Does this gun sale sound sketchy?

[EdwardTollman]

This is my first post and I never formally introduced myself. I'm fro Arizona and I'm an enthusiast that has enjoyed reading here... so Hello from AZ!
I have an opportunity to get involved in what appears to be a "sketchy and maybe than legal" private gun sale that began with a listing I put on Armslist this week. My ad states that I would ship, but only FTL to FTL. The 1st letter i got from this "potential" buyer asked for my bottom pice. I responded I would look at a reasonable offer. His reply was he thought my price was fair and offered to send a cashiers check with an additional $100 to hold the gun until the funds cleared and since he just recently moved from AZ to Maryland and his moving company, that is completing his move, would pick the gun up from me to avoid having to ship it.
How would you reply?

 

[Trooperdan]

Hell No!! Repeated as this msg was too short!

 

[chief38]

Any doubts - err on the side of caution and RUN AWAY FROM THE DEAL!

 

[Arik]

Scam!

It's odd that he bargained as scammers usually don't. However, the extra $100 is a big tip of. No one is going to pay you a $100 more just to hold.

That being said even if he is legit the fact that he wants the moving company to pick it up is a crime. Gun HAS TO be sent FFL -FFL


Another thing to look for is if you're selling a common gun. My coworker recently put an XD for sale on Armslist. He got a message from someone in TX. I told him right away it's a scam. Why would someone from Texas want to pay shipping for an XD from Pennsylvania? Wouldn't there be plenty of XDs in Texas? Sure enough it ended up being a scammer
Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[NYlakesider]

Scammer, run, do not walk away!

 

[Snapping Twig]

He gets the gun + $100.

Don't see the problem... ;-)

 

[CH4]

SCAM!!

They'll send you a cashiers check. After it clears, they give you a lame excuse to back out of the deal and ask to have you refund the their money via Western Union, etc. Soon after, your bank will notify you that the issuing bank has recalled the check and your bank will debit your account for the amount of the check plus penalties.

Run away!!

 

[Eddietruett]

I've received this EXACT email from same guy over the last 2 months on 3 separate guns! Felt like it was a scam the minute he mentioned "his agent" would be picking up the gun. Not sure where the scam was going to kick in unless he wanted my home address to have me robbed? I finally responded with a copy of all 3 of his emails attached, he disappeared. If he was actually after the guns in question, he was going to a lot of trouble for lower priced stuff. I'm certain that if he did indeed send a "cashiers check" it would be bogus. But unless he has agents all over, I can't see anyone shipping til check clears. Even a cashiers check

 

[e3mrk]

You should call the Bank the check is from and ask if it is good.
I have done that on occasion and the bank was always ready to help.
Just say that you received a cashiers check from so and so and would like to know if its good,don't ask for anything else and they should tell you if its good or not.

 

[2152hq]

"...and his moving company, that is completing his move, would pick the gun up from me to avoid having to ship it..."

A 'Moving Company' representative, a guy standing at your door that says, "Hi,,I'm from the Moving Company for Mr X",,will take the firearm from you and walk away with it.
How convenient for both him and you.

You would really do that? Not knowing anything about Mr X the buyer,,his real State of residency, the I just moved story, any in hand ID, ect.
,,and the Moving Guy,,you don't think that might be the same guy that sent you the offer, a bad cashiers check and the 'story' in the first place and is probably a felon or otherwise person prevented from purchasing a firearm under US law.?
The BS meter is pegged on this one.

 

[dusty3030]

That is a classic scam. You will get those type responses anytime you post something for sale (not just guns) on Craigslist or Armslist or the like.

 

[JayCeeNC]

It's a common scam. Don't fall for it.

 

[EdwardTollman]

Guys... Thanks so much for all the great replies!
It was certainly my suspicion but a first time for me and didn't realize it was such a common scam. Too bad when you're just trying to do a simple sale on the up-and-up.
Again, thanks for your help!

 

[SuperGoat]

Scam!

Another thing to look for is if you're selling a common gun. My coworker recently put an XD for sale on Armslist. He got a message from someone in TX. I told him right away it's a scam. Why would someone from Texas want to pay shipping for an XD from Pennsylvania? Wouldn't there be plenty of XDs in Texas? Sure enough it ended up being a scammer
Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

I get the 'guy from TX' all the time. Almost every email I get is from one of these people. First they ask a random, normal person sounding, question about the gun. No matter what you respond back with they respond with 'I really want to buy it however I live in TX, what would be the shipping cost from you to (enter zip code here)?'.

 

[Maple Trapper]

Just remember, the sale must go from FFL to FFL. Any FFL will not ship to another FFL without a copy of the receiving FFL's FFL. Even if it wasn't a scam it would turn you into a felon instantly.

 

[codenamedave]

Welcome to the forum.

Did a search for "FTL", got Faster Than Light. Now that's definitely against the laws!

It is legal for a private party to ship a gun to an FFL, with a few caveats.

Sooo... watcha sellin?

 

[Rastoff]

His reply was he thought my price was fair and offered to send a cashiers check with an additional $100 to hold the gun until the funds cleared and since he just recently moved from AZ to Maryland and his moving company, that is completing his move, would pick the gun up from me to avoid having to ship it.

I would reply, "Send the check. Once it clears, I'll ship it to your FFL of choice."

If he's not a resident of your state, you can't legally do a face to face sale anyway. If he is a resident of your state, you can only sell it to the intended purchaser. Otherwise it becomes a straw purchase.

In any event, it's not a scam that will cost you anything. I once got an email from a deposed Nigerian prince. He told me he was going to pay me $10K to hold some money for him. All he needed was my address, which he had already and he'd ship me the check. I told him to ship it. Of course nothing ever arrived.

There are clever scams and not so clever scams. If this is a scam, it's not a good one. There is no loss to you.

 

[Doug627]

Where exactly do the FFLs take part in this transaction?

 

[EdwardTollman]

Where exactly do the FFLs take part in this transaction?

I (the seller) would have my LGS (FFL) ship it to the buyers LGS (FFL) and they would complete the transaction with the buyer. But my FFL would first need a copy of the FFL license that the buyer is using before they would ship it.

 

[EdwardTollman]

"...and his moving company, that is completing his move, would pick the gun up from me to avoid having to ship it..."

A 'Moving Company' representative, a guy standing at your door that says, "Hi,,I'm from the Moving Company for Mr X",,will take the firearm from you and walk away with it.
How convenient for both him and you.

You would really do that? Not knowing anything about Mr X the buyer,,his real State of residency, the I just moved story, any in hand ID, ect.
,,and the Moving Guy,,you don't think that might be the same guy that sent you the offer, a bad cashiers check and the 'story' in the first place and is probably a felon or otherwise person prevented from purchasing a firearm under US law.?
The BS meter is pegged on this one.

Yes... the BS meter hit the red line for sure!