And some have a combination of both (monthly membership fees on auto-pay, all other invoices are paid as needed by check or cc). I like the protection of the US Postal Inspectors. Pictures just do not show the dings, the scratches, the bluing blemishes and other defects, especially on older guns. I inferred from your blog that local law enforcement doesn’t care about fraud. Even from Cabela’s always call and ask questions. to have to rely on them, for hotels, air etc., the interest rate, penalities, so how maney paid back their debt? But I also accept USPS for those who don’t want to use credit cards, or want a “cash” discount that comes frmo using the money order. bank of america was kind enough to return the money to the acct but did not refund the overdraft fees and still claim i owe them $450+… i will never use a linked card online again. Keeping my fingers crossed. Just make it very difficult for them to work their ploy. I group searched the FFD,Sundale Big Boys Toy Shop,thats selling it and they have no web pg listed It is still important for victims to make the report. Recently retiring from the firearms industry; I have a collection of fake bank drafts and cashiers checks from scammers that ask that you send the gun and return the “extra” or “overpayment” via Railway Express or Western Union to their address. USPS said he (the conman) must bring the empty box into his local post office to be examined. I sent a USPS MO out this morning to a well known shooting supply company. The system proposed by the admin here is as good as it gets for buying from a remote seller. They even sent me a phone number to call eBay directly. A coupla’ more things. Once stopped a transaction I almost fell for when I saw the address as a closed-down dance studio. The scammer already amassed about $22,000 before they caught up with him. ... Thats one way to avoid online scams, no credit cards, checks, money orders, etc. The issue isn’t whose money order it is. Regardless ! Wal-Mart coudln’t care less who cashes it. The recipient called me the next day inquiring about the monies and informing me that he didn’t have any guns for sale on GA. The scammer copied the details of a firearm they saw advertised and made up their own fake ad. GunsAmerica is the most trusted name in online gun sales. eBay got involved too and had a real person emailing me. Several years ago I had made a purchase in Florida for a 12,500. purchase. I understand their concern that sender and receiver could be in cahoots but why bother insuring anything when you don’t know what the guy on the other end will do? Regards, It has been several weeks since the invesigator submitted submitted his report to the federal prosecutor for the district. Never ship a gun via Priority! It’s spam. Some months later I purchased a radar unit for my boat again using PayPal, but instead of having PayPal dock my bank account directly I used their “other funding sources” option and had PayPal charge my credit card. This method of payment is unsafe and can cost you the hard earned money you thought you were sending to a legitimate seller. . It was to no avail, paying with a USPS Money Order. Please do not attempt to use it to pay for or to get paid for GunsAmerica sales. While GA was very fast in suspending the account (within hours). Up to $10 Flat on gunsamerica.com + Free shipping on orders of above $150 or Reward point of around 500 Points, can be used on gunsamerica.com on your next purchase. We've got you covered. A USPS Money order is the ONLY form of check that can NOT be stopped by the sender. It is a dictatorship like anything else an administrator logs into to say what goes and what stays. All I had to do was send him the Post Office docuements. Most orders ship within 24 hours (excludes firearms). If an eBay seller won’t take a USPS money order, I won’t buy. This would still be a USPS nexus and the same result. Find the address you’re mailing the MO to on google earth. With a credit card, you are only liable for the first $50 in the case of fraud. The issue is who goes looking for it if someone steals from you. I have been ripped off in Feb 2013 on GA by a GA seller. In another case, the seller claimed that a Winchester Model 100 was the cleanest rifle he had seen. The buyer will send you a copy of his dealers (or his) FFL and inform you where to ship the gun. with some identity of the gun and himself BEFORE he sent the photo …. They get upset when I don’t ship the expensive firearm the next day! TO PAY BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER (if not on automatic payment terms): > Log In. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. > Click on My GunsAmerica. Thanks very much for this article on payments for GunsAmerica transactions. after my experience with a bad check and the local police i was extremely upset. 4. It isn’t misspelled. To get FBI involved generally takes over $100,000 in losses. But with no FFL and no history I will just have to find another one from someone with a history. You can counterfeit anything. It’s comforting to know that even during these difficult economic times, there are still good people out there who do the right thing. t Purchased 3 items from a single seller on GunsAmerica. File a Mail Fraud Complaint Online. But with these you can walk right into a post office and ask. I would welocome any advice to locate a left hand ejecting lower unit. You must ship the gun to an FFL holder. just my opinion. Unfortunately their prices are usually higher by about $50. The Postal Inspectors are excellent and proactive law officers. PayPal bought out the former Verisign merchant account service I have been using for many years, for my web-based data processing business service. Buying from private parties is like playing the lottery. Perhaps kharma, three of the last four shipments arrived sans contents or damaged, four of five if the TV was damaged in transit. They are the NRA auction site because they pay for the honor, and the NRA would have sold that to a kid on the street corner like anyone else who comes through their doors with money. Here is our story on it. That is just tradition in these discussions and you can’t break tradition now. Golly, I do so still pine for that gorgeous watch . the amount, the writing, the numbers etc., then assume the M.O. Never again any credit card payments for me, so I will only accept USPS money orders. WHAT nearest office? Like most effective law officers they are never without a heavy workload. 2. I must say though that I do not ever recall being called a “Liberal Hippie type”. Third party escrow services are a headache for sellers and have to be licensed in both states. For the fastest delivery, select Express Shipping at checkout. The Federal Trade Commission reports that only 8.2% of fraud victims even report the crime, yet they still tracked over $1.7 billion dollars in consumer fraud complaints in 2010 alone. Follow the link in the name. We’ve been around since 1997! There just is not another source I can use. One guy even smashed the item to bits and wanted his money back…the problem was, the smashed item wasn’t even the same item i sent to him even though he assured me it was! My own experience (individual non FFL ) in receiving a USPS MO’s have been very time consuming when trying to cash them. The first place I looked to sell my revolver was Ebay but there were none up there at all for sale, so I figured they were a verboten item to sell up there. This helps show the bank/credit agency that the victim is “legitimate” and not pulling a scam. Another time, someone hacked into my PayPal account and stole almost $100. The GunsAmerica fraud system is among the most sophisticated in the online world, and we rarely have an actual victim due in part to our diligent regulars here who report suspicious listings. This fake address is often an abandoned house, that again, can be seen on Google Maps and is listed in the phone book, but you have no idea that this is an abandoned house, and that he is going to use fake identification, even stolen identification , to cash that check and take off with your hard earned money. I had a bad time with the USPS for some time. on sep 4th been contacting them by phone more than a week , never heard of me…faxed bank statement showing payment now they have to “verify with their bank” feel they are trying hard, as hard ads they can to rip off that 100 dollars and not send me the second gun nor any gun whatsoever…..Rt now today…I wouldnt send E and L guns any money/do any business with them. If you have any questions regarding this item, you should contact the Seller before bidding. You defraud the Post Office a government entity and you go to jail. They have a money order scanner and know what to look for on the face and back of the USPS Money order. Somewhere, a long time ago, I read that all a certified letter does for you is allow a marginally better paper trail in case of misdirected mail. If the guy on the other end is using fake ID it doesn’t matter how you send it. Greed being the only reason the attempt was not successful, at this juncture I’ve lost no money, PayPal has corrected billing mistakes and is improving their business practices. Makes perfect sense to use the USPS MO for transactions. I’m proud to say that here in Wisconsin, we have been taking back our citizen rights under the Constitution of the United States, and this revolution shall continue. It was proven to not be the item I shipped to him. That goes without saying and makes for a good idea. I would much rather buy from a local gun shop, however being from a rural area local shops do not have the inventory and they must order the same as I. Arnold Harris They don’t care, they have bought into the eBay/PayPal BS about PayPal being all safe and perfect. If you can’t resist that item on Ebay, use a credit card or USPS MO. I have been looking at a few guns on GA but now am shying away. GEEZ! You should have gotten payment before sending it. Ask questions–ask ’em about the guns they are selling. But online firearm sales such as GA has been wonderful for me. You controlled to hit the nail upon the top and defined out the whole thing with no need side-effects , other If you use USPS money orders and mail them USPS, you generate what they call a “nexus” and if, G-d forbid, you are scammed online, they will respond to your complaint. Buying guns online made easy by MidwayUSA. It is also possible to “freeze” your credit so that no one can open an account in your name. Fork/knife/spoon/toothbrush/pencil/tv remote/AA battery/$100 bill . Is it even legal to sell guns over the internet? That was really dumb. I abide by their rules. That does limit my choices and I may pay more but I’ve never not received the merchandise. You will have to contact them for their credit card info. You do not have a problem touting GA but fail to allow a post that politely expresses some constructive criticism. in every way if he doesn’t have the one he sent you to copy? I mean those out-of-staters who pay with a credit card, receive the gun, and then dispute the purchase for a phony reason. I was “almost” a victim of Internet fraud last year on the purchase of a Colt Python and a Winchester 92 but thanks to an honest young man in California who was recovering from a car accident, the scanners did not get one dime. if I won a bid … id#902393546 how do I go about paying for it ? dont buy at E and L til I get some satisfaction….and remove these posts.bought a model 58 from an individual here , no problem and a woodmaster from E and L no problem….but when you lose my payment and you dont remember the deal nor me , from sept 4th and Im talking a week of bad sub-businesslike treatment on my calls to E and L expect a poor review. I no longer will send a money order except to forum members who have a history of 200 or 300 plus posts. But the system can stress and burden victims and make redress difficult, sometimes for months. It is interesting that the USPS is at the SHOT Show drumming up business. Buy a CCW online and save money or get extravagant and buy a luxury 1911 or revolver that takes pride of place in your collection. I followed the GA suggested precautions before paying and sending the USPS money orders for $1800 by USPS Express Mail. Undeniably imagine that which you stated. When I received it, there was a chunk out of the stock and the gun was in such bad shape that I seriously would not even take up the space in my safe to store it. Because most fraud crosses state lines the feds can investigate it. POSTAL MONEY ORDERS look like a piece of “play money” BUT I assure you that a POSTAL INSPECTOR WILL CHASE YOU regarding money quicker and more efficiently than any other Federal Agent to include the IRS. The amount of money spent on some guns is way more than I can afford to be swindled out of. I contacted the postal inspectors by phone and sent an inquiry to the local police all with copies of the MOs and postal receipts naming the sellers name and address, Neither had any interest in the evidence. After what the credit cards etc., bilk from us I’ve never trusted, don’t need and want the credit cards, forcing us The pictures all looked good. If you call the PD where you sent your money, they will simply tell you to file a complaint with your local PD and that will be the last you hear of it. If you had followed our suggestions you wouldn’t have had this problem. USPS MO’s require CASH only, cannot be bought though bogus checks, credit cards or your old underwear… We did not even take “certified checks!” YOUR bank account is no different than what the scammer uses and then discards AFTER they got your money…. Why take chances? He sent an email that I was the winner after I used BUY NOW… BUT, he did not take the ad down, so others were also fooled. People will try swindles because they aren’t resourceful enough to realize how exposed and “arrestable” they are. it would certainly help if they did. US postal told me that there was no way to stop payment because the check was cashed at a check n go in Louisana. I will save this weblog as I haveHigh-class Woodworks has collected a rich collection of craftsmen to meet up with any custom providing tasks, from gotten back furniture makers to log bed master contractor, to iron workers and some of the globe’s leading large wood statues. The thieves live in Chicago city limits. I thought there should be a FFL involved and some paperwork? Additionally, I’ve shared It is my belief that those who forge US Postal Money Orders probably do not forge the tissue paper-like buyer’s receipt that accompany legit M.O.s. Anything with a stamp on it can invoke the interest of the USPS investigators. Not only are USPS MOs inconvenient for daytime workers to obtain, there are issues with cashing them. I was a first-timer too and found someone who trusted me by doing his homework on me. But this article made me wonder if maybe I should send larger dollar amount MO’s certified instead of normal snailmail? Seems the BG’s were a couple who have scammed the world buyers with their nifty new tritium watch for a couple years. And like with any advertising system, you are completely responsible for the legality of what you are selling, who you are selling it to, and your legal ability to sell it. She said,”It was a good try!” and handed the worthless piece of docuement back to me. Why haven’t I recieved my daily wish list of guns for sale since May 13th? My only advise to anyone out there is to get lots of pictures of the items your purchasing, talk on the phone pesonally to the individual, and get some personal information from them, like address, where can you see the item if you want to see it in person and there full name. Only rednecks , hillbillies and derelicts without bank accounts use money orders. i did buy a slightly used Sako TRG 42 here from a … Crimes with far reaching harmful impact have occurred on the internet […] I won, but it took 3 months to settle it. The USPS money order is the next best thing to real cash money. Shop Now. Or are you merely a vehement believer in the bureaucracy which is responsible for bankrupting the postal service and the liberal left wing nuts who want a bigger more expensive government that is even more troubled? Make sure you only play checkers with five year olds…safer. As for the mechanical defects mentioned above, (the M&P and the Weatherby), nothing can be done about that as in both cases I had the firearms for a few weeks. Select Whether You Currently Accept Credit Cards, Antique (Pre-1899) Rifles - Flintlock Misc, Antique (Pre-1899) Rifles - Matchlock/Wheellock Misc, Century Arms International (CAI) - Rifles, Muzzleloading Modern & Replica Rifles (perc), Winchester Rifles - Modern Bolt/Auto/Single, Winchester Rifles - Pre-1899 Bolt/Single Shot, Century Arms International (CAI) - Pistols, Colt Automatic Pistols (.25, .32, & .380 cal), Colt Single Action Revolvers - Modern (22 Cal. I seemed on the web for the difficulty and found most people will go along with with your website. Nobody said that local cops don’t care. HELLO ARON.. > Hover over Accounting in the menu at left. So I sent them back fully insured with delivery confirmation & the seller claimed the box arrived empty! So let me tell you what I think. Might as well be carnival prizes. Scammers and cheats will always be around. You letter/package is under the best security possible, only the person named can sign for it and they have to show valid ID and the return receipt will have to be signed by them and then mailed to you as well. Dear Moderator Maybe they just found this site. For what a stamp cost, they want you to go out and Buy a computer, Buy a printer, Buy a Modem, have your telephone service give you access at cost to the Internet and if you are sort of smart, you will install a WI-FI systen in your house, more money of course… $0.45 opposed to several thousand dollars, that has to be replaced after loosing all your data… Of course the Postal Service is working to lower costs by trimming staff! Support the NRA too. Please fill out the Live Payments application form so that Electronic Transfer Inc can contact you to speak about how easy and affordable it is to accept credit card payments … Don Schimpff. NEVER agree to accept PayPal, Western Union, or Bank/Wire Transfers. I contacted GA by email inquiring about this seller BEFORE paying & sending the $, but GA to this date hasn’t answered ANY OF MY EMAILS! It’s a little hard to verify who he is when I go to contact seller in your website does not accept my E mail address and says it is not valid. That leaves the option of mailing your payment to the seller, and this is by far where the majority of online fraud occurs. before you surprise the would-be buyer with your request. Use credit cards as the banks are a great shield if you do get ripped. catch them, execute them quickly, and all the sh-t will stop! or a postal money order? If the MO is for a large amount, you will have to procure multiple money orders and when cashing it, the Post Office will only cash it if they have “sufficient” reserves on hand; so kiss off cashing large money orders at a local small town PO (First hand really irritating and frustrating experience). It appears that two men are working together to defraud me. They are as good as cash. Last time I saw GunsAmerica.com was a place where someone can come and go as they please. If you do not have an automatic credit card payment agreement set up, you can pay your GunsAmerica invoices with a check or money order. If a seller will not accept a US Postal Money Order; something is wrong!! Frank Gee, I hope I did not waste my money when I became a patron member of the NRA. So USPS would not cover the insured amount of $550. It’s a bit of a hassel but then we both have a gaurantee and he now has a credit rating for this transaction. Forget about ever doing that again. But in the wake of budget cuts, many of these are falling away. His assigned area covers about 1/3 of the entire state. Ben Franklin would be aghast. I’ve joined your rss feed and look ahead to searching for extra I purchased a gun listed on Guns America for $675. The Postal Service is in trouble today because of the Internet and Banks pushing for online banking…. GunBroker.com facilitates the legal exchange of firearms and accessories between adults.It is legal to buy and sell firearms in the US, provided you adhere to federal, state and local laws. That is alot more than what i had counted to pay. I am an experienced buyer/seller on eBay, but this is my first time as a seller on GA and was startled by your “Don’t use PayPal” message. it infact was an empty lot. US Postal Money Order or Cashiers Check: USED: $4000: COLT: Single Action Army: 45 Colt: Colt Single Action Army Revolver, made in 1979 3rd Gen, with 4 3/4" barrel, blue steel barrel and cylinder, color casehardened frame, 6-round cylinder, fixed sights, very good bore, 2 piece plastic grip, gun is used. Not sure what to do. What about third-party intermediaries? Good advice. Call the local police there. She was also made responsible for returning all the money to institution were she had cashed the check. . One day I’ll sell Impact Guns’ stuff on this site. Apparently he sold the same piece to a couple of other buyers. I have several other examples. And you have yet to list all of the other parrot lines about why GA is not as good or as “big” as our competitors (without actually checking the stats). Many window clerks do not how to explain to the customer what is the difference is/nor does the customer understand. I would still like to buy the gun,any suggestions? It is rare to find somone who really knows their stuff. i will be branded as a kook, nut, etc. Any post office can issue the money orders and verify whether one you receive is valid. 5. Thanks, This is really attention-grabbing, You are an excessively skilled blogger. But if you screw around as a merchant, you’ll find your personal credit score has taken a dump that will take years to clear up. Micko77 I have to disagree. You say “BS” and “I KNOW”. And then Of course so is DHL and they will not ship guns. And nobody said this was an open forum or a free flow of ideas. I made the mistake of not doing my homework and researching these watches or these bastardo’s. Even with a great interstate police force called the United States Postal Service Inspectors, you really don’t want to find yourself in a position where you are ready to send a payment to a seller you don’t trust. Wanted to buy one of your advertised guns and when I clicked on your “Verified Address Page”, I have had to use the USPS inspectors for fraud, and I can assure you, they act, and they act quick. I ‘m quite fortunate to have been never scammed ;although attempts have been made, mainly due to my own I feel diligence. I just sold a gun and shipped it by Fedex over night and cost me $94.00. The only reason they don’t do powder, primers, and ammo is that they don’t have a special classification system like UPS/FEDEX. It is a free insurance policy. If they actually ship anything at all, it will be junk. That’s the thing that people who criticize USPS money orders don’t understand. My bank holds stuff like that for 3-4 days. But my favorite, next you go so far as to tell your customers what to think. If Paypal catches you taking or making a payment for a gun, your account will be shut off immediately and both parties’ accounts will be frozen for at least 60 days. Benny Tarver lefty. What exactly is your criteria for accepting a post. The pictures in the ads were stolen from the internet. I think the USPS should allow the shipping of guns on the internet. Scammers don’t have a very deep story to tell. Some of the motors and equipment offered for sale in the classified ads gets rather pricey. It has become very clear in my area at least that the fault is in a total lack of training. Thanks, David. ;)~~ My only advice is to be very careful and ask as many questions as you need to in order to be comfortable and do not trust anything or anybody. I submitted a fraud complaint on line and requested a copy of the endorsed money orders and I’m still waiting from Feb 2014. In talking with law enforcement officials from local,state and US levels they expressed a very high regard for the USPS Inspectors. Price quoted is for cash, check, or money order. I haven’t had any problems (so far). The fraudster was pretty stupid (as was I) having his wife sign for the check and her address and facebook account being very well documented. “place a penny heads up next to the trigger guard”. i have a direct question for the administrator. You can get one free report every year. I like the Google map address inspection. We will see. I feel bad for the guy and the other end because he has no history. I tried a different PO, went in the first time with a print out of the regulations and found that they can be taught. Back to the point of using GA as a hub for transactions. Ammo does not require a FFL (yet). The requirement that payments must be made by postal money order is rediculous. Find new and used guns for sale at the largest online gun auction site GunBroker.com.