Classifieds Beware - Especially Firearms

[Tight Lines]

I'm sure many of you peruse the classifieds like I do...just wanted to remind everyone to be smart and vigilant with respect to sellers, especially for firearms. As someone who has run ecommerce businesses and bought and sold a lot online, here are a few tips and tricks I've learned over the years:

• Always meet in person in a safe place if possible to conduct the transaction and inspect the item.
• Do not use PayPal Friends & Family unless the person is a Friend or Family member...using it eliminates your recourse in the event the transaction goes sideways.
• Pay in cash, PayPal, or credit card...do NOT use CashApp, etc. or any other kind of no-recourse app.
• If something seems to good to be true, it probably is...
• If the seller says they will ship once you pay half, and you can pay the other half upon receipt do not do it...you are going to be out the first half and never see the product.
• Anyone who says they can ship you a firearm and will not provide an FFL and name, and ship to your FFL, is not legitimate.
• If the email looks suspicious, it probably is. Trust your gut. A free member who has a strange email is likely not legitimate.
• If their English isn't good, and I'm not talking about Georgian, they probably are scamming you from Jamaica.
• Anyone who will not talk to you and only wants to communicate over text and use cash apps is likely not legitimate.

Here is an email I got this morning and I knew ASAP that it was a scam:

"Hello,thanks for your interest,the Gun is New. Please send me a text on (502) 833-6822 and lets dicuss about it. That way my response would be in time and smooth." -- zxcvbnm@workmail.com

Be safe out there...these folks are working overtime to scam you, especially on hard to find guns & ammo...

 

[Dub]

Great points to consider.


I hate a thief.

 

[Tight Lines]

Great points to consider.


I hate a thief.

Same here. I sent the guy above some choice suggestions about what to do with his mother and what to do to himself in his spare time between scams. For some strange reason, he stopped responding. I just don't get it...

 

[Crakajak]

Some utv and 4 wheeler adds also.If it's good to be true it probably is a scam.

 

[GeorgiaGlockMan]

Some utv and 4 wheeler adds also.If it's good to be true it probably is a scam.

And for heaven's sake, if you let them test ride your utv before they buy it. Go with them. Or keep them in an area that's "down range".

Someone stole one in Athens not long ago by disappearing during the test drive.

 

[Tight Lines]

And for heaven's sake, if you let them test ride your utv before they buy it. Go with them. Or keep them in an area that's "down range".

Someone stole one in Athens not long ago by disappearing during the test drive.

That just made me LOL. Keep 'em down range...that's awesome...

 

[transfixer]

I still occassionaly buy stuff from CL, but I have to talk to the person first, and always go primed and ready,, haven't had any issues so far ,, knock on wood !

Mostly I buy or sell through the trader, I go by ratings, how many and no negatives, haven't had any issues there either, my alert level is much less when meeting someone from there .

 

[Geezer Ray]

And for heaven's sake, if you let them test ride your utv before they buy it. Go with them. Or keep them in an area that's "down range".

Someone stole one in Athens not long ago by disappearing during the test drive.

I wonder if that was my daughter's ex boy friend. He loaded up his bike, drove it to Atlanta of all places. Let the guy test ride it, oops, I mean let the new owner test ride it and the rest is history. Had to drive back to Habersham with his head between his legs.

 

[01Foreman400]

If I think something just isn’t right I ask them to give me their number so I can call them. You’ll get the I can’t talk excuse or my phone isn’t working.

 

[Railroader]

If you won't talk to me, exchange numbers, and meet in person, we ain't doing bizness.

Period.

 

[Robert28]

workmail.com sounds legit to me!?

 

[rosewood]

I wonder if that was my daughter's ex boy friend. He loaded up his bike, drove it to Atlanta of all places. Let the guy test ride it, oops, I mean let the new owner test ride it and the rest is history. Had to drive back to Habersham with his head between his legs.

Should ask to hold their drivers license while they test drive.

 

[ryanh487]

See I don't give my number out to strangers on the internet unless it's absolutely necessary. Most of the scams are just fishing for contact info to sell to marketers. You can have my address when you message me that you're leaving and you can communicate with me via the platform I'm selling on.

 

[sleepr71]

Should ask to hold their drivers license while they test drive.

Amen! Then,take a pic of them on the Bike & ATV. I am just blown away with the number of Dirt Bikes & ATV’s that have been “stolen” from sellers..who were being nice & letting “buyers” ride them?. No telling how many of them are running the streets of Democrap controlled cities now.