Problems with background check today

lipripper

lipripper

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tn
I have been purchasing many guns for several years without any problems.Maybe a few hiccups here n there that were immediately turned over upon appeal.But today I was turned down and the person on the appeal board told my ffl the FBI had me held up.. Not the TBI(Tenn Bureau of Invest),not the local sheriffs office,etc but the Feds. Aug 23rd was my most recent firearm purchase and it went thru without a hitch.Today,only 15 days later and the FBI is holding me up.I have no convictions,am no terrorist,etc., Does anyone know what kind of reasons the FBI would hold me back vs. the local TBI,etc.
This is a multiple firearm purchase (3 pistols), would that have anything to do with it.The FBI is closed (Huh,but can still deny my rights) until Monday,and then I will ring their phone off the hook,but any input would be really appreciated. Thanks.
 
Could have been a mis-identification, unless something just hit your record. Have you been convicted of a felony? Even if overturned on appeal?
 
never convicted of felony.hopefully misidentification.still aint right
 
Most likely it's a "shared name" issue. Since it's the FBI I'd be inclined to guess that you share your name with someone on the FBI's Watch list or a Felon with a prior record. When that happens your only recourse is to go through the full appeals process and I would suggest that you register for a unique PIN with the NICS system.

BTW, I do not know about Tennessee but many states will drop the NICS background check for those with a concealed weapons permit. I have one from Michigan and one requirement for obtaining that pernit is a clean score for a full FBI background check. If Tennessee has a similar process you might find that getting a concealed carry permit will save you from the hassle of sharing a name with some criminal you've never met or have any interest in meeting.
 
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Where can I find information on the unique PIN? I have two common names as my first name and the NICS always seems to get confused as to who I am. My first full legal name is John Paul and I get all kinds of things like John, John P., and James P.
 
It was most likely a hit by association. Either your name, or a combination of your first and middle name or by date of birth.

On the date of birth certain numbers that could be easily changed on a document,,such as a 1 can be altered into a 4, 6 to an 8 will cause this to happen.

To register for a NCIC's PIN you can contact them through the website for further info.

I know several people that have done this. It took about a month or so to get it in the system.

Best of luck to you.
 
I wonder if there is something that flags multiple purchases within a set period, like a month? There is a lot of this "under the radar" stuff happening. You are buying 4 guns within a 15 day period. Who needs that many guns anyway? :rolleyes:

Also don't they ask for, or can you offer, a SS# to clarify common name confusion?

Hope it gets cleared up!
 
It's probably mis-identification!

Here in my community there is a dead beat medical doctor that shares my first and last name. I know for a fact that this, er individual, has had numerous Federal tax liens (I looked them up on the county recorders web site). And either he or his wife have, on more than one occasion, given their creditors my home telephone number instead of theirs. :mad:

Before I got my CCW permit, my NICS inquiries would often come back "Additional Information". I did some research to try to determine why my approvals were often delayed and the best I could figure was that it was being caused by this other individuals Federal tax liens. The state Supreme Court lists no criminal activity by anyone in the state with my first and last name. So unless there is someone in the Federal court system with my name the best I can figure is that it's the other guys tax liens that held me up.
 
lipripper said:
I have been purchasing many guns for several years without any problems.Maybe a few hiccups here n there that were immediately turned over upon appeal.
Click to expand...

If you buy/trade or whatever 2 or more handguns in a 7 day period from the same FFL, that FFL holder is required to report the multiple handgun purchase to the feds. If you purchase 2 handguns, each gun from a different FFL holder I have no idea if the FBI system can correlate multiple purchases from different FFL holders within a week. I'm sure they could if they wanted to using a SS# if you choose to include it on a 4473. It seems you've had minor problems in the past. You're a good candidate for a PIN#.

FBI — Fact Sheet
 
[QUOTE=Martya;136697611 Who needs that many guns anyway? :rolleyes: [/QUOTE

Yeah really.Who needs a shotgun a rifle and a four wheel drive anyway.;)
Thanks for all the input. My ffl did suggest I get a UPIN also,so I will.
 
Well after all the wondering what the heck was going on, my ffl called me today and said the denial had been overturned and I could come get my pistols. No explanation or anything as to why they turned me down to begin with.Same old story.Well at least I got 3 brand spanking new mp40s.Nice shootin pistol.
 
I stopped going to gun shows because of problems with the "instant check". The last couple of times I tried to buy or trade with a dealer, I was delayed and had to go pick the gun up at the dealer's shop days later. My name is a common name and I have been told over and over that is why I am always delayed. The fact that I put all my info on the forms doesn't help. Putting my SSN doesn't help. I am nearly 60 and have lived in the same city all my life. I was a LEO and have never had even a parking ticket. The last purchase from a dealer took almost a week to be approved. That is why I don't buy guns from dealers anymore and just do private sale purchases. That is legal in my state if certain requirements are met. I have seen these delays cause the same problem for others. It just amounts to a capricious waiting period and renders the "instant check" to being a major barrier to purchase of a firearm in this state.
 
It could depend on who is running the check too. I ran my own name once, just to make sure my computer code was still working, and it came back as a hit. The reason was a person with my same first name, DOB and Spanish derivation of my last name is some kind of drug king pin wanted by Interpol. You get a lazy FBI clerk who doesn't feel like reading the whole response and you end up getting denied.
 
H Richard said:
Multiple gun purchase will probably be the reason.
Click to expand...

Multiple purchases of the same model of gun may well raise flags. However, that begs the question as to how a security company or police department buys guns. What is their NICS procedure, do they have a "designated buyer" with a UPIN?


Frizzman said:
My name is a common name and I have been told over and over that is why I am always delayed. The fact that I put all my info on the forms doesn't help. Putting my SSN doesn't help. I am nearly 60 and have lived in the same city all my life. I was a LEO and have never had even a parking ticket.
Click to expand...

I am afraid the common name thing is your issue. YOU knowing who you are and your history counts for Jack. Even being a former LEO does not cut it. Everybody on the official side who deals with firearms is now EXTREMELY risk averse. The reason for this is that the Federal government are in the habit of mentioning jail whenever somebody lowish on the pole screws up. It is now SOP to issue such "reminders" across the board, FBI, armed forces, you name it. As a result it is easy to see why the lower level folk chose to say "no" if they have the remotest doubt, thus making the public grumpy. It's more fun than the thought of jail.
 
Argonnakid said:
Where can I find information on the unique PIN? I have two common names as my first name and the NICS always seems to get confused as to who I am. My first full legal name is John Paul and I get all kinds of things like John, John P., and James P.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing it has something to do with the "George Ringo" middle name.
 
I always got delayed for some hours giving my SSN and having CCW License. I made some research and the problem seems to be some felon with same last name and similar first name as me with no SSN on record. Generally I bought all my firearms in the same LGS and the clerks know my situation and they call or put my data on the computer in the morning then call back or check the computer again 2 hours later and the Conditional Non Approval given in the morning return Approved always. I’m planning of getting a UPIN but read that the waiting time is around 160 days .
 
Not an argument just an observation: On the few occasions I've made multiple handgun purchases using one 4473; The FFL holder calls it in and your background is checked. They ask if it's a handgun or long gun being purchased. The FFL replies "handgun" not "multiple handguns" as that's not an issue at this point with the Feds, just are you an acceptable candidate to purchase a gun or guns. The multiple thing comes in when you buy 2 or more handguns from the same FFL within a week (could be multiple on one 4473). There's a form to filled out and submitted, by then the purchaser has his guns and passed the NIC's check. Maybe I'm mistaken.
Now, I've heard of gun shops charging for NICS checks. If the FFL reports a 3 gun purchase on 3 separate 4473's that may raise a flag.
 
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It wouldn't be the multiple handgun purchase at least not at the FBI/NICS level. I think TN is a state where you have a state background check backed up by NICS iirc. It has an acronym, starts with a "P" I think. That could have made a difference if TN uses that data, but I don't know about TN.

Anyway, dealers have to report multiple handguns sales, but that info isn't on the background check. It's a separate form we have to send by close of business (fax), but on the NICS check it's just whether it's a handgun/rifle purchase or both, no quantities are given, at least not on the e-check we use.

I've been away from the board with a massive schedule, but I want to post on a NSSF seminar I attended where a FBI rep was there explaining NICS. I got a new found appreciation for how tough their job is but also a real feel for why the system is flawed. It's not really their fault, they have to rely on the state criminal data to build their data, and the specific check requirements don't line up 1:1 with state laws or data. In some states they have to inquire if a "domestic conviction" was violent or not, it's not in their database, so they mark it delayed then have to inquire with the state agency in question.

The FBI lady there said they literally had a case where they contacted a local court house for a check on a conviction to get clarification of the charge and was told the older records were kept in a building in the back and it had a bee hive and they weren't going to go back and retrieve them. lol.

Anyway, I doubt it was the multi-handgun purchase, and since NICS records are supposed to be purged they wouldn't have a record of the prior check either so it shouldn't have been that.

I agree it's probably a confusion with someone else or another record that's hit the system for a person you could be confused with. Maybe that person was OK and then something hit the database and you got snared up with it.

Regardless, it shouldn't take a week unless the FBI told the dealer to hold it that long, which I haven't experienced. the law says if the FBI doesn't get back to the dealer in 3 business days you can sell it and I've never had a delay set longer than that. However we get very few declines overall.
 
I never had a delay. My last name is unique and I give my SS number.

James
 
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