Last I heard, I don't think you can use PayPal to buy guns. Sadly. (Of course, they're based in CA, where I think you can be sued for even thinking about a gun, so maybe they're just being prudent businessmen. Assuming you can be considered prudent if you choose to remain in CA . . . )
Scammed - UPDATE in first post
- Thread starter Pizza Bob
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Last I heard, I don't think you can use PayPal to buy guns. Sadly. (Of course, they're based in CA, where I think you can be sued for even thinking about a gun, so maybe they're just being prudent businessmen. Assuming you can be considered prudent if you choose to remain in CA . . . )
You are correct, and PayPal can/will cancel your account for doing so. However if you use a credit card through PayPal, I'm not sure PayPal would know if you filed a dispute directly with the credit card company, because at that point, it might just become a dispute about money rather than reflect on what the item bought was.
dandyrandy
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It happens a lot with firearms unfortunately... But fortunately most criminals are not that very smart and get caught easily... I can see most of these scams a mile away before it gets close to me. The worst place has to be Armslist. It used to be okay years back but now its seems most people on there a not legit.
dandyrandy
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Ah yes internet gun sales.... Its a love hate relationship! The best thing to do is STOP internet gun buying but we all know thats impossible... Your a sick sick person that needs to find that hard to find gun.... We all know this and criminals know this too sooo... I mean your local Gun Bob store is not going to have that hard to find gun your looking for so that keeps us looking in the INN-TOE-NAT for cool deals on that new hot shinny three fiddy seven momma. Let the bidding war begin! Like two dirty nasty pigs fighting over a piece of chocolate...
dandyrandy
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Thats interesting the second gun I bought on Gunbroker was a won bid on an old S&W model 10 that looked brand new. I won it on a very low bid. I wasnt even really interested in the gun when I bid not thinking I would win but when I did I was like cool im liking this model 10 more and more! I didnt hear from the seller for a long time and eventually they got back to me saying that its a family heirloom and shouldnt be sold... Okay whatever cool with me! Sometimes you really just got let things go cuz there just silly pop guns in the end that you will NEVER be able to take to the grave with you...
Sadly, Guns America does not.
Be very careful with PayPal. PayPal will freeze your account permanently (worse than just canceling it) even for an innocent gun part or accessory (let alone a ga-ga-ga-gun) if they find out about it and decide the part or accessory is not one to their liking. Ask me how I know this.
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Be very careful with PayPal. PayPal will freeze your account permanently (worse than just canceling it) even for an innocent gun part or accessory (let alone a ga-ga-ga-gun) if they find out about it and decide the part or accessory is not one to their liking. Ask me how I know this.
OK, I'm asking. How do you know this?
The reason I am asking is because while I have never used PayPal for an actual gun I have used it when selling scopes, scope mounts and low capacity magazines on Ebay. The last time I sold a magazine on Ebay their policy was 10 rounds and under was allowed but anything larger was not. I always figured that as long as Ebay allows selling parts like these PayPal will not have a problem either. If parts like this can result in my PayPal account being frozen I will quit using it. I use it for a lot of other things and am pretty dependent on it.
While scopes are just optics I could see a left leaning tech company having a full blown hissy fit worthy of a teenage girl if they learned I accepted money for an "ammunition feeding device" on their platform. And all big tech companies are left leaning. I work for one and the amount of PC nonsense I get from them is truly annoying at times.
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S&WsRsweet
Member
On line state to state transfer question number 1 before any money changes hands .Who is your FFL and information as my guy only takes shipments from other FFL holders and yes I’ll pay the fees .Its cheap insurance .At least that’s what my guy told me and that’s worked well for me .I never had a legit seller that wouldn’t go along and have had a couple of suspious ones back away from deals.Thanks for posting though it keeps us on our toes.
I know it so well because I have been locked out of my PayPal account for a couple years now. No warning... no appeal... no saying what they think I did wrong... no nothing. I've requested that the account just be closed, but they won't do it. It's weird. They retain control and I am frozen out for life. Had to cancel my credit cards and change my bank accounts to protect myself. Totally strange situation.
But I think you are probably right. Anything on EBay should be okay with PayPal. They are still loosely partners after all. My mistake was accepting PayPal on GB. My advice: Never list PayPal as a payment option on GB unless you are willing to have your account frozen for any reason or no reason at all.
I hope you get a happy resolution to your loss .
I have bought and sold a few on GunBroker but it always makes me a little anxious until it's all done. I've been fortunate so far. As to selling, I always post on this forum and sometimes Ruger forum and Predator Master's forum first, depending on what the sale item is. I'm more comfortable with my familiar forums than the auction sites.
I have bought and sold a few on GunBroker but it always makes me a little anxious until it's all done. I've been fortunate so far. As to selling, I always post on this forum and sometimes Ruger forum and Predator Master's forum first, depending on what the sale item is. I'm more comfortable with my familiar forums than the auction sites.
My 1st read of this thread. I am sorry this happened to you but as others have said it does stop a criminal from scamming others and hopefully in time you will get your money back. You did about everything you could to verify the seller. The Google earth thing is a great idea. I have never had a bad experience yet and buy on line more often than FTF. I am skeptical of a new seller but like anything, everyone starts will 0 buys and 0 sells sometime. I have bought from them in past (not in several years) but like you I did a lot of vetting first. Lucky for me I have not had the problem you did.
I will say in the last 3-4 years I have started using "favorite sellers" auctions almost exclusively. They always have top quality guns for sale, most I know from SWCA or the forum. I have purchased many non S&Ws but only from favorite sellers I have grown to feel comfortable with and most have 1000+ sells.
I know I pay more (top dollar) with these sellers as they are popular and well known but I also know what I am getting and if something goes awry there is a little grace given on both ends. This has happened a couple of times. Most will take a personal check! Although I tend to use credit cards as it offers better protection. the 3% add on is just the price of insurance to me.
I will not buy from anyone who insists on a USPS M.
nly. It offers me almost no protection. I save my "great deals" for FTF pawn shop, gun show or LGS sales that I frequent often. Also Armslist FTF sales only. Sorry for rambling. Good luck I do hope you get compensated.
I will say in the last 3-4 years I have started using "favorite sellers" auctions almost exclusively. They always have top quality guns for sale, most I know from SWCA or the forum. I have purchased many non S&Ws but only from favorite sellers I have grown to feel comfortable with and most have 1000+ sells.
I know I pay more (top dollar) with these sellers as they are popular and well known but I also know what I am getting and if something goes awry there is a little grace given on both ends. This has happened a couple of times. Most will take a personal check! Although I tend to use credit cards as it offers better protection. the 3% add on is just the price of insurance to me.
I will not buy from anyone who insists on a USPS M.
nly. It offers me almost no protection. I save my "great deals" for FTF pawn shop, gun show or LGS sales that I frequent often. Also Armslist FTF sales only. Sorry for rambling. Good luck I do hope you get compensated.hoosierone
Member
Not sure if this is workable, but if this guy actually owns real estate perhaps you could obtain a judgement and file a lien on the property. That would give him a problem if he ever goes to sell, or tries to get a loan on the property. I realize this could get expensive but may be worth at least discussing with a lawyer in his backyard. You did mention you have an ex FBI relative in his area.
I just want to add a helpful tip that might save someone from being scammed. On an internet picture, right click on the picture, one of the options is a Google search, do that and if the picture was lifted from another website it will show you those pictures. Saved my hubby's hindside on a high $$$ custom knife that way. He was going to purchase it on eBay at a price that was "too good" I found the knife on the knifemake'rs website for 3x the price. Reported it to eBay and the fake seller was suspended.
That is also how I figured out some of the actions of a now banned member here.
That is also how I figured out some of the actions of a now banned member here.
Wow what a ordeal. Now I know I'll stick with my self imposed rule, I will only buy from a dealer that accepts credit cards. Limits my selection and I pay a premium, but I accept that.
Can't stand a thief and think it should be a capital offense. If not a capital offense then maybe a Middle East/loping off a hand offense.. that said, if you don't get a monetary resolution, then maybe the victim gets to administer a 007 in a cut out wicker chair type compensation.
Did I mention I can't stand a thief?
Did I mention I can't stand a thief?
OP
Pizza Bob
Member
pawngal, thanks for the tip - I didn't know I could simply right click on the picture and search from there. In this instance though, I did do a Google image search for "S&W 520" and looked to see if an identical picture came up. I'm wise to the fake auctions using pictures from legitimate sources.
To bring everyone up to speed - at the direction of my cousin (retired FBI) and in line with the "Throw enough #@*& against the wall and something is bound to stick" school of thought - in addition to filing a complaint with the local police, I have filed a complaint on ic3.gov, the FBI's Internet crime website and with the Idaho Attorney General's Consumer Protection Bureau. I also have a form coming from the USPS to file a mail fraud complaint. I would have done that on-line, but my browser (Google Chrome) would not recognize the security certificate of the government site and would kick me off when I tried to go interactive. LOL.
Again, thanks for all the kind words and thoughts, and as I said before, I didn't post this to put people off of buying on the Internet - just posted it as a word of caution.
Adios,
Pizza Bob
I had a similar problem - money set but nothing delivered. Since the money was sent in the form of USPS MOs and was sent by 1st class mail, I contacted the USPS Postal Inspectors. They said it was clear case of mail fraud and they would investigate. About a month later I get a frantic call from the guy, saying the PO Inspectors were threatening jail time for him and he wanted me to call the off. I told him as soon as I received the items I ordered, I would notify the PO Inspectors there was no longer any mail fraud. I did receive the items ordered and I filed a completion form with the PO saying everything had been received.
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