I WAS SCAMMED PLS B CAREFUL

[mat523]

I posted a WTB here on the rugerforum. I received a "lead" on a pm here on where I could get a 5" GP. The guy I talked to was very good and had me trust him. Of course in my stupidity I sent him $ and he Hudinied. Please everyone be careful
I feel like an idiot, I know I am out the cash, but I hope it can be a lesson for everyone. Unfortunately we like to trust forum members, but still verify who you are dealing with.
Matt

 

[bedrockfred]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, but you need to give us all the details! Like who the forum member of this site is that ripped you off?--bedrockfred

 

[contender85]

Sorry to hear that, post his info so no one else gets taken by him.

 

[Jim Puke]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, but you need to give us all the details! Like who the forum member of this site is that ripped you off?--bedrockfred

X 2

Provided you have given him ample time to make this right.

 

[Joe S.]

Subscribed...

 

[mat523]

I received the PM from ARPUFF. I believe the scammer set the bs Account as well. He said his name was Ben. He told me about a guy named Tim Brown that was selling a GP. I called the guy , emailed the guy and everything felt legit. I have done deals on this forum before with wonderful results. Everyone I have dealt with was class acts. I let my guard down. When he asked me to WU money, I like a complete idiot did it. I still can't believe I was so dumb. So much for a college degree.
Matt

 

[mat523]

Update:
Was just contacted by Tim. Perhaps I won't be scammed after all.
I will keep posted.
Matt

 

[bedrockfred]

This all happened in less than 24 hours? Not trying to make you feel worse than you do, just trying to figure a way to maybe help.--bedrockfred

 

[bedrockfred]

OK ,that's good news! Keep us updated!--bedrockfred

 

[mat523]

I wired, and he received the money yesterday. Being excited about my purchase I decided to look up the 1740 on the internet. Low and behold I find the exact photos of the "gun" on the internet. The description I was emailed was also the same as an armslist ad posted in 2013 from where the photo was swiped. As it stands I have just his word that he will ship the gun. I hope I am just being paranoid, but either way, I will never wire money again.

 

[gunsbam69]

Doesn't sound good, but it has only been a day. I've never had any trouble on here, but the thieves can be cruisin here just like anywhere else. That said, I've had MANY of my listing pics from Gunbroker used on Armslist by thieves, so watch out big time on Armslist. When you see the pic out on the web, AND on Armslist, USUALLY the pic has been taken from a legit auction site like Gunbroker or one of the others, and is being used to run the scam on Armslist. There's no accountability there just like Craigslist. I've been alerted several times to this being done to my listings. Internet scamming is now rampant to the point the FBI doesn't even deal with it anymore until the scams reach the millions. The Armslist stuff doesn't qualify. Get a phone number or email involved and try and get a locale on it, then go to local law enforcement in that area. There's a BUNCH of shady dealing going on on there. I've bought things off there, but proceed with extreme caution. Every bad one I've backed away from so far has been unable to speak English well and generally rude or pushy or both, or doesn't want to talk on the phone at all. If anything on there makes you uneasy just back away from it.

ALSO, I'd report the username of the user on here to the forum moderators and administrators on here if you haven't already. They may be able to help.

 

[Xsales]

Do keep us posted

A SCAMMER, if he is one, is a horrible thing

As you may know:

Personally, I DO NOT:
1) Wire or WU money EVER (largest form of scam)
Sending USPS or bank MO at least you can verify a legit address on their end
If P.O. Box then Sorry no go
2) Send ANY type payment UNLESS you can really verify the person has the firearm
in hand - I will eMail (or call if it gets to that) about a specific thing about the firearm that only in hand can they answer correctly
3) Send payment IF anything seems off

That is just me but I would rather NOT buy then be taken for a ride

I hope your situation DOES end with exactly what you want :!:

 

[9x19]

You have a name and phone number, plus email account... plenty of info to contact the sellers local PD... just tell them you're worried someone may be using aother's identity to steal... The PD can stop in to "warn the good folks."

 

[ndcowboy]

Matt,
I too received an message from "arpuff" about something I was looking to buy and he said there was a fellow named Timothy who had what I wanted. I had a bad feeling about it because the guy had exactly zero posts on the forum. I did not call the number given or message the email given because of that bad feeling.
Very curious to see how this turns out!

 

[Mobuck]

My suggestion: use USPS money order. Postal Inspectors are hyper about mail fraud and will chase the miscreants to the ends of the Earth. Most scammers know this and ask for some other form of payment.

 

[mat523]

I definitely have learned a lesson here. Hopefully everything turns out for the best and I really am not getting scammed. I am supposed to hear from Tim today with shipping confirmation. Anyone got any odds on if this will happen? I don't feel good about ARPUFF reaching out to other members on this sight with the same script that I fell for. It still feels fishy to me, fingers are crossed though that I am wrong. I will keep everyone posted as to what happens

 

[mat523]

Here is the original PM:

Hi,

I can help you out with a lead. Please contact Timothy on [email protected] regarding your request. He is located in Loretto, Tennessee,38469 and the last time i talked to him, he had for sale. I purchased items from him in the past and they arrived in TOP condition. His cell # 423-453-3937.

Thanks
Ben

 

[Watchman]

My suggestion: use USPS money order. Postal Inspectors are hyper about mail fraud and will chase the miscreants to the ends of the Earth. Most scammers know this and ask for some other form of payment.

^^^^THIS!!^^^^

I have never had a problem selling or buying from forum members, but I usually look at their profiles, post counts, etc. to see if they have been around for a while. Beware the newbie!

I hope this all works out for you in the end.

 

[UmpquaCharlie]

That is the EXACt
same email address and email I received the other day when I was looking for a 9.3 x 74 Encore barrel. I emailed and after calling got really suspicious when the phone number was answered as some business other than a private home

 

[hittman]

I too received the same PM in my search for a specific serial numbered Redhawk.

How many of us know a buddy with a gun for sale and know the guns serial number?

Ya gotta be careful.

 

[DeletedMember275]

On another forum I frequent, the administrator specifically warns people about this sort of thing. According to him, if you post WTB ads, you WILL eventually be contacted by a scammer. A request to wire money is an immediate red flag! He recommends asking the seller for a picture of the item, with YOUR email address written on a piece of paper prominently displayed. If the seller balks or makes excuses, run away! As for the poster who won't send money to PO boxes, how does he pay his bills? Most of mine go to PO boxes. That's also how I get my mail, because the USPS does NOT deliver to the house here.

 

[Hawk-in-Wi]

My suggestion: use USPS money order. Postal Inspectors are hyper about mail fraud and will chase the miscreants to the ends of the Earth. Most scammers know this and ask for some other form of payment.

yes USPS money orders are safer , but if you think the postal inspectors are going to send much time on a few hundred dollar scam you'd better think again , they have way to much stuff on their hands to worry about the little ones
and that's straight from the horses mouth after losing $1500 to one several years back

 

[turkeyhunter]

About two weeks ago I was scammed by some a$$hole in Indiana on a rifle, I sent him a postal money order for it and now he is giving me the runaround on shipping it. Saturday morning I am going to make a drive to Indiana (I am in WV) and pay him a visit and I will either get my rifle or a large chunk of his A$$. I have bought and sold hundreds of guns on the internet and I have ALWAYS been fair and HONEST with people and all I ask is for people to be the same with me. 99.9% of the people on these forums are good honest people but unfortunately there are some people that are just out to screw you, but not me because I won't stand for it.

 

[ndcowboy]

Here is the one he sent me as I am looking for a Ruger stock:

Hi,

I can help you out with a lead. Please contact Timothy on [email protected] regarding your request. He is located in Loretto, Tennessee,38469 and the last time i talked to him, he had for sale. I purchased items from him in the past and they arrived in TOP condition. His cell # 423-453-3937.

Thanks
Ben

 

[WAYNO]

Ironically, the protection is always in favor of the seller. The seller receives his money, then ships the gun. He's got little to worry about. Sellers often require guaranteed funds (USPS MO, PayPal, bank-issued check, etc.), to satisfy their convenience needs, but then the buyer is left with only the hope that the seller ships the purchased item. I've always questioned why a seller can never trust a buyer, but the buyer is expected to trust the seller. It's the buyer that is the one we hear about way too often being ripped off.

WAYNO.

 

[Xsales]

"As for the poster who won't send money to PO boxes, how does he pay his bills? Most of mine go to PO boxes. That's also how I get my mail, because the USPS does NOT deliver to the house here."

I posted this as an additional precaution

If you get a good feeling from the guy and all seems legit then P.O. is OK
(I have from members here with zero concern)

However, as someone you don't know then request an actual address you can google and see it IS a home and not some downtown building aka red flag if dealing with a person usually they live in a home

Counterpoint: if you had to SEND a handgun to the same person - using Fed Ex or UPS you can't use a P.O. box as they require an actual adress
So if person states I use P.O. box ONLY that would be a red flag to me

Everyone HAS an actual address whether for U.S. mail or not
THAT is what I would want to obtain prior to sending payment, iF I do not know the person or are iffy

 

[Xsales]

" I've always questioned why a seller can never trust a buyer, but the buyer is expected to trust the seller. It's the buyer that is the one we hear about way too often being ripped off."

The Seller only has to get the funds (trust payment will be sent by Buyer) but in the mean time Seller retains firearm - he is out nothing (sake of time & frustration) if Buyer does not pay/perfom

Conversely, If Seller does not perfom, Buyer is out the money AND the firearm - double whammy for him

Once Seller receives payment ZERO trust is needed regarding the Buyer

Trust falls much more on the Seller from Buyer

 

[4kdave]

I have had purchases on this forum where the seller shipped at the same time I gave him the tracking # for the payment envelope. Not large purchases but still there are still trusting people out there.
Hope the OP gets his gun and still trusts the 99.9% on our forum.

 

[jd950]

My suggestion: use USPS money order. Postal Inspectors are hyper about mail fraud and will chase the miscreants to the ends of the Earth. Most scammers know this and ask for some other form of payment.

I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but the supposed safety of paying by USPS money order is pretty much an urban myth. Postal Inspectors investigate a number of crimes including mail fraud and if you were defrauded in a manner that involved the USPS or any other interstate carrier (including UPS or FedEx), they have jurisdiction no matter what form of payment was used (how much effort they will devote to any particular situation is a different matter).

Payment via a USPS money order does not elevate the issue for them. At least in theory, there is a benefit in getting paid by a USPS money order because postal inspectors also investigate forged money orders and may treat that with increased interest over a basic "didn't get what you ordered" case. On the other hand, forgeries of USPS money orders have been on the rise for several years, so getting paid with one has its own risks.

The safest form of payment for a buyer is a credit card because of the ability of the cardholder to challenge the charge and the inevitable paper trail with credit card purchases, but of course, that only works with merchants. The least safe form of payment is Western Union, which I would assume to be a scam in almost all circumstances other than money transfers between family members. All other forms of payment are pretty much a roll of the dice. When I am going to send money to someone unknown to me, I will often do a basic internet search on the recipient's name, phone number and address to see if they look legit. It is surprising what you can find and if I can find nothing...I begin to think the deal is fishy.

 

[fullbore]

There is a great resource that I use at work to look at people. It is free.

radaris.com has areas to search. I specifically like the address finder.

addressradaris.com Get their address and punch it in. Most/some real people will show if you look around.

Scammers have come and gone over the years. I hate to see it in our communities.