Sorry to hear of your misfortune. I avoid Armslist like the
plague!
plague!
scammed.......
- Thread starter DevilDog72
- Start date
Jim1392
US Veteran
Don't think just because it's a a gun auction company it's on the up and up either. I reported a seller to Gunbroker who was one of their top sellers that was using shill bidders. I gave them a list of the shill names and all the auctions they bid on. The list was quite long, over 50 auctions. I could have given them more but I just used active auctions not sold. They did NOTHING. They just want the fees. I won't buy anything from them. Today it's buyer beware.
Lee's Landing Billy
Member
Thanks to you, Armslist will tempt me no more! Thanks, REALLY!
OP
DevilDog72
US Veteran
Thanks to all that have responded to my post/thread. Armslist sent me an e-mail today and assured me they would co-operate with Law Enforcement to the fullest extent.
This has been a frustrating and expensive schooling. My bad. I will recover and I will press charges.
Thanks again for y'alls comments each and every one.
This has been a frustrating and expensive schooling. My bad. I will recover and I will press charges.
Thanks again for y'alls comments each and every one.
The couple transactions made on Armslist were local. We met face to face, dealt in cash and in both cases, the seller asked to see my CCDW. I guess they wanted to be sure they weren't selling to a felon.
I appreciate that some folks have good experiences with Armslist, but I just can't bring myself to trust it. I've had 100% good luck with GB and GunsAmerica. I'll stick with them and the many online stores I've dealt with over the years.
That sucks. Plain and simple. 
I have had two good deals with Armslist. What I normally do is check to see if the user who post the deal is new to the site, if they are new, I automatically ignore the listing. Also, I always copy the text of the ad into google to see if anything comes up. Pictures also tell the story, especially if they are pulled from high volume sellers on broker.
hkcavalier
US Veteran
Yeah, I echo the FTF only advice.
I used to sell on Armslist every once in a while. I'd bring a counterfeit pen too. If the buyer questioned it, I'd just say I'd been burned once by someone who looked trustworthy (true, 2 of the 8 $100s were phony). This is still something I do, while the NICS check by an FFL has to be done here in WA, you still take the cash directly from the buyer.
I used to sell on Armslist every once in a while. I'd bring a counterfeit pen too. If the buyer questioned it, I'd just say I'd been burned once by someone who looked trustworthy (true, 2 of the 8 $100s were phony). This is still something I do, while the NICS check by an FFL has to be done here in WA, you still take the cash directly from the buyer.
That blows. I hope you get some settlement but I wouldn't hold my breath. I have heard NOTHING good about that Armslist site.
I hope your Karma changes and you find a RM dirt cheap to make up for it.
I hope your Karma changes and you find a RM dirt cheap to make up for it.
OP
DevilDog72
US Veteran
yes
I could use some good karma, I hope that RM can wait till I rebuild my bank account.... man would a RM be sweeeeeeeeeet
I could use some good karma, I hope that RM can wait till I rebuild my bank account.... man would a RM be sweeeeeeeeeet
Off topic, would someone explain how to watermark the photos we post here or link to from here?
I have seen several of my guns posted for sale on Armslist. They took my photos and offered my guns for a good price. I hope no one sent them money, as they would not have been able to fulfill the transaction. I immediately marked them as a scammer, but it seemed to take a long time before the Armslist system flagged the item with a fraud alert. I have rarely seen a gun on Armslist that I was interested in that I hadn't found listed for sale somewhere else or on a closed GunAuction site.
Too bad,
Too bad,
gunsnrovers
Member
It's always a bummer when you find out what you always knew. People suck.
hkcavalier
US Veteran
I have seen several of my guns posted for sale on Armslist. They took my photos and offered my guns for a good price. I hope no one sent them money, as they would not have been able to fulfill the transaction. I immediately marked them as a scammer, but it seemed to take a long time before the Armslist system flagged the item with a fraud alert. I have rarely seen a gun on Armslist that I was interested in that I hadn't found listed for sale somewhere else or on a closed GunAuction site.
Too bad,
Even when I do get excited for one, most of the time it's because the info was wrong. Like the guy who listed a 29-1 that turned out to be a 29-4.
an OK for Armslist - with caveats!
I have not been scammed by Armslist so I'll probably get raked over for this post and I truly am sorry to ever hear about anyone getting scammed by anybody, anywhere. Work with local LEO and the USPS and hopefully you'll get recovery AND put the scumbag out of business (preferably in jail).
I have both bought, and sold several times via ArmsList, and yes, it is preferable for FTF in your State, but I have had offers from out of state for my Python, Colt OMM's, 41 byf Black Widow Luger, and others.
Several tips come to my mind that have been helpful: If you are buying....ALWAYS check the sellers registration date...IF not registered, or recently then RULE 1: RUN...DON'T WALK. Next is ALWAYS e-mail for recent (date mode enabled) photos of something obscure (like s/n under the barrel, frame with grips off, etc.) sometimes you won't even get a reply (see Rule 1). Send a couple follow up e-mails and watch the address of the reply. If phone numbers (for texting) are noted, or cell phones, watch out, or at least be wary. If ANY laws (you know yours, and honorable sellers know theirs...in any state) appear to be "skirted" or being given the impression of "OK" to bypass (1986 Model 29 listed as "C&R ok", etc. also be wary.
If you are selling on Armslist then still demand paperwork of some sort, just to protect your own #$$ if the buyer is not legal, or shouldn't even have it. You know the FFL rules when you buy a handgun, or even long guns in some states. I use a BATF approved Bill of Sale (see attachment) whereby both buyer and seller are: fully identified, gun is fully identified, buyer and seller understand there is no warranty and sign for same, etc. I have has potential buyers say "I don't like paperwork using my personal information" My reply, including face-to-face where I have the same BoS in play is "then don't waste my time or yours because it is a no-sale". I am not that desperate for a sale, and I haven't found anything that I have to have that bad.
Once you have some info if you are not doing a face to face is to check out the buyers FFL....look for a real address, not a p.o. box. Google it, or call to verify creds and make sure they will accept and process the sale (maybe they know something in their state about the buyer that you don't).
Anyway.........even with all of the above I find Armslist not much different than any other stranger to stranger dealing..scam artists will occasionally get over on us honest people, but I don't think they should give every venue a totally bad name.
Even if FTF you can always ask up front about price, terms of payment, return options if misrepresented and judge what you want to do from the replies of the seller.
I have not been scammed by Armslist so I'll probably get raked over for this post and I truly am sorry to ever hear about anyone getting scammed by anybody, anywhere. Work with local LEO and the USPS and hopefully you'll get recovery AND put the scumbag out of business (preferably in jail).
I have both bought, and sold several times via ArmsList, and yes, it is preferable for FTF in your State, but I have had offers from out of state for my Python, Colt OMM's, 41 byf Black Widow Luger, and others.
Several tips come to my mind that have been helpful: If you are buying....ALWAYS check the sellers registration date...IF not registered, or recently then RULE 1: RUN...DON'T WALK. Next is ALWAYS e-mail for recent (date mode enabled) photos of something obscure (like s/n under the barrel, frame with grips off, etc.) sometimes you won't even get a reply (see Rule 1). Send a couple follow up e-mails and watch the address of the reply. If phone numbers (for texting) are noted, or cell phones, watch out, or at least be wary. If ANY laws (you know yours, and honorable sellers know theirs...in any state) appear to be "skirted" or being given the impression of "OK" to bypass (1986 Model 29 listed as "C&R ok", etc. also be wary.
If you are selling on Armslist then still demand paperwork of some sort, just to protect your own #$$ if the buyer is not legal, or shouldn't even have it. You know the FFL rules when you buy a handgun, or even long guns in some states. I use a BATF approved Bill of Sale (see attachment) whereby both buyer and seller are: fully identified, gun is fully identified, buyer and seller understand there is no warranty and sign for same, etc. I have has potential buyers say "I don't like paperwork using my personal information" My reply, including face-to-face where I have the same BoS in play is "then don't waste my time or yours because it is a no-sale". I am not that desperate for a sale, and I haven't found anything that I have to have that bad.
Once you have some info if you are not doing a face to face is to check out the buyers FFL....look for a real address, not a p.o. box. Google it, or call to verify creds and make sure they will accept and process the sale (maybe they know something in their state about the buyer that you don't).
Anyway.........even with all of the above I find Armslist not much different than any other stranger to stranger dealing..scam artists will occasionally get over on us honest people, but I don't think they should give every venue a totally bad name.
Even if FTF you can always ask up front about price, terms of payment, return options if misrepresented and judge what you want to do from the replies of the seller.
I cannot abide by that mindset. In the past 40 years of collecting I choose to evaluate whomever I speak with or meet to make my own, individual, assessments of each rather than generalize it to "all".
Sure, there are story tellers, high pressure salesmen, people who make vague inferences eluding to a tale that is mostly fictitious or without credibility and liars, too, but, for the most part the majority of collectors are basically good people.
Serious collectors, most of us having a life-long reputation to uphold, act and speak with genuine intent and promise. In this tight-knit world where a man's word is still his bond, his "word" (promise) is what distinguishes him.
One common theme I've run across on armslist is a listing in your area,but when setting up a meeting they are suddenly in another state.Run away!
I did buy a nice colt from a seller who was willing to meet me at my lgs last fall.
I had given up on armslist years earlier and just happened to glance at it the day he listed it
I did buy a nice colt from a seller who was willing to meet me at my lgs last fall.
I had given up on armslist years earlier and just happened to glance at it the day he listed it
I've never done this, so this may not be practical, but I had this thought: sometimes a FTF transaction just isn't possible, especially if the buyer and seller are far apart. Ask the seller to take the gun to a FFL for inspection, and ask the FFL to give a report to you, or to your FFL. If the seller isn't willing to do that, then I would pass.
I've noticed that a lot of selling sites now require that any pictures of items posted for sale must be taken with a handwritten note of the seller's name and date. That should help with the copying of pictures off the internet, but even then, with Photoshop skills, a determined crook could probably get around that. I'd still go with the FFL suggestion I made above if I couldn't do a FTF inspection, or I'd pass. I'm too old, cranky, and poor to risk my dollars on a scammer.
I've noticed that a lot of selling sites now require that any pictures of items posted for sale must be taken with a handwritten note of the seller's name and date. That should help with the copying of pictures off the internet, but even then, with Photoshop skills, a determined crook could probably get around that. I'd still go with the FFL suggestion I made above if I couldn't do a FTF inspection, or I'd pass. I'm too old, cranky, and poor to risk my dollars on a scammer.
One of the oddest ebay ads I ran across was while I was perusing specific drum sets. Lo and behold I ran across of picture of my kit, taken in my basement, that I had posted on one of the drum forums, that someone had used to represent their kit.
No harm done but it was just weird to see such a thing. I guess I take a pretty good picture.
No harm done but it was just weird to see such a thing. I guess I take a pretty good picture.
Armslist=FTF only...in public...at my chosen location
model70hunter
Member
Some things are best done face to face.
crankyoldlady
Member
Yupper! The more I see of people, the better I like dogs.
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