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Bomber

Reporting fraud on Gunbroker?

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A brand new seller on GB with no feedback got me suspicious.

He has four no reserve auctions, all with below market "buy it now" prices and two bidders with bids on two of his items, one with zero feedback. 

The clincher was he was using a photo lifted from a Sportsmans Supply auction, a big seller on GB.

How can this seller be reported to GB? 

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Why bother? If you don't really know it is a scam and you haven't been affected it really isn't your problem. Do you know it is a scam? I have sold guns for less than the market value and it wasn't a scam. Gunbroker are big boys and can handle issues.

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34 minutes ago, JC_68Westy said:

 Do you know it is a scam?  

Yeah.

 I did a little more digging, his listings were lifted, photos and descriptions, word for word from past completed GB auctions. Looked like some shill bidding was going on as well.

I submitted it to GB customer support. 

Some guy just purchased this:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/891620786

Here is the original:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/890745090

I'm not worried about GB, I don't want to see people get ripped off. 

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GB is a scumbag company full of scumbag listings!  I got screwed on a handgun in 2010. guy had 34 positives. After 1 year received a refund from GB for 25% of my loss. I sold on GB & closed my CC. Still owe them for gun sales. Screw them! Filed PD report, internet fraud claim, postal claim. Certified check , bank was no help. Post office was no help. Chalked it up. David Caravella. Search later found PA criminal history. That was 11 years ago.

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I don't see anything wrong with what you've done.  You were suspicious, you reported it to the platform, you haven't lost anything.  Let it go.  

Ebay has a "Sell One Like This" button that allows users to create listings that can be almost direct duplicates of other listings.  Sometimes new or inexperienced or lazy posters can get their listings up faster or duplicate what a successful seller has done.  

As for "below market" prices . . . Isn't that what we are all looking for?  Many of these sellers don't have brick and mortar shops so they have low overhead.  They also realize that buyers still have to pay shipping and transfers so they keep prices down.  

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You cant report fraud unless fraud has happened. This is like minority report on GB. 

If you buy on GB you are taking a gamble when using checks, certified or not. 

It very well could be fraud, and I would never buy from a new account or listing. I always beleive there is a reason its easy to seperate an idiot from his money. 

This is no different than the guys who convince you to send them money via gift cards in Jamaica. 

Gunbroker is an organized version of Craigslist with certified dealers and payment options. Armslist is no different, but much worse 

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3 hours ago, RUTGERS95 said:

world would be a MUCH better place if people would just mind their own damned business.

Some of you people are unbelievable. 

GB has removed the seller as a registered user meaning it was probably fraudulent.

I likely saved several buyers from getting swindled out of a few thousand dollars (I was almost one of them) and I get told to mind my own business. 

3 hours ago, EdF said:

Ebay has a "Sell One Like This" button that allows users to create listings that can be almost direct duplicates of other listings.  Sometimes new or inexperienced or lazy posters can get their listings up faster or duplicate what a successful seller has done.  

As for "below market" prices . . . Isn't that what we are all looking for?  Many of these sellers don't have brick and mortar shops so they have low overhead.  They also realize that buyers still have to pay shipping and transfers so they keep prices down.  

Gunbroker doesn't have the buyer protections in place Ebay has.  Sellers can request money order only as payment. Had the buyers mailed off their $600+ MO's  they would have got ripped off as "15636215" was.

His listings were word for word lifted from previous completed sales right down to the description regarding condition and modifications with no mention that the photos were not of the actual item for sale.

The low "Buy it Now" price was part of the bait, along with some suspicious bidders.

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You know . . . Nobody is really arguing with you.  You came in here and asked how to report a scam to GunBroker, then you reported the seller to GunBroker, they took the sale down and removed the seller (as if that's going to stop him).  

What else do you want from us?  

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3 minutes ago, EdF said:

You know . . . Nobody is really arguing with you.  You came in here and asked how to report a scam to GunBroker, then you reported the seller to GunBroker, they took the sale down and removed the seller (as if that's going to stop him).  

What else do you want from us?  

 

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21 hours ago, Bomber said:

 probably fraudulent.

 

When did you become the arbiter of what is fraudulent or not?  I mean listen to yourself...

And we blame 'karens' for their behaviour...

It is truly none of your business....and you possibly jammed someone up that was poasibly totally legit....

Is a Red Flag dime drop next?  Sheesh ...

 

 

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Bomber, you are doing the right thing! Keep sounding the alarm anytime you see these thieves and they ARE thieves. GB will not take their ads down even when you report them and at least one or two innocent people get robbed by these thieves. A deal that is too good to be true usually is not true, new sellers with no feed back should be handled carefully. I asked one to take the gun to a local FFL which he did and we handled the transaction via the FFL.  Choose an FFL with a web site and business location. If a new seller won't do that walk away!

There is an old saying "all that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing". You stay on track brother! You are doing the right thing!

 

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Another one I saw recently a sellers primary listing photo was a of Colt M4 LE6920 along with random stock photos he lifted of the internet.

In reality he was selling multiple Colt CR6920 with the new laser engraved roll mark that are not as popular using the same photo in each listing.

Technically his listing description would have probably covered his ass in a dispute, on the other hand the item did not match the listing photo.

Not knocking gunbroker, the overwhelming majority are honest sellers but as always; buyer beware, especially with too good to be true listings.

     

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There would not have been a dispute because he did not have the firearm and will simply take an unsuspecting buyers money with no further contact. NEVER NEVER wire or send a new seller money! I recently hit the "buy it now" button from a fraudulent seller (new seller no feedback photos lifted off GunsAmerica). He responded right away and asked "how do you intend to pay"? I informed him I would not send him any money but only to a licensed FFL (one I chose not him) once the FFL had the gun in his hands I would send payment to the FFL along with any FFL fees. I asked him what town he lived in so I could select a local FFL and I never heard from him again. Here is a current fraud on GB. They pop up quicker than you can report them and just register with another name and fake address when you do.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/902644316

Most GB sellers are very reputable and it is not hard to spot the fakes if you use the necessary precautions and don't be misled by fake bids.

Stay after them!!

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