Gunbroker: what's best payment method?

[ruger9 0]

I'm looking at a rifle on gunbroker, and the seller has no feedback (everybody has to start somewhere, I once had no feedback on ebay)... anyway, he specifies MO/certified check or paypal for payment.... now, GB FAQs say paypal doesn't allow their service to be used for firearms or firearms accessories? I was going to use paypal because of the buyer protection, but it looks like I can't? And if that's so, why is it even an option when you list an item?

 

Also- with a CC or MO, is there any way to get your money back if you're taken? On a personal check you can stop payment... but what about a CC or MO?

 

The amount is around $800 btw. I know GB covers up to $500 with a $100 deductible, but that's not good enough in this case...

[reloaderguy 30]

I always use a USPS Money Order. That way you are protected and he can be arrested for mail fraud if he takes your money and doesn't deliver.

[RecessedFilter 222]

I always wondered the same thing - Paypal doesn't service firearm related purchases yet how do they know? As long as you don't put anything gun related in the 'memo'/'notes' section, they don't know correct?

 

Anyway, I ALWAYS use a postal money order. As reloaderguy states, you are protected pretty well in terms of fraud. Just make sure you keep the receipt from your money order, as well as the purchase receipt.

 

I know there is a very small amount of fraud on Gunbroker, but I have bought...oh god I don't even know, a good amount of guns and accessories off there and I have never had a problem.

[Sonnylee 20]

I always use a USPS Money Order. That way you are protected and he can be arrested for mail fraud if he takes your money and doesn't deliver.

 

That's the way to go!

[matty 810]

USPS MO and return reciept on the envelope

[ruger9 0]

hmm... well, I won the auction, BUT..... I looked up the guys' real name and address...

 

-the address can't be found on google maps

-the phone number is for cumberland. md (when the address is for tarawa terrace, nc)

-I can find no other "internet trail" on the seller based on his name & alleged location

 

...I'm not sending payment unless I can be somehow assured this guy is who he says he is, and is where he says he is

 

 

 

FWIW, when the guy first listed the rifle, I emailed him and asked if he'd ship without the 20 round mag, as I can't have it anyway. He replied "yeah no problem, I was going to just throw the mag in there anyway", and "I was going to get some more pics up tonight"...

 

"tonight" came and went so a couple days later I asked for more pics of the rifle and scope, and about a day later he replied and posted pics of the rifle and scope.

 

It SEEMS alright, but emails are of course just typing, easy to lie, but I have to say... finding pics of a Ruger Mini-30 Tactical with a scope lying BESIDE it wouldn't be easy to do if you were scamming someone...

 

 

Here's the link, yes I overpayed but these guns are IMPOSSIBLE to find... I'd love some opinions, given the info I've provided...

 

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=307429712

[kman 56]

Here's an interesting page from gunsamerica.com regarding fraudulent postings and postal money orders

 

http://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/gunsamerica-endorses-usps-as-exclusive-form-of-non-credit-card-payment/

 

If you have a bad feeling about it, I wouldn't ignore the feeling. You could speak on the phone with the guy, ask him why his address doesn't work out and why his phone number is from the wrong state. See how he is. Has he sold anything before through gunbroker.com?

 

Tell him you are going to send a postal money order, see if that spooks him.

 

You could also ask him to bring the gun to a local dealer and pay the dealer to ship it to your NJ dealer. Then at least the dealer could confirm that he received it and it looked OK when you send the check, or you could send the check to the dealer down there too, and the dealer could hand over the check when he receives the gun for you. Let the dealer charge his marked up freight charge to compensate him for his time.

[ruger9 0]

I've read all over postal MO offers little protection. Basically sam as cash. Feds not interested in a one-off mail fraud, only the big boys. This guy hasn't sold anything on gunbroker, zero feedback.

[BlueLineFish 615]

I have done USPS money order or credit cards. Just find a buyer who doesn't charge cc fees

[NJMac 0]

One possible reason the phone number could be different is if he got a cell number originally in Maryland. I'd also give him a call to ask some of your follow ups, just to hear his responses vs. seeing stuff typed out.

[tony357 386]

I have always used a CC, this way u have some sort of protection..

[ruger9 0]

help me out guys...

 

email replies:

 

 

Hi Eric.. not a scammer i promise.. my address probably wont come up because we live on a marine corps base and i still have my cell phone number from back home, this is the first time we have ever wanted to sell a firearm as to why there is no feedback! if it would make you feel more comfortable you can call me but i promise we arent scammers!!

Thanks

Morgan Turner

 

Also i see your from NJ? From what i understand you cant ship a mag to NJ correct me if im wrong but thats just what i have picked up from questions from other buyers! [i had requested he not ship the 20 round mag... the "other buyer" was probably me, several days ago, when I asked him if he would keep the mag...]

 

 

It does appear Camp Lejune (where he says he bought the gun) IS in tarawa terrace, nc... would a marine corp base address not show up on google maps?

[djg0770 481]

Possibly re: camp lejune address

 

Ask him what his ebay username is... Check out his feedback there.

[1563621 388]

I was nailed on a handgun purchase 3 years ago.. after 2 years finally collected 400 from GB. NO help from Berkeley PD PA PD. US Postal, Internet fraud, Went the whole route. Have him take it to an FFL and you send funds there. Might cost more but scams are all over. My GB rating is +350.

[1563621 388]

this was to the tune of 1600. I searched the guy after and found warrants. Local PD said it was a European scam. NO HELP AT ALL!

[reed338 11]

Have him take it to an FFL and you send funds there. Might cost more but scams are all over.

 

 

like Dave said this is what i would do if i had that feeling.

[ruger9 0]

I thanked the guy for his service when I realized he was a marine, and this was the most recent reply:

 

 

My husbands actually the one in the Marines

But it actually means a lot when people acknowledge what he does. I'm always available on my cell phone number that you have. I don't have an eBay account I don't really do online auctions usually for the same reason your speaking of now. I have a Facebook as does my husband so that u could see we're real people and about a hundred people that would be willing to attest to our trustworthiness. If need be i can also give you my husbands command information. If we can't use PayPal I will go get exact shipping cost and you can send me a certified check so it can be tracked. Also would need to confirm the FFL information before I can ship it. I will probably put the scope in a separate flat rate box if that's okay with you just to make sure nothing happens to it. Anything else just email me or feel free to call

Thanks

Morgan

 

...I actually don't have a bad feeling anymore, now that I know I've been talking to the wife. The husband probably wrote the item description for her.

[lunker 274]

There are a few things I do. The US Post Office money order is a good start. Googling the address or better yet, using the real estate sites to find the address is also good (I see you did that). If you get the person's cell phone, when you are speaking with them ask them to snap a picture of the gun (everyone's phone has a camera these days) and send it to you. If they really own the gun, it will be easy. If the gun came from an internet site somewhere, they won't be able to do it. Lastly, a lot of FFLs will act as a psuedo-escrow. You can have the seller bring the gun to an FFL, and you can send your money to the FFL, and the FFL will give the buyer his money once he has inspected and shipped the gun. It might cost you an extra $50, but consider it insurance. I just did this for a fairly expensive purchase from a private seller in California with no GunsAmerica feedback.

[Guest]

Have her take it.to an ffl and use a Usps money order as others have said.....kinda easy...

[ruger9 0]

USPS MO offers little protection, many examples online of it helping people not at all... feds not interested in single cases of mail fraud, just in multiple cases/rings.

[djg0770 481]

USPS MO offers little protection, many examples online of it helping people not at all... feds not interested in single cases of mail fraud, just in multiple cases/rings.

 

Correct, but using the FFL as a go-between seems to be viable. Hey, if your "smells fishy flag" is no longer raised, it's your call.

[phoenix_iii 0]

I did the same thing when I found an awesome deal on a local gun forum, from a member several states away... No pictures, just description, no feedback. I said hey, I'll pay your asking price, can you bring it to an FFL, and I send them the $, which they hold until they ship the listed firearm?

 

Worked great. Verified the FFL was real, the # was real, etc... it all worked out and I picked up a great deal. Basically, used the FFL as an escrow party. It was also for a pistol and less expensive for the seller to ship from an FFL!

 

p3

[Johnny 0]

I may be wrong since I don't know anything about that particular gun but the description seems a bit odd to me. It says the caliber is .223(5.56) and it also says the caliber is 7.62x39. Then it says that they have used TUL ammo in .177 grains. I have a 7.62x39 Saiga and I have never seen .177 grain ammo. Again, I don't know anything about this particular gun but perhaps there is someone else here who feels that description is odd as well?

 

Item description:

 

"Ruger Mini Thirty Tactical Rifle Caliber: .223(5.56mm) 7.62x39mm Blued and Stainless Steel ALL BLACK Has only been fired 4 times,cleaned regularly in perfect condition no dings or knicks. Bought in February of 2012, I have only shot TUL ammo, .177 grains, comes with 3x9 Bushnell scope. Little to no kick. Magazine holds 20 rounds payed 900.00 for just the rifle at MCX CAMP LEJEUNE. This is a fun toy!"

[H.M. Murdock 0]

CC with store front (even if there is a 3% premium), postal MO with private sellers. Talk voice with the seller before the auction ends and always go with your gut. I have bought tons of hardware on GB and haven't been ripped off yet.

 

0 feedback is scary. The only time I bought from a new seller I snatched a nearly perfect second-series Colt Detective Special. I got it cheap enough that I could have instantly flipped it back on GB for double what I paid. I don't think the seller (a brick and mortar shop) had experience with auction sites and setting appropriate reserves. Favorite handgun in my safe now -- top shelf! Probably not going to tempt fate again with a 0 feedback seller though.

 

Go with your gut and if you get ripped off anyway then you won't be mad at yourself (which is the worst)

[kman 56]

I second Johnny above, looking at the gunbroker ad, you can't even tell which caliber this gun is. Is it .223 or 7.62X39? It lists both calibers.

 

The description also says "blued and stainless steel". Well which one is it? The pictures are blued but that doesn't mean that they aren't just random pictures grabbed from the internet.

 

I wouldn't bid on a gun, or send money, if I was not certain what caliber it was, and if the seller doesn't know what caliber it is, and if the seller doesn't know the difference between blued and stainless steel.

 

Very concerning!

[ruger9 0]

It's listed as, and is a picture of, the Mini-THIRTY. I assume the listing mistakes were from someone lifting specs from a retailer website... the marine's WIFE is handling the auction, quite possible other than the model of the gun she doesn't know much about it.

 

I'm going to call her today, and maybe see if I can set up an FFL to FFL thing.

[ruger9 0]

I did a search of the address and of the phone number, and it's popping up all over sites for yard sales, garage sales, including the seller's name and number. So this person does indeed live there, the address and number matches, even showed up on a lejuene website advertising yardsales. So unless it's a marine trying to rip people off all over the place (selling a car, a motorcycle, books, the rifle), it's probably legit.

 

As I said, I'll call her today... verify it's a THIRTY (the pic of the model stamp shows 7.62x39), ask about the ammo, but the more I dig, the more it all seems to add up.

[le_boudin 2]

i lived in Maryland and i still have MD cell phone #