Help for people that can't decide scam or not
Ok, lots of posts regarding scam activity. Like it or not every online activity has problems, GunBroker.com is no different, it is up to you to defend yourself.
Here are a few red flags:
1. A non rated seller that just joined in the last week.
2. Underpriced item, normally they have a buy it now slightly under the going rate.
3. Paypal...just don't. Edit- Add Zelle, Venmo or any other quick electronic payment service to that. They all have clauses in the user agreement that it is not to be used for gun transactions. You have zero recourse when you get scammed and on top of that they will lock your account.
4. The word "kindly", have any of you seen a scam communication that doesn't have that word? Must be commonly taught English in other countries but not used as often in our country.
5. Very few pictures.
6. Gunbroker warning on the auction asking if you've seen that exact item listed elsewhere, I believe that comes on after someone reports it.
7. No reliable communication other than text/email.
8. Multiple listings with wildly different backgrounds.
While none of these alone are major alarms but normally scam listings have most or sometimes all.
Sorry if this discussion is not allowed, feel free to delete but man, forums seem overrun with people that can't seem to figure it out on their own.
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Very well said. It is probably against the rules but I wouldn't mind this being made a sticky at the top of the page. Bob
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I see only good advice, particularly #6: cases where GB has already tagged the listing as being suspicious. I will make this a stickie.
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AWESOME ADVICE. Add to it, if you are uncomfortable in any manner contact the seller for clarification before you bid, keep all emails and phone numbers. If pics are not clear, ask for more.
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mark christian: 31516301876891/comments/31516320447771
I see only good advice, particularly #6: cases where GB has already tagged the listing as being suspicious. I will make this a stickie.
đź‘Ťđź‘Ť Bob
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Members are welcome to make additional contributions to the above list. It must be understood that Gun Broker does not tolerate fraudulent listings or scams and has mechanisms in place to prevent them. Demands that the Gun Broker do more, or claims that GB is not doing enough, will be dealt with accordingly.
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I'm having a bit of fun with one now, asking for more pictures, asking for serial number, etc.
Oohing and aahing over the item's immaculate condition, and how rare it is. Mmmm-boy! It's a good-un!
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this would be great advice on the main site. could have saved me a hard lesson.
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A huge hint is when they have you send payment to an address that is different from the registered address on the auction. I've seen a couple people post that suspicious sales had them sending payment to strange places.
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I am seeing many scams have the same mo and fairly easy to avoid
Most are either NR sellers or only feedback is with another account they have
Most are also using Paypal
All are using stolen pics,all have pics with different backgrounds ,some looks as thou taken from computer screen.
Can we post scam auctions on here ?
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Dave Kemp: 31516301876891/comments/31516337069595
I am seeing many scams have the same mo and fairly easy to avoid
Most are either NR sellers or only feedback is with another account they have
Most are also using Paypal
All are using stolen pics,all have pics with different backgrounds ,some looks as thou taken from computer screen.
Can we post scam auctions on here ?
So you basically just parroted several of my points.
No, you will get this thread locked if you post specific auctions.
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Dave Kemp: 31516301876891/comments/31516337069595
I am seeing many scams have the same mo and fairly easy to avoid
Most are either NR sellers or only feedback is with another account they have
Most are also using Paypal
All are using stolen pics,all have pics with different backgrounds ,some looks as thou taken from computer screen.
Can we post scam auctions on here ?
No, you cannot. Did you read your posting guidelines? If you failed to do so, focus your attention on #2:
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Here’s a pro tip. Copy some of the text that has unique language and search I have identified more scams doing this than reverse image search. Find same item for sale on another site for 3x price
tell them your are local before you bid and see if they will agree to meet at ffl to transfer
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It seems there are more GB scams now than ever before. With the enormous volume, you know people are getting ripped off.
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There is a scam seller on Gunbroker right now who took my money, (and apparently others) but is still listing items. I've already reported them and filed a Bidder Protection claim, but I don't know why they are still active.
They even re-listed the item I bought and paid for. Their emails originated from Lithuania (reverse whois on their IP address from the email header).
I sent a postal money order because it is generally better protected by the USPS, but it's still a hassle dealing with the claim and investigation -- meanwhile, they are scamming others.
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There are scam sellers everywhere, looked at or tried to sell anything on c-list lately?
It is up to YOU to educate yourself so it doesn't happen to you.
plautus: 31516301876891/comments/31516306839707
There is a scam seller on Gunbroker right now who took my money, (and apparently others) but is still listing items. I've already reported them and filed a Bidder Protection claim, but I don't know why they are still active.
They even re-listed the item I bought and paid for. Their emails originated from Lithuania (reverse whois on their IP address from the email header).
I sent a postal money order because it is generally better protected by the USPS, but it's still a hassle dealing with the claim and investigation -- meanwhile, they are scamming others.
Send me a link to the auction you won.
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i reported the scammer over 10 days ago and he's still listing auctions.
i filed a bpp at that time and faxed in everything. no response.
pm sent.
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CCI 500 sp primers 40 bucks for 1000... in stock. Check out Royal firearms LLC They got me and 4 other friends. A SCAM they do not sell on Gunbroker but I have to warn people of this place for people who spend too much time search for primers!
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Scams are everywhere, not just on Gunbroker, like I say above it is up to YOU to protect yourself. Scammers on gunbroker are pretty easy to detect.
The biggest one I see is a non rated seller that recently joined, don't bid on them, especially if something has a buy it now under market price.
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I encountered two scams this week, with never before seeing one. Seems to be getting very popular. Avoiding speaking on the phone seems to be a quick tip off as well. I reported both, but is there any recourse or prosecution of these people? Have purchased many, but never sold on GB, so I don't know what the initial screening or background check there is for a new seller, apparently none. Is there no way to prosecute these people, as a deterrent? Luckily I avoided both losses. Can't believe they're stupid enough to steal exact pictures from GI, when most buyers shop to compare anyway.
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Ummmm, if the seller has only 5 feedbacks, all F, it might be a scam...... (edited to delete the specific auction)
Come on people, the scams are not hard to spot if you pay attention. And there are some good deals to be had from new sellers. If I see something I really want I send a question I know the answer to, and I try to educate the new seller. If they are not responsive or illiterate, or stupid, I move on and don’t bid. They are not hard to spot. But this 5 Fs is the best I’ve seen yet!
And yes, I reported that seller to Support.
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oldWinchesterfan: 31516301876891/comments/
Ummmm, if the seller has only 5 feedbacks, all F, it might be a scam...... (edited to delete the specific auction)
Come on people, the scams are not hard to spot if you pay attention. And there are some good deals to be had from new sellers. If I see something I really want I send a question I know the answer to, and I try to educate the new seller. If they are not responsive or illiterate, or stupid, I move on and don’t bid. They are not hard to spot. But this 5 Fs is the best I’ve seen yet!
And yes, I reported that seller to Support.
Well first time buyers, coming here from places like ebay and amazon don't know that. They are trusing that a large site is only presenting legitimate items for sale.
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StoneBasses24: 31516301876891/comments/
https://forums.gunbroker.com/discussion/comment/11270521#Comment_11270521
Well first time buyers, coming here from places like ebay and amazon don't know that. They are trusing that a large site is only presenting legitimate items for sale.
Exactly -- and they see "Verified Seller" and the claim that the seller's identity and address has been verified.
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Well, I was taken. I paid, and I didn’t see the other side of the transaction, the merchandise. How can contribute to take these people out of business? What are really my options with law enforcement?
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I almost paid. When the guy sent me the email for Zelle of his supposed wife, I open the email as "show original" in my Chrome (it also can be done in Outlook), and I found the IP of sender. Using www.ip2location.com I located the IP geo location is in Chile, South America. I had no loss other than my expectation to get a nice original Glock 17L. GunBroker is able to know from where the IP comes from and block it. I understand they can use proxy and VPN IPs of US territory but a constant monitoring of those IPs would help to prevent connections from some countries.
Be careful friends. This frauds on GunBroker would happen on time or another. It happened to eBay many years ago. We all need to be more aware of technology in order to avoid frauds.
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davidpks: 31516301876891/comments/
I almost paid. When the guy sent me the email for Zelle of his supposed wife, I open the email as "show original" in my Chrome (it also can be done in Outlook), and I found the IP of sender. Using www.ip2location.com I located the IP geo location is in Chile, South America. I had no loss other than my expectation to get a nice original Glock 17L. GunBroker is able to know from where the IP comes from and block it. I understand they can use proxy and VPN IPs of US territory but a constant monitoring of those IPs would help to prevent connections from some countries.
Be careful friends. This frauds on GunBroker would happen on time or another. It happened to eBay many years ago. We all need to be more aware of technology in order to avoid frauds.
Good work on protecting yourself. Scams are all over right now. I spot at least one everytime I look through my saved searches.
#1 and #2 from my list above are the most prevelant and telling. Did the auction you won fit those?
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shootuadeal: 31516301876891/comments/
https://forums.gunbroker.com/discussion/comment/11272189#Comment_11272189
Good work on protecting yourself. Scams are all over right now. I spot at least one everytime I look through my saved searches.
#1 and #2 from my list above are the most prevelant and telling. Did the auction you won fit those?
Yes, fits #1 and #2 but the price was not super lower, in my judgement, it was slightly lower than normal. Let's say it was $750 and a fair price would be like $1,000 .
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Just had an auction bid up shortly before it ended, it had been at the opening bid for days, the bidder hasn't had any activity since 2018... Suspicious...
Any way to check if the bidder was connected to the seller?
How can I report it to have it checked into???
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Vee_Kay: 31516301876891/comments/31516276851355
Just had an auction bid up shortly before it ended, it had been at the opening bid for days, the bidder hasn't had any activity since 2018... Suspicious...
Any way to check if the bidder was connected to the seller?
How can I report it to have it checked into???
Most of the action on auctions happens towards the end. Very common for a gun to sit at one price for several days and shoot up at the end. I don't think there is near as much shill bidding as some people think there is.
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I was one click from losing $599 to a fake FFL online dealer. AKA - my Lesson on why to only buy on gunbroker.com and still check out the sellers :)
Here’s what saved me – and for those smarter than me – you don’t have to do every step!
1)     I got lucky – I did a very quick pay to the email stated on their website for payments. Somehow, they didn’t take the money from that transfer and instead texted me asking me to cancel that payment and pay to some other person. That made me suspicious. So actually - i did lose my $599 and was lucky i could cancel the payment - read on.
2)     I googled the address stated on their website – it appeared in google maps as a farmhouse in UT. I asked them for their address, they replied with “San Antonio”.
3)     I asked them to send a photo right now as they were texting me telling me to “not worry this is safe”. They texted three photos – I uploaded them to https://images.google.com/ a google site that tells you where else on the internet that picture has appeared. The first picture I uploaded was shown to actually have been in a news story.
4)     I went to see who owned their site using this lookup  https://lookup.icann.org/lookup   and found they are based in Cameroon Central Africa!
5)     I asked them for their FFL # - which I learned you can confirm here: “ATF FFL eZ Check”. If you are given an FFL – and even if it checks out – call that store or location to confirm THEY are really the ones selling you the gun. They stopped communicating after I asked for the FFL
I have sent the entire story to the BATF and my local State enforcement – the fake FFL site is still up - gunsalesbroker.com - if anyone has law enforcement friends – please forward this to them! Let’s catch these F’ers…  please don’t confuse that fraud site with gunbroker.com or any other well established online seller.
--- entire story below -Â Â Â Â
Scam FFL dealer - website shows address of a house in UT - they state they are from San Antonio... feels like overseas actor impersonating a US gun store.. the photo they sent in response to my ask that they prove their storefront – were found from google search!
On 5/24 i attempted to purchase firearm from https://gunsalesbroker.com/
I clicked checkout and agreed to pay $599 for them to ship to my local FFL whose address i provided.
Their website - instructed to pay by Bitcoin (wtf??) or Paypal using address: gunsales91@gmail.com
I did immediately pay to paypal and sent them the paypal reciept.
I then got a text asking me to pay - they had no idea i paid paypal - and told me to pay to a different person not listed on the website. with bad english instructions below:
On Mon, May 24, 2021 at 5:10 PM <gunsalesbroker@gmail.com> wrote:
Yes sir we ask you to make payment using our manager account because the company account its at the verge of deposit. Yes. Your right we sent you the email via from our service so don’t be skeptical okay. Make sure you pay using this PayPal email bellow, make payment under friends and family.
Email:Â wanyama.florence@yahoo.com
Name: Florence wanyama
I asked them for pictures of their store – they sent me stock photos I found elsewhere on the web.
I asked then for a copy of their FFL - no reply...
They text me from phone 415.323.3341Â which when i call it goes to google voice mail.
On their home page they have a product category "machine guns" with a picture of an AK-74 for $750 - i highly doubt a true fully auto AK goes for $750...
I can send you the emails or provide any additional info I may have -
Keith Â
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bpost: 31516301876891/comments/31516336381467
AWESOME ADVICE. Add to it, if you are uncomfortable in any manner contact the seller for clarification before you bid, keep all emails and phone numbers. If pics are not clear, ask for more.
Also note - a scammer sent me great pics - it wasn't until i checked them out on google images and found the photos were not of the gun shop - but from other posted online news stories.. I uploaded them to https://images.google.com/ a google site that tells you where else on the internet that picture has appeared. In my case i asked the seller for a photo of his store / and some inventory... he just pulled some down off the internet..
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