Scam or legit?

I occasionally sell a firearm on the Internet. I got this email this morning. The initial contact was over the phone and the guy had no sign of an accent. The tone of the letter just sounds a little bit iffy. What do you guys think?
“i would like to proceed with the instant purchase immediately, Am ok with the condition and the price, I just got deployed from your area thats the reason i wont be able to meet to see it but i can contact my FFL holder and can you give me the contact info of you as the person i am about to purchase the firearm from? I can email msg a copy of my FFL for verification if you want. So let me know if you are ready to proceed in receiving the payment right away, it will be in form of a certified cashier check which will be mailed to you via USPS 2-3 working days delivery, So you ll have to ship to my FFL once the check is cleared. So please kindly get back to me with your details as requested below.”

Have him send the information AND have him send a photocopy of either his personal permit to carry or his personal permit to purchase.
Then do your homework by checking with the issuing agencies to see if he checks out.
After that you have to weigh in your own mind if the purchase is legit or if he is making a straw purchase or otherwise illegal purchase.

Scam!
DT

yellowdog wrote:

i would like to proceed with the instant purchase immediately

Without a doubt. A scam.

Scam. Had the same thing happen. Dont fall for it

deertracker wrote:

Scam!
DT

I agree it sounds weirf, but just for clarity, if the seller and buyer both work through dealers (FFL holders) and buyer sends check, which is cashed before shipping; what is the scam achieving?

I’m not worried about the purchase itself,it’s completely legal.The problem would be paying for a $1000 gun with a bogus money order. It can take 10 days for a money order to clear

I’m not worried about the purchase itself,it’s completely legal.The problem would be paying for a $1000 gun with a bogus money order. It can take 10 days for a money order to clear.I’m no sure how it wuld go down but it seems real suspect to me.

I’m not sure what the debate is here. I didn’t have to read past the first sentence. It’s a scam, no question. I’ve received the same responses many many times to my Craigslist ads.

I knew they were scams so I replied back saying that sounds great but I’d prefer to do the transaction in crypto. On the rare occasion I got a reply, it was of total disregard of my response and was written in different font and style than the original email. Basically they were both drafted responses.

The tone of the letter isn’t iffy. It’s a Scam scam scam.

Demand that they send cash or do Venmo and see if they respond.

Scam. The “certified cashiers check” will be bogus.

He’s hoping that all the talk about the FFL will make you feel like there is some protection and the transaction is legit. It’s a scam. Google firearms or gun sale scams, you’ll probably find the exact text of the email message you recieved.

Grouse

SCAM!

So, why wouldn’t the BATF be all over this scam ? Sounds easy enough… if a legit FFL is receiving your weapon… where does it go from there ? Sure you have a worthless check, but how does the scam come in ? What is the scammers payoff ? The legit FFL sends it where ? Seem’s like an easy catch to me.

I still can’t believe people fall for these scams…like Biggill states, it couldn’t be any more obvious. Ask them what gun he’s interested in, bet he had no clue.

…”So let me know if you are ready to proceed in receiving the payment right away, it will be in form of a certified cashier check which will be mailed to you via USPS 2-3….So you ll have to ship to my FFL once the check is cleared.”

Again, it sounds like BS, but if the above statement doesn’t materialize, I’m not sure what you’re out. It doesn’t say ship it and I’ll pay; it says ship AFTER the check clears. So the scam is they get the info of a gun shop?!

Scam, seen it. They are not after the gun they want money, they send you a bogus check for five hundred over the price and want you to refund them the five hundred and you’ll never here from them again.

Don’t be a sucker! If it were me, I would play a little game with them. I hate dishonest POS trying to take advantage of people.

It’s a scam. Numerous variations of it. You can find examples all over the big gun forums.

Troll the guy for a while. It’s fun.

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Dammit guys, I really need the gun, stop saying it is a scam.

Oh man eagle that is the funniest sh!t I’ve seen in a long time

Should you decide to proceed, and received a signed (in ink – signature not photocopied) FFL, also the name and address of the FFL holder and their shipping address. – consider doing the following: Contact the BATF to verify the name and address of the FFL holder to see if they are current holders of FFL – you must send the firearm to the FFL holder not the individual that is purchasing the firearm. It is the requirement of the FFL holder to then log the receipt of the firearm do a face to face sale filling out the form 4473 and do the back ground check as required by FFL holder and log the firearm out to that individual. Continuity of possession. 2. While you are at it, since you are taking payment other than cash from an individual you do not know, check with the issuing bank to verify person/funds available.
jim

yellowdog wrote:

, I just got deployed from your area

Yeah, I’m with everyone else. Classic scam language and techniques. Bad grammar, no specifics on what your area is, who in the states actually says “email msg”?

If you are feeling adventurous or want to troll the scammer ask them which branch of service they are deployed with. When they respond ask them to send a photocopy of their military ID.

yellowdog wrote:

can you give me the contact info of you as the person i am about to purchase the firearm from?

That quote scares the hell out of me. In addition to money they might be after your contact info. No way would I disclose my personal info to a suspected scammer. Here’s my address please come rob me Here’s my address and name, please work on stealing my identity Etc.

I was paid in cash by a person that had “texting while driving” on their record as the only black mark.

Then I was called by the Apple Valley PD looking for information about this sale…then a month or so later the ATF called me about the email exchange I had with this person and selling a handgun. The AFT wasn’t aware of the Apple Valley PD’s interest.

If it smells like a duck…. and if the words “certified check” are involved, it’s a duck.

mplspug wrote:

Dammit guys, I really need the gun, stop saying it is a scam.

Again, if this is a scam…. how in the world can this not be proven and caught? Like BK say’s, he sold a handgun to a guy with a texting citation.. and the AV Police and the ATF knew about it. Don’t see how this scammer gets anything. BTW…(if anybody ever asks you to cash their check and send them the “extra funds”.. well then your just dumb and deserve to be scammed)

Come on G. There never was a gun…
DT

If you have to ask…

biggill wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mplspug wrote:</div>
Dammit guys, I really need the gun, stop saying it is a scam.

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Now that was funny ! And true at the same time.

You have to learn when to listen to that voice in the back of your head. If you have to ask, you probably already know the answer.

Your choice but I’d go the easy route and ignore it. The more difficult route would be to have them prove all they say before moving forward. Even if they produce all the proof, will you still be 100% comfortable with the transaction?

Just my 2 cents