Be careful!!

Help Support Ruger Forum:

Ruger1nut

Blackhawk
Joined
Sep 3, 2006
Messages
766
Location
Honeoye NY
I have had 3 e-mails's today from different people offering to sell me things I was looking for on the forum.

Same deal with all of them and all wanted payment by Western union and all were pertaining to its I posted I was looking for on the forum

Dave
 

Flash

Buckeye
Joined
May 21, 2005
Messages
1,164
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
You mean wiring money via Western Union or money orders from them?
I buy and accept Western Union money orders all the time.
 

Big Bad Wolf

Bearcat
Joined
May 30, 2003
Messages
17
Location
Dallas, TX USA
Yeah, I must be one whose data was compromised in the latest theft. Been getting phishing emails from what purports to be Chase bank, but isn't. They do look official, though.
 

M1Lover

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Messages
70
Location
Arizona Territory
They're probably in Lagos, Nigeria. That's where the fake BofA money order for my Landcruiser came from. Funny, they wanted to pay 18k for my 5k truck! Yes, I was supposed to DEPOSIT the money order, but immediately Western Union them the balance, for "the shipping co." Western Union is just like cash. Once gone, forever lost. They apparently are only successful with greedy, stupid people. H.
 

Ruger1nut

Blackhawk
Joined
Sep 3, 2006
Messages
766
Location
Honeoye NY
Two were in London and I forget on the other one. I deleted the e-mails just in case there was a virus.

I e-mailed the one back before I was totally suspicious and they even responded and said they would be "listing soon on the forum" and I should back quickly if I did not want to lose them. About then I got another similar e-mail from another name looking to sell me something else I was looking for. One even had pics of the item I wanted "web pics"

I guess these days not all bad guys hide behind a mask

Dave
 

Crytot

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 27, 2007
Messages
162
Location
Sunnyside, WA USA
I have some experience with this sort of thing. One of my customers kept communicating with a bunch of these crooks and they sent him $150,000. He deposited the check and it was good, for four days. Then the money vanished. Had he used any of it for his personal use, the below referenced agency would have been after him as he would have then been part of the fraud.

The people you call about this sort of thing is the Secret Service. I was surprised at this, but after careful research on the Web I found out that they were the agency to contact.

We called our "local" office some 180 miles away and they were indeed very interested. They told us that the money would disappear in a few days and sure enough it did. The Secret Service didn't take it as I did not disclose my customer's name to them.

The agent also told us to NEVER wire money under any circumstances via Western Union. Anyone, any where, can get the money if they have the pin number. Once they get it, there is no way to track it or recover it.

So for those of you receiving checks in excess of the amount requested, I recommend you call the Secret Service.
 

MK111

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Messages
49
Location
SW Ohio
Everytime I post my email address I recieve the emails.
"I have item, send Western Union funds, and I ship". All the email seems to come from London. Always broken English.
I never list email address anymore.


EDITED TO ADD:

We have noticed that there are instances where folks post their email address openly here in the site. This is a bad idea, as it sets you up to be victimized by various flavors of scammers. It is strongly recommended that you initially make contact with each other via the PM system to exchange email addresses in that secure medium.

Please consider this a "public service announcement" and not a "warning". You are responsible for your actions in this matter. Be careful.
 

SimplyRugged

Bearcat
Joined
May 4, 2005
Messages
34
Location
Prescott, AZ USA
It's a new twist on an old scam. I only have this check/money order I'll give you extra money if you cash it...that's called the HOOK. Don't be a greedy fish. Nobody pays you extra for goods or services just cause they are swell guys.
 

oneshot244rem

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 27, 2009
Messages
18
Location
Hunlock Creek,PA 18621
Major T said:
I bought a rifle on Gunbroker a couple of years ago, just as I was going o the Hospital for a partial two day stint. I called the seller and ask if a personal check was OK. He said that method was the safest for him , if I did not mind a five day delay. Told him that I wouldn't be shooting long guns for a few to several days anyway. We both were happy and the rifle was even better than described. Seems that many sellers want USPS moneyorders these days. jack

The reason for that is...by using a USPSMO , you now bring the feds in on it. If it was cashed and you did NOT recieve the goods....you have a much better chance of recieving your said goods,or recapturing your $. The ONLY way I do gun sales/buys is by USPSMO.....period.
 

bigbore45colt

Hunter
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Messages
3,532
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Sellers want money orders because they are, for the most part, guaranteed money. No risk of a rubber check...I realize that you can hold the check until it clears before you ship, but you still get hit with a returned check fee from your bank and it is a pain in the ass.

It is much easier to use a PMO as you are almost guaranteed of no hassles!!

BB45C
 

snake803

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
174
Location
Midlands ,SC
This is the info on a scammer that got me..He answered a WTB on another forum..... This is a copy of the feedback I left:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the first bad deal in more than 10 years of buying and selling on the internet.. I advertised both in the members forum and here in the classifieds... WTB a vintage box etc. etc. Mr. Logan contacted me and advised he had one....Long story short...I sent a Western Union $$ transfer, got a bunch of excuses and "NO BOX" A member in the UK found he lives in gov't housing and his phone is most likely " portable" ..
Folks... Stay away from this guy... He has been removed from our midst..

His screen name was...... charleslr ..... e-mail is: [email protected]

His address & phone are:

Charles Logan
Ravenscar Crescent
Manchester
Greater Manchester
M22 0HP
Phone # +44 7024096635
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
be careful out there,
JIM....................
 

10MMGary

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
111
Location
Brandon Florida USA
oneshot244rem said:
The reason for that is...by using a USPSMO , you now bring the feds in on it. If it was cashed and you did NOT recieve the goods....you have a much better chance of recieving your said goods,or recapturing your $. The ONLY way I do gun sales/buys is by USPSMO.....period.

Usually I require USPS MO as I can cash it and ship item all in one gas/money/time saving trip to my local PO<(within walking distance). If it is an gun or ammo I drive right past my local PO on the way to either FedEx UPS my local FFL holder.

However this site is unique and has a positive vibe/karma all of it's own. I pretty much would ship out whatever to 99% of the members here, once they post or PM they want it. Additionally I may be in the minority, but when I sell something of serious value I figure in insurance "delivery confirmation" and or "signature required" cost in my selling price.
 

Joseywales

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
70
Location
PA
I would just like to add the following. I managed electronic payment and credit card fraud for a few years for our company. This included seminars with the Secret Service and Treasury Department. Take none of this personally, but this is what I've learned:

- Florida and New York are the fraud capitals of the US (mostly Russians and other immigrant organized crime carrying this out).
- Western Union is typically a bad idea
- US Postal Money Orders were compromised and many fraudulent MOs were/are out there. (I would never send the item until I cashed that MO). This was perpetrated by postal employees who stole the MOs, but the possibility still exists.
- You have the Ruger forum, thieves have their own forum. They buy/sell stolen credit cards and IDs all day long. The youngest and worst offender caught by Secret Service was a 23 year old guy, who sold 150,000 stolen credit card numbers, with zip codes, in one transaction! This part is even scarier, because it's a non-violent crime there aren't many resources. The only reason SS and Homeland Security even pay attention is the risk of laundering money for terrorism. That said, their best leads come from card manufacturers. When a large order for blank plastic comes in, they fill it, collect their money, then drop a dime to the SS about the buyer.
- NEVER user your PIN number unless you are at an ATM. It only exposes you to additional risk. Many electronic points of sale (EPOS), ask for your PIN after you swipe a credit/debit card. "Do you know your PIN?" Other baiting questions like that, so you forget why they are asking. They want your PIN, because it reduces their transaction fee. Although the use of your PIN lays all fraud responsibility on the card issuer for THAT transaction, all future transactions from the compromised PIN are on you.
- Skimmers. Many of you know what they are. If you use a Red Box, or other video rental at CVS, Walgreens, etc. Or any ATM that is new to you, grab that skimmer and give it a tug. Make sure it's not a fake skimmer, laid overtop the real skimmer.
- American Express is the easiest and most often card to be duplicated. Worst yet, they typically have the highest credit limits and worse protection for merchants.

I'm sure there's more, but that's enough to keep you up tonight.
 

Joseywales

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
70
Location
PA
Do any of you send a copy of your driver's license to the seller, when you purchase a gun online? Some sellers ask, but if they are shipping directly to an FFL they have no need for my info. Heck, if I sent them a Mo, they don't even need to know my name. Just ship the gun to the FFL I sent you, end of story.
 

ThomTender

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 25, 2015
Messages
173
Location
Cape Coral, FL.
I mentioned in one of the threads that I was looking for a old model 45 acp cylinder. Next day I received a PM thru this forum that this address ([email protected]) had one. I e-mailed this address and was told they had one and to send a Walmart to Walmart money transfer. I declined and said I would do a USPS money Order so I was instructed to send the money order to a Myrna Dryfhoult in Naperville Ill. Which I did . Never received the cylinder nor my payment. Contacted the USPS Inspectors via there Complaint Line but never heard from them. So I went to my local Police who Are handling the investigation. The USPS Money Order really does not protect you if the Postal Inspectors will not do anything. My local Police Officer told me the Post Officer will not even give them the info who and where the M.O. Was cashed and by whom without a Subpoena. Jus be aware of the to names I gave above. Will report back if the Local Polce can get any info.
 

sourdough44

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
466
Location
WI
I've had 3 longer distance BUYERS from my Armslist ads the last few months, NY, IL, and now OK. I'm the one telling them to be careful. I said, yeah, I'll sell to you, just send the $$ & once it's cleared & safe, I'll ship. With the IL guy I went to his local FFL in my travels with him, for the transfer.

I always offer a refund, minus shipping if things are not as described, no takers.

I consider Armslist a face-to-face operation, even then with precautions. The background of the seller is key, with some a handshake can be enough. No I don't sell a lot, just messaging the collection as I fine-tune specifics.
 

Suburbbus

Bearcat
Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Messages
48
Location
Metro Atlanta, Georgia
Bringing this one back to life.

Be careful of someone named Rob Mason. [email protected]. Supposedly lives in Winchester, Missouri. Had me send funds via Paypal and I have never received firearm. He never would provide a valid tracking# and claimed to send via USPS. The serial#'s of both an SR9 and a P90 from him are turning out to be bogus according to Ruger. Be warned with Paypal, if you use "Family & Friends", there is no recourse for a scam like I experienced.
 
Top