Legit seller?

[stonebuster]

I'm interested in a gun posted in the classified adds on another forum. The add did have a photo of the gun with the date he posted the add. The seller was registered on the forum in 2021 but his first post wasn't until Jan. 31st 2025. He posted 81 times between 1/31/25 and 2/10/2025(day the add placed). The gun was originally listed at $800 now reduced to $570 in one jump. Just seems odd to me but maybe I'm just paranoid. What are your thoughts?

 

[Mobuck]

I'd be leery of this. No assurance at all of legitimacy and great opportunity for fraud.

 

[bigbillyboy]

Sounds very suspicious to me ...

 

[RoninPA]

No posts for 4 years then 81 posts in 10-11 days? Something smells and doesn't add up. You might contact the admin of the forum and ask them some questions.

 

[Fox Mike]

If it seems too good to be true it probably is just that; too good to be true. Buyer beware.

 

[OMCHamlin]

Always ask yourself “is this likely?” And listen carefully to the answer.

 

[mr.deerstalker]

only buy from him if he will go ffl to ffl. have the ffl contact you verification on said firearm. problem sloved

 

[hittman]

If you have to ask …. That in itself may be your answer.

 

[bartp40]

Shop on GunBroker. com

 

[stonebuster]

only buy from him if he will go ffl to ffl. have the ffl contact you verification on said firearm. problem sloved

Would've been ffl to ffl. Usually don't get ffls involved until payment arrives. Maybe his ffl could hold it but it doesn't smell right to me. I'd rather miss a good deal on a gun than get burned knowing I knew better.

 

[stonebuster]

Shop on GunBroker. com

Have done so many times & been very pleased every single time.

 

[hittman]

……it doesn't smell right to me.

There you have it

 

[Dan in MI]

Have you searched the handle. Not on the forum just in general it may pop up elsewhere as a scam. But as said above, if it smells like fish it most likely is.

 

[mykeal]

Having just been scammed on this forum by a very similar sounding situation, my advice would be to run for the hills.

 

[RC44Mag]

Seems we might have had another member here on the forum ripped off recently. If there's any whiff of possible BS I'd avoid it like the plague.
This crap is running rampant now and I wouldn't chance it.
Mykeal, I was referring to your situation and didn't see your post in this thread. Sorry to hear about your experience

 

[mr.deerstalker]

Would've been ffl to ffl. Usually don't get ffls involved until payment arrives. Maybe his ffl could hold it but it doesn't smell right to me. I'd rather miss a good deal on a gun than get burned knowing I knew better.

I concur with you, but if you have a trust issue, ask him to take to the ffl, verify tge gun. send payment. again. problem solved. if he ant willing. that's a red flag, especially if its an unknown seller.

 

[The Preacher]

Run, Forrest, Run... !

 

[stonebuster]

Having just been scammed on this forum by a very similar sounding situation, my advice would be to run for the hills.

Sorry to hear. I've bought revolvers from online forums twice & Gunbroker many times and never an issue of any kind. If I got scammed with my first transaction it probably would've been my last.

 

[stonebuster]

Have you searched the handle. Not on the forum just in general it may pop up elsewhere as a scam. But as said above, if it smells like fish it most likely is.

Yes, I searched his screen name and came up zilch. Read a lot of his posts & seemed he was trying to accumulate an impressive post count quickly. Thanks for all the replies, I'll pass on this "deal."

 

[RC44Mag]

What forum was it you saw that?

 

[stonebuster]

What forum was it you saw that?

I'd rather not say because I'm not100% certain the seller isn't just an honest man.trying to sell a gun.

 

[Rusticbob1]

The best way is always a face to face meeting, other than that a phone call should be able to tell if it’s legitimate.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Very odd someone would join and not post at all for that long then post a for sale item. Even more odd is lowering the price that much all at once.

 

[blume357]

Would've been ffl to ffl. Usually don't get ffls involved until payment arrives. Maybe his ffl could hold it but it doesn't smell right to me. I'd rather miss a good deal on a gun than get burned knowing I knew better.

If the person runs with the money and does not ship it, whether it is ffl to ffl or personal shipping to ffl if the seller is a scammer crook this won't matter, Unless you can convince them to send the gun for you to exam before sending payment... which from my experience is never done between strangers.

What makes me supspisious is the drastic drop in price.... I'll look over those 81 new post.

 

[XP100]

Ask seller to take gun to his FFL and leave it. When FFL confirms he received gun send payment to seller. Then FFL can send item to your FFL. You could even offer to pay his FFL transfer fee.

 

[RoninPA]

Ask seller to take gun to his FFL and leave it. When FFL confirms he received gun send payment to seller. Then FFL can send item to your FFL. You could even offer to pay his FFL transfer fee.

Even that can be a scam if the seller (or sellers) are in cohorts with the FFL. And yes, there are dishonest FFL's out there and sometimes they get caught and sometimes they don't.

 

[el caminero]

Dosent a dishonest transaction (theft) via internet constitute wire fraud? Isnt that still a felony? At the least, the suggestion of having their ffl shop verify the gun either makes it okay, or will ruin the ffl, an incentive to be sure what they are doing is right.

 

[jav]

I would be very cautious on this one

 

[Crockett12]

If the price for the firearm is too good to be true and hasn't sold at that price -- it probably is too good to be true!

 

[stonebuster]

If the price for the firearm is too good to be true and hasn't sold at that price -- it probably is too good to be true!

No posts until four years after registering, 81 posts from Jan. 31st-Feb 11th and not one post after listing gun for sale. I'd say you're correct. Still listed.