I saw an ad online for an air rifle and really wanted to buy it but how do you guys verify people are legit? He wasn't a member of any of the forums. He gave me a Houston cell number, was using one email for the ad and gave me another gmail address, and gave me an Alaska address, which was legit. But I could do all of that and until you look up my name and address and match them up you really have nothing. Heck my grandson lives with us in WV and has a TX cell number, so how do you verify all this?
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How to buy safely online
- Thread starter bchannell
- Start date
Best you can do is talk on the phone, get some photos sent with an indicator that it’s a new photo. Verify name by ID. Ask about any concerns you have.
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Man" if he.s all over the place"i would back off of that" at least talk to them over the phone.Have him write his e-mail on a pice of paper next to the item .then send you a pic. of the item with his e-mail add.At least ya no he's got it.Hopefuley it wasn't. on American airguns
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Not something I would do. Is it that great of a deal? What is it and how much do they want?
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BC,
The ingenuity of scammers is legendary, and they seem to be everywhere. I only buy from trusted businesses and those I'm familiar with on this forum. WM
The ingenuity of scammers is legendary, and they seem to be everywhere. I only buy from trusted businesses and those I'm familiar with on this forum. WM
I only buy from people on here who have sold before and proven themselves, or businesses. Outside of that I'm getting too old to risk sending my money to outer space just to get a supposed good deal.
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Use an electronic payment system that charges a fee that will indemnify the purchase. When in doubt, this will usually kill the con artists because the payment system will refund the money if the transaction was fraudulent and will require the buyer to be an account holder to make the other side of the transaction. This would be for a new or questionable source. As always, if it's too good to be true, it probably isn't!
I recently was tried to be played in a "man in the middle" Amazon Gift card scam. I received an email from someone whom was in my contact list - with a correct email address. They said they were out and couldn't get to their computer and wanted to send a friend's daughter with cancer and Amazon gift card. Yes - I know it was bogus from the beginning, but the email address was actually correct. So I replied with a question as to what value gift card did he require. Of course I got a reply with the ask for 2, $100 gift cards. Then I asked if there were any "special wording" that he wanted. Now in the mean time, the 2nd email back to me had a different email address - very close to the original but different - hence the man in the middle switch. So after the "kind words" ask, I got what I was after - the email address and Amazon account - of the person to make the gift card out to. I immediately turned that into Amazon's scam center for them to mark the account. Then I sent one final email to the POS trying to steal and that was "Bill, what was the name of your first cat?" - which Bill never had a cat! And of course I no longer got any replies.
As other have said, if the seller is unknown, proceed with caution if at all. You can't be too safe these days.
I recently was tried to be played in a "man in the middle" Amazon Gift card scam. I received an email from someone whom was in my contact list - with a correct email address. They said they were out and couldn't get to their computer and wanted to send a friend's daughter with cancer and Amazon gift card. Yes - I know it was bogus from the beginning, but the email address was actually correct. So I replied with a question as to what value gift card did he require. Of course I got a reply with the ask for 2, $100 gift cards. Then I asked if there were any "special wording" that he wanted. Now in the mean time, the 2nd email back to me had a different email address - very close to the original but different - hence the man in the middle switch. So after the "kind words" ask, I got what I was after - the email address and Amazon account - of the person to make the gift card out to. I immediately turned that into Amazon's scam center for them to mark the account. Then I sent one final email to the POS trying to steal and that was "Bill, what was the name of your first cat?" - which Bill never had a cat! And of course I no longer got any replies.
As other have said, if the seller is unknown, proceed with caution if at all. You can't be too safe these days.
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I proposed an anti-scammer list/ group awhile back.
This would consist of local members in good standing that would “volunteer” and at very least go to “eyeball” that there’s an actual seller and an actual product for sale.
No liability to the local member verifying this … as they would not be involved in verifying quality of the product.
Couldn’t get any meaningful discussion going…as some members rightly pointed out this setup is fraught with a lot of risks to the person verifying existence of an online seller and the products for sale.
But… what’s the alternative? Have the seller email you pictures? Talk to them on the phone?…in the end you still don’t know if there’s a legit seller and an actual product.
I guess don’t buy if you don’t have the tools to verify.
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American Airguns is rife with scammers with a few legislate long time sellers with a good reputation.
On the face of it, there are already warning bells and it’s probably best to back off.
There is a scammer list on AA and you can also check the scammer list here
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Trust your gut, if you ever think something ain't right don't do deal. No matter what trust yourself every one that gets scammed at some point in the deal had a feeling. Don't be one of em move on.
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Be extra cautious on American Airgun scamifieds. Definitely talk on the phone to really feel it out. I have made two purchases there that have turned out but I know it’s full of scammers. What was the gun? Sometimes you can really get a feel one way or the other just from the ad.
Edit…you could even do a zoom or FaceTime video chat to see the actual product.
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All good advice. I do usually follow my gut and that's what caused me to post. We weren't far enough along to really get me suspicious, but after some back & forth, I'm just not comfortable, so it's a no go. I asked for Id photographed with the rifle and he said he was at work and could only send ID. I told him I'd wait.
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Ok the fellow seems on the up&up. He sent me a picture of himself and his Alaska drivers license with photo with the correct address. So I'm comfortable all the info matches up now.
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Well pp is paying me back on Friday. The guy just keeps coming up with excuses not to ship. I must say pp was pretty cool about it. They looked into it and gave me a date. If I don't have it by then they pay me back. We'll see how it goes.
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so the consensus is AA classifieds should be avoided ? makes sense as I have had only 2 emails for a gun I listed for a few weeks. one asked why I was selling so soon and the other wanted to trade even though I said in ad I didn't. I don't ever sell anything so it's all new to me.
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No the thing is if you are just silly about buying online stay away from Brad's, as well as anywhere.
Brad Troyer is pretty well known. He sells the few airguns he let's go of their and I'l personally vouch anything he sells is 100% as described. It is the best know of any airgun classifieds. Most all old times sell there. Want an old school NIB FX ? THE place. Many well know estates have had there own special listing in a box up top from time to time. Want an impact (or any unobtainable latest greatest model that you simply cant get) and want to purchase it without a phone call and seller that can be verified? Dont buy there.
No matter where I like dealing with known shooters and people who have been around longer than 10 years. Nice if they have had the same email for 20 years posted on forums around the world with the same user name for the same amount of time. Perhaps anyone known to shoot formal airgun events for years and therefore knows many other airgun folks.
Anyone legit WILL talk airguns! And should have TOO much to talk about in the way of airguns. Who/what/where/why/when did you buy it? Why letting it go? If every answer sounds right, BUY. NO time to talk? I don't have time to purchase it, Heck I wont sell one if we can not talk on the phone.
Naturally some people selling their very 1st and only airgun airgun are honest. Me personally would very politely pass if so.
By 2005 I had purchased over 200 airguns off AA. Never a bad dealing. Lot's of old timers who never uses forums (and there are many). Sold 50+ from a well known shooter, used to have a airgun store, multi national championship shooter who had never been on the internet. Zero issues. EVERYONE with Phone conversations involved. Also everyone buying or selling U.S.P.S. M/O and shipped day received.
A huge advantage is gained if people attend just a few shoots, FT, BR, shows. Then you know some people face to face and by proxy many others and as you move along in airguns that circle grows and grows.
But yes please pass on anything good there. Leave more for the rest of us.
John
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