You think .gov doesn’t know? They know…..

[Kruel J]

I received a letter today in the mail from a USPS Forfeiture Specialist. Strange I know.

Apparently, a Ruger LCP that I bought years ago and sold years ago was found in Atlanta Georgia by USPS. They knew it was purchased by me apparently because they mailed this letter and have my name and address correct. The form states a Ruger LCP and 2 mags along with the serial number. The value they assessed is $79.37. There is a form I can fill out to try and claim it as my property. It's not, hasn't been in years so I'm not going to pursue this past a phone call tomorrow to let them know the firearm hasn't been mine in quite some time.

The point is, they know. If you have ever filled out a 4473, they got you.

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[Kruel J]

To add, when I purchased the LCP, I was NOT at my current address, not even in the same city. So yeah, they keep lists.

 

[Alexx1401]

Interesting they "found the pistol and two mags?" Be interesting to know did someone try to mail the damn thing to someone else and get it intercepted? Have to guess someone did not drop it in a mail box so interesting that the USPS some how ended up with it. Have to guess they must have asked their partners over at ATF to look you up. Then they found where you live now so yep, buying a gun from a dealer they sure do know. Also interesting where they came up with that value. If only that pistol could talk be interesting to hear where the hell it had traveled

 

[deadeye]

Well They called the ATF which in turn called Ruger to get the dealers name they sold it to, then called or went to the dealers shop and went through his forms that he has to keep for 10 or 15 yrs or whatever it is now to find the one filled out for that pistol. Then looked up your name thru either IRS or DMV and got the new address. If it were found under a bad scenario, I would think the ATF would have knocked on your door instead.

Until such time as the dealer can dispose of those forms YES they know who purchased what if a form was filled out. This is why it is never a good thing to see a gunshop go out of business as they may turn over those boxes of forms to the ATF which may never dispose of them...........

I dont believe there is a stipulation they have to be disposed of but, I didnt stay at a Holiday inn my wife just works at one...................

 

[RVTECH]

I wonder if the ATF paid a visit to the address the package was addressed to as well.

 

[Kruel J]

I wonder if the ATF paid a visit to the address the package was addressed to as well.

I hope so. The whole thing sounds sketchy, but I'm not too worried as I sold it years ago and the letter states if I don't claim it they keep it.

 

[RVTECH]

Interesting they "found the pistol and two mags?"

And I wonder how as well - since I have heard of guns being sent by people (not knowing the laws) and being received with no issues.

Maybe poor packing, possibly exposed or maybe random checks on 'suspicious' looking packages - maybe no return address on it and it got scanned.

 

[bradsteen]

And I wonder how as well - since I have heard of guns being sent by people (not knowing the laws) and being received with no issues.

Maybe poor packing, possibly exposed or maybe random checks on 'suspicious' looking packages - maybe no return address on it and it got scanned.

More than likely they use explosive trace detection at USPS sort facilities and it flagged on the gunpowder residue, so they X-rayed it and found the gun.

 

[Jay Walk]

Law enforcement contacted Ruger, Ruger told LEO where they sent it, FFL then tells LEO who the purchaser was.

4473 was created for records.

Are they searchable?
Most likely.

 

[gmerkt]

Depending upon how the process works in a given state, tracking may not involve a 4473. In Wash. and Calif., as examples, there are additional sale documents that may be more easily used to track a firearm. This information goes into a computer data base. I won't retell the story again, but I've been contacted by a PD in a state I used to live in re. a sold gun. So yes, some of those documents never die, you are a reference point forever. Once you become known as the original buyer, it's easy enough for LEO types to follow the lead to where you are now.

The value they assessed is $79.37.

This part I don't get. What is the "value" they are talking about? Is this an administrative fee to cover the cost of return?

You sold the gun after you initially purchased it. Therefore, it is no longer yours. And no longer your responsibility. I've been faced with this scenario with the gun I mentioned above, plus with a vehicle that the new owner failed to register in their name. I didn't want to reclaim them. You don't know what histories they've acquired since you last saw them. With a firearm, signing up as an owner when you didn't actually possess the object might lead to legal problems.

It might be a good idea to respond to the letter on paper and keep a copy just for the record.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

They know that you know and I know now but they don't know what we don't know !

 

[Member 34319]

If you think I'm surprised, I'm not.

Hell, KJ I imagine they have a certain picture date stamped prior to a certain sticker was issued on file for you!

Even NWFA isn't safe. AT ALL. It's literally a place where we discuss our firearms openly on the Internet with all of it stored FOREVER on some database. Even if Joe decides to lawyer up and tell them to pound sand, which I HIGHLY DOUBT he would, bots likely have visited the sight enough to have every square inch of the place memorized.

 

[The Heretic]

To add, when I purchased the LCP, I was NOT at my current address, not even in the same city. So yeah, they keep lists.

The USPS and several commercial concerns, specialize in having computer programs and data with the latest addresses of most US citizens and businesses.

My older brother has, as one of his businesses, a company that handles medical billing, and handles the mailing of those billings. Among other things, before the billings go out, the personal data and address the medical practice has on the person responsible, is sent to one of the companies that specializes in providing updated addresses - then the data comes back and the mailing is updated if necessary - takes about 12-48 hours.

The company gets data from utilities, phone companies, landlords, any lender, employers, etc.

I used to work for a legal outfit in Seattle that did the same thing as my brother more or less, for people who have not paid their bills in one way or another. I saw data on addresses, phone numbers, their SSN/etc., CC numbers, DOB, aliases (including name changes, maiden name, etc.) and so on - the company was really lax about the security of the data. They too sent some of this data to one of the outfits that update addresses.

Unless you go totally off-grid, the gov knows more about you than just about any other entity.

 

[Member 34319]

Unless you go totally off-grid, the gov knows more about you than just about any other entity.

Here's the kicker, the government isn't violating the 4th amendment doing this. As they have 0 participation in the collection of data. Private firms collect the information via user agreements, like the one we all agreed to joining NWFA or getting hooked up for electricity from the local provider.

The government then either buys this information as a product from the company or requests it. Most user agreements for private companies state they are under no requirement to tell you if a governing agency asks for your information.

 

[The Heretic]

Here's the kicker, the government isn't violating the 4th amendment doing this. As they have 0 participation in the collection of data. Private firms collect the information via user agreements, like the one we all agreed to joining NWFA or getting hooked up for electricity from the local provider.

The government then either buys this information as a product from the company or requests it. Most user agreements for private companies state they are under no requirement to tell you if a governing agency asks for your information.

All true, but the gov does collect this info themselves too - look into what the NSA does with regards to data collection. The NSA just doesn't admit it, and they rarely share with anybody else unless they need to.

 

[Kruel J]

If it was properly transferred at the time of sale my name shouldn't be associated with it. Which is interesting because I'm 99% sure what FFL I used to do the sale transfer and they're a pretty big outfit.

Either way, the specialist is on vacation until Monday according to her VM so I can't do anything until then. When I call on Monday I'm going to let her know the firearm isn't mine and hasn't been in years and they can do what they want with it.

 

[Kruel J]

Oh and even more interesting, the letter states it was seized in mid-2018 so WTF have they been doing for 4 1/2 years?

 

[72scoutman]

Seems like a heck of a lot of foot work for the USPS! To the point of being suspicious to me. I've lost a fare amount of stuff both personal and business through USPS and various other LTL shippers, it's not easy to get someone's attention that even ACTS like they care about lost merchandise. Now you have them tracking you down, strange!

 

[kmk1012]

I wonder if they know about the notional & alleged tannerite filled pressure cookers buried and hidden around the property too?

This is what I'm talking about in the firearm meme forum, seeing a pattern?

 

[Kruel J]

Seems like a heck of a lot of foot work for the USPS! To the point of being suspicious to me. I've lost a fare amount of stuff both personal and business through USPS and various other LTL shippers, it's not easy to get someone's attention that even ACTS like they care about lost merchandise. Now you have them tracking you down, strange!

It is. But with a little help from @Velzey I'm certain this is a legit notice.