find some additions to my list but I don't seem to be finding a sticky list of such sites here. Is it time?

My list:

127.0.0.1 tactical-world.net
127.0.0.1 guardianarms.net
127.0.0.1 theoutdoorammory.com
127.0.0.1 emeraldgunshop.com
127.0.0.1 handloadingsupply.com
127.0.0.1 outdoorammory.com

Showing them in the format commonly used in a hosts file.

I am sure there are plenty more that could be added.

P.S. Many/most of the scam sites will only take Zelle, paypal, whatever but some will take credit cards, so you can't always tell a scam right away. Best to always search: "site.com scam" before giving money to anybody you don't already know to be legitimate.

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[RobMa]

What we need is a list of trusted sites...
We seem to only react when there is a scam site that we get caught up in...

 

[po18guy]

Since these sites, like criminals, appear daily, and tens of thousands exist, there is no practical way to maintain a listing. I think it best to learn the process of due diligence. Spot the red flags: #1 low prices and always in stock. Impossible in today's climate. #2 Payment methods. Zelle, Bitcoin, Western Union, postal money order or other untraceable methods are almost certainly fake. #3 Is the site informative about the product, or only geared toward capturing your money? #4 Do they have an "About" tab? Click on it and pick a sentence or two, copy and pate it into Google for a search. You might find the identical "about" in several other sites. How can that be, if it is true? #5 Check any FFL number for accuracy via this site. #6 Check for a physical address. Google that address, looking for the street view. Does it exist? Does it match? #7 Call and speak to a actual person. If your caller ID corresponds with the business, you are 'probably' OK. #8 Check the Better Business Bureau for any information on the site. #9 Google the business name and see if there are posts on other websites regarding the business. The list goes on, but the guiding rule is buyer beware.

 

[Alexx1401]

I was doing my weekly check for small pistol primers. Someday they will be available again. This is *also* a good way to find the scam sites. I decided to start putting them into a host file "drop" list and then came here to search for a longer list of sites. I did find some additions to my list but I don't seem to be finding a sticky list of such sites here. Is it time?

My list:

127.0.0.1 tactical-world.net
127.0.0.1 guardianarms.net
127.0.0.1 theoutdoorammory.com
127.0.0.1 emeraldgunshop.com
127.0.0.1 handloadingsupply.com
127.0.0.1 outdoorammory.com

Showing them in the format commonly used in a hosts file.

I am sure there are plenty more that could be added.

P.S. Many/most of the scam sites will only take Zelle, paypal, whatever but some will take credit cards, so you can't always tell a scam right away. Best to always search: "site.com scam" before giving money to anybody you don't already know to be legitimate.

If it is a scam I highly doubt they will take plastic. If they do two things will happen. The buyer will get his money back immediately and the host site will have the Feds on them for bank fraud. The only people who keep getting scammed use some other payment system or send a Money Order.

 

[wombatz]

The feds can't touch most of them since they are based off shore.

 

[Alexx1401]

The feds can't touch most of them since they are based off shore.

Then they Will never be taking plastic from the US. There are a not a lot of systems to process plastic. There are some off shore but, they will have to eat the charges then if they allow these guys to use them. People keep beating this dead horse for years. It still does not change that to get scammed you have to use some kind of payment that is not plastic. Its amazing how many simply can't seem to help themselves. They feel they "must" use some different payment system to show they are smart or something
Then of course when they get burned they scream

 

[wombatz]

Then they Will never be taking plastic from the US.

Ah, not entirely true. I got into this due to "guardianarms.net". They had primers. They were listed as trustworthy by "trustpilot.com". They took Visa...

Oops, my mistake. Yup, nothing lost other than having to wait for a new Visa card.

I then tried to get them taken down. I contacted the FFL (the real guy, not the scammers) that they list and he reported that the feds already knew about it but they could not touch them due to being based outside of this country.

I *was* able to get a negative review to stick at Trustpilot and added some other bad reviews for them on other sites.

They did also stop taking Visa (last I checked). The point is that there was a period of time where they *did* take Visa. Within minutes the card number was being used to try to buy gas in Dubai; thankfully declined.

So, yes, at this point you can tell that "guardianarms.net" is a scam based on what they take, but that has not always been the case.

 

[TTSX]

eBay

 

[Flopsweat]

Since these sites, like criminals, appear daily, and tens of thousands exist, there is no practical way to maintain a listing. I think it best to learn the process of due diligence. Spot the red flags: #1 low prices and always in stock. Impossible in today's climate. #2 Payment methods. Zelle, Bitcoin, Western Union, postal money order or other untraceable methods are almost certainly fake. #3 Is the site informative about the product, or only geared toward capturing your money? #4 Do they have an "About" tab? Click on it and pick a sentence or two, copy and pate it into Google for a search. You might find the identical "about" in several other sites. How can that be, if it is true? #5 Check any FFL number for accuracy via this site. #6 Check for a physical address. Google that address, looking for the street view. Does it exist? Does it match? #7 Call and speak to a actual person. If your caller ID corresponds with the business, you are 'probably' OK. #8 Check the Better Business Bureau for any information on the site. #9 Google the business name and see if there are posts on other websites regarding the business. The list goes on, but the guiding rule is buyer beware.

Also a simple web search for the name of the website (including .com or whatever) and the word "scam" will bring up interesting content.

 

[po18guy]

Ah, not entirely true. I got into this due to "guardianarms.net". They had primers. They were listed as trustworthy by "trustpilot.com". They took Visa...

Oops, my mistake. Yup, nothing lost other than having to wait for a new Visa card.

I then tried to get them taken down. I contacted the FFL (the real guy, not the scammers) that they list and he reported that the feds already knew about it but they could not touch them due to being based outside of this country.

I *was* able to get a negative review to stick at Trustpilot and added some other bad reviews for them on other sites.

They did also stop taking Visa (last I checked). The point is that there was a period of time where they *did* take Visa. Within minutes the card number was being used to try to buy gas in Dubai; thankfully declined.

So, yes, at this point you can tell that "guardianarms.net" is a scam based on what they take, but that has not always been the case.

Fake positives - posted by the scammers themselves. You can only counter with the truth. ALL CAPS if it allows.

 

[Dungannon]

I wouldn't buy from any retailer that wasn't a well known supplier of firearms and reloading components before the pandemic.

Whatever dribbles out of factories and reaches the civilian market isn't going to startup businesses; it's going to the distributors and larger companies that were their customers before this most recent shortage.

I've got enough supplies to keep going for several more years, but I learned the necessary life lessons when Bill Clinton was president.

 

[Alexx1401]

Fake positives - posted by the scammers themselves. You can only counter with the truth. ALL CAPS if it allows.

This thing has gotten to the point it has to be people who will argue just to argue. The kind who if you say the sun will rise in the morning will argue.
Between that and the mass number of people who must still want to show everyone how "savvy" they are by using some "newer" form of payment, or sending a MO off in the mail getting burned. Since people are claiming many of these sites are still popping up I have to guess the scammers have to be finding people who want to give them money or I would think they would not bother. So we see the stream of people who I have to guess got taken, wanting to tell everyone
Meanwhile of course scammers are going to make up fake sites like wack a mole if people want to throw money at them and if people only pay with plastic they will not be a victim here. I guess its a sad testament that in the age of information we have so many still will send money off to a place that will thank them for letting them fleece them.

 

[wombatz]

Based on the feedback to this I just checked each of the entries that I started with and none of them take credit cards currently.

I then tried a search for "small pistol primers, in stock, visa". That did not bring up a site to add to the list.

So, maybe this form of scam has been mostly "de-fanged" for anybody that will not pay with unsafe/Zelle/etc.

I will still keep them in my hosts blocking file so that I can more quickly discount them as I continue to watch for components coming back.

Potential good news is that the local Sportsman's lists one brand of small pistol primers as available in store only with a two box limit (200 primers, or 400 if you visit with your wife). They are $5.09 per flat, so not a crazy jump from the old prices. I don't assume they will still be available if I rush down there right now but I will make sure to stop in each week when we are shopping next door to them.

 

[po18guy]

Seeing is believing - regardless of price.

 

[titsonritz]

This guy over on M4C put together a list of scammer website, thought I'd share it here. Click image twice to enlarge...

 

[coop44]

Wow that's a long list, probably not all of them though.

 

[Idaho44]

Unfortunately it is not just sites, there are nefarious individuals as well and they will take most forms of payment and not deliver. They also use stolen or co-opted id's, real street address etc. etc.. Face to face is better but not foolproof! Even a 'brick and mortar' store can scam you. This is not a new thing, recall the Trojan Horse!

 

[titsonritz]

@Moderators feel free to merge this with this thread, not sure why it didn't show up when I did a search.
https://www.northwestfirearms.com/threads/scam-site-list.405910/#post-3239297

 

[titsonritz]

Wow that's a long list, probably not all of them though.

Find one that isn't. I found a few that have been confirmed scammers.

 

[Kruel J]

@Moderators feel free to merge this with this thread, not sure why it didn't show up when I did a search.
https://www.northwestfirearms.com/threads/scam-site-list.405910/#post-3239297

Merged.