Scammer Problems

I think you'd loose folks if you started charging for membership and there would likely be a lot of pointless bs posts just to get up to that 100. I've been a member for over a year and still only have 80. 

Maybe in order to list on the classifieds you could institute something like using paypal to buy an actual paper form, that has all the relevant information on it: name, address, forum id, paypal login, all that stuff. The price wouldn't need to be more than $1 really, and could even come with a stamped and addressed return envelope. It would only get mailed out to the address on the paypal account. Fill out the form and sign it and mail it back in. Form gets verified and stuck in a cabinet. Member then can post in the classifieds. This is stupidly inconvient for whomever is tasked with the filing and mailing, to the point they would want some sort of compensation so maybe a $5 form fee. 

It is also kinda reminiscent of big gov't. People can't or don't know how to protect themselves so they want someone to step in and do it for them, and then all these restrictions and rules or "laws" start popping up and then you gotta pay the protectors so there's your "taxes". This could also lead into manufacturers maintaining serial numbers and who they sold them to, and boom we now have a weapons regristry. And we all know how the gov't likes their lists. I'm not saying this would happen, but I do see a correlation.

A second suggestion, hit up the seller and skype so you can talk face to face (sort of) and see what you are buying, and even go so far as to show at the address numbers on the house. Or drop some Turing test questions. That has helped me a ton. Just having a conversation about anything other than the ad. If an answer doesn't compute or is way off base, walk away.

Thirdly, classifieds could be posted with current local news paper in the pic showing the city and date to avoid copy-n-paste ads from 3 years ago. 
Maybe there's some russian in me, but I live by the proverb Doveryai, no proveryai, "Trust, but verify". I was raised with christianty, santa clause, tooth fairy, easter bunny, and a bloddy sociopath of a mother. I remember sitting in school watching the twin towers magically collapse in place and somehow catch fire and collapse a building several blocks away that conviently housed the actual debt records of a bunch of wallstreet and hedgefund types and gov't officials (check the wiki for 7 World Trade Center, particularly the last sentence of second paragraph). All those lies came from remarkably trusted sources. So yea, I google the hell out of people I deal with in the classifieds. Map of the address, phone # look up and match the area code to the city, and searching anthing they provide and ad info with "scam" behind it.

There are many ways of approching this but the fact remains that poopty people exist and always will. Even if all these hoops are lined up for us to jump through there will be someone who finds a way to cheat the system. All that said, yea it sucks having scammers out there and I'd be happy as a pig in mud if Professor X would hop in Cerebro and start taking them out.

The FX Wildcat $1,000 and Impact $1,500 ad is too good to be true.

I don't know about others but I'm going to start paying the 3% PayPal charges or have it split between the seller and me if it's a big purchase.

Also if their not willing to talk to me over the phone for questions than no deal. It's already fishy. 

Guys I hate to say this but a lot of people that get scammed have NOT shown due diligence before buying. I have bought from 3 different forum classifieds, one well known for having a lot of scammers on it, I have NOT been scammed once. That has been because I am careful with where my money goes, I make checks as far as possible, into the person I am about to do business with, Too many people see a bargain and want in on the deal, if something looks too good to be true it usually is. You can not put the load on the backs of the forums to make the environment 100% safe for you, you have to do your part. If you want 100% safety then make every deal a face to face meeting and make the person have proof they own the gun before parting with your money. I said 100% safe with tongue in cheek because I do not believe there is such a thing, but you can do your part to make sure it is as close to safe as possible. So come on guys, stop putting the responsibility of making your deals safe on the forum owners, it is your own responsibility, just my personal opinion and I am sorry if it offends anyone who has been scammed, my intention is to make people more aware that they need to take MORE care in who they deal with before parting with their money, Neil.

Well said, Neil.

Well said my friend!!!!

Just noticed ad for Logun by Twentycal on yellow has same photos as ad by Chris Martin on AA. Twenty cal ad posted 7/7 and bumped 7/22, the AA ad #123846 posted 7/16 Just don't look right - anybody else notice it< I tried to alert Twentycal but I'm new here and not sure he got message.

Martin Corbitt

"Mmarcor"Just noticed ad for Logun by Twentycal on yellow has same photos as ad by Chris Martin on AA. Twenty cal ad posted 7/7 and bumped 7/22, the AA ad #123846 posted 7/16 Just don't look right - anybody else notice it< I tried to alert Twentycal but I'm new here and not sure he got message.

Martin Corbitt





Martin,
Any chance you cross referenced the emails on the ad you mention? Chris is an old timer and most folks know who he is. 


John

Click to expand...

100 posts would take me 10 years. I visit these airgun forums to learn, I'm not much of a talker- more of a listen and learn kind of guy.
I like what Neil said

Not a big talker, will never make it to 100 either.

Another scammer:

http://www.airguns.net/classifieds/show_ad.php?adNum=124757&adSort=&StartingAd=0&NumberOfPages=7

Ad#: 124757
Name: Floyd
Email: [email protected]

ForSale: KalibrGun Cricket .22 Synthetic Standard (tuned by Ernest Rowe) with Extras

Date: 2016-07-30 10:26:45

ForSale: I have up for sale a Cricket Standard in .22 with a synthetic stock. Rife was tuned by Ernest Rowe. Rifle will come with everything that it normally comes with. 2 mags, fill probe, and some extra O rings. Rifle will also will come with a brand new CF shroud that I made for it.This shroud has the adapter to add an LDC if you like. Will come with the original OEM shroud also.Price is $820 including shipping. Asking Price: $820 [email protected]?subject=ForSale:%20KalibrGun%20Cricket%20.22%20Synthetic%20Standard%20(tuned%20by%20Ernest%20Rowe)%20with%20Extras

"marcor"Just noticed ad for Logun by Twentycal on yellow has same photos as ad by Chris Martin on AA. Twenty cal ad posted 7/7 and bumped 7/22, the AA ad #123846 posted 7/16 Just don't look right - anybody else notice it< I tried to alert Twentycal but I'm new here and not sure he got message.

Martin Corbitt

Click to expand...

Chris Martin is Twentycal on YF. He is totally reliable!

SCAMMER - ForSale: Steyr HP Hunting 40 Joules NEW $1,200July 31 2016 at 6:23 PM



http://www.airguns.net/classifieds/show_ad.php?adNum=124759&adSort=&StartingAd=50&NumberOfPages=7 

Ad#: 124759 
Name: Donny 
Email: [email protected] 
Date: 2016-07-30 10:51:37 

ForSale: Steyr LG 110 HP Hunting NEW - Will include original Pilkingtons Invoice Everything as from factory - unused High Power (40 Joules/29.5 ft/lbs) This was a custom order - it is silver rather than black Shipping included CONUS only .Asking $1200. 

Asking Price: $1200 =========================================================

==================================================================


Reported already. 


http://www.airguns.net/classifieds/show_ad.php?adNum=124819&adSort=&StartingAd=0&NumberOfPages=7 




ForSale: Daystate Pulsar .22 caliber in beautiful walnut (Huggett Included) – Excellent condition (bought new but never use it) – In the Walnut version not even sold at major retailers (Very hard to find!) – Hard case and all original documents and accessories included – Fitted with Hawke Airmax 30 SF – Please check my feedback as I have sold many over the years on here.I am asking $1600 shipped.Pictures are available. 

Asking Price: $1600 




Lifted from here: 

http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/thread/1464588226/last-1464632581/Expand+Thread

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Scam -Taipan Mutant (reported already) http://www.airguns.net/classifieds/show_ad.php?adNum=124743&adSort=&StartingAd=0&NumberOfPages=7 

Stolen from here: 


http://www.network54.com/Forum/79574/message/1441225144/FS-+.22+Taipan+Mutant+bullpu 


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Ad#: 124743 
Name: Floyd 
Email: [email protected] 
Date: 2016-07-30 09:08:54 

ForSale: Up for sale is a .22 Taipan Mutant. This bullpup is very well built. The trigger is arguably the best designed of any bullpup out there. It is one of the best triggers I've used on any gun. It is very well engineered and highly adjustable. This one is set at approximately 9 ounces. It is a two stage trigger; first stage take-up to a second stage that has a clean break with zero creep. The magazine system on this bullpup is top notch. The mags load easily, feed perfectly and index precisely. The factory shroud does a wonderful job at keeping the report quiet. The CZ barrel is very accurate. The pup can achieve 1/2" groups at 50 yards. It is shooting the JSB 18.1 gr pellets at 905 fps for 50 regulated shots from a 230 bar fill down to 120 bar. The regulator is super efficient. the bullpup is in excellent shape.Coming with the bullpup are two sets of pins; one to adjust hammer spring tension and the other set fits the cap of the shroud. You also get a set of spare o-rings, fill probe, two magazines, single shot tray, a sealed tin of JSB 18.1 pellets and the factory soft carrying case. I am asking $850.00 shipped conus. 

Asking Price: $850 ============================================

=============================================================================


Ad#: 124757 
Name: Floyd 
Email: [email protected] 
Date: 2016-07-30 10:26:45 

ForSale: I have up for sale a Cricket Standard in .22 with a synthetic stock. Rife was tuned by Ernest Rowe. Rifle will come with everything that it normally comes with. 2 mags, fill probe, and some extra O rings. Rifle will also will come with a brand new CF shroud that I made for it.This shroud has the adapter to add an LDC if you like. Will come with the original OEM shroud also.Price is $820 including shipping. 

Asking Price: $820 

I' m retyping this here from classified:

fe7565, I think you do speak on behalf of all of us at AGN. Thank you for speaking up! 
In light of all that has gone on with scammers, both parties need to be totally transparent. If you can’t provide enough quality (that includes being able to read it) information either party should have the right to pull out of the deal!
Seller, I would not apologize for protecting your asset. These rifles are extremely expensive and you need to be certain it is a quality transaction. 
Buyer, if you are uncomfortable providing all the information requested by the seller don’t go through the deal.

Unfortunately, we are unable to shake hands and look each other in the eyes. You can tell a lot about a man from this! So….. we need to PROVE we are legitimate! period
NM

All valid ads to have Tin of beans or some other tin and the name of seller clearly written on the tin or paper next to it along with the rifle/product for sale.

Above for starters, in the FS post.

Then do the seller checks etc and follow other good advice in here.

I totally agree that something needs to be done to protect the site from scammers,...
That being said, just a couple weeks ago a post was deleted because it sure seemed to good to be true. But lucky for me i managed to get the guys phone and e-mail before it got deleted.
I now own 2 blackbirds with $400 worth of accessories for only $800.

My point is, that sometimes people need to unload something at a discount price. Some of the responsibility should be on the buyer to make sure the seller isn't about to give him a prostate exam with shovel.

Just my opinion!

"TheLakeRat"Some of the responsibility should be on the buyer to make sure the seller isn't about to give him a prostate exam with shovel.

Just my opinion!

Click to expand...

Hilarious!

This may be legit, but the verbiage matches a previous ad from Mar 2016 on AGN. Very good price...??? I did not report it. 
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Ad#: 125027 
Name: Jessie 
Email: [email protected] 
Date: 2016-08-03 11:16:55 

ForSale: Up for sale is a Hawke Sidewinder 30 17110 6.5-20 x 42mm SF : 20x Half Mil Dot IR (NEW) This scope has never been taken out of box! Never got around to mounting it on a rifle. This model does NOT come with hard case! Comes complete with original box and all accessaries including side wheel, sun shade, original paperwork, etc.$250 shipped. 

Asking Price: $250 

http://www.airguns.net/classifieds/show_ad.php?adNum=125027&adSort=&StartingAd=0&NumberOfPages=7

General IP Information 

IP: 162.158.135.192 
Decimal: 2728298432 
Hostname: 162.158.135.192 
ASN: 13335 
ISP: CloudFlare 
Organization: CloudFlare 
Services: None detected 
Type: Corporate 
Assignment: Static IP 
Blacklist: Blacklist Check 
Geolocation Information 

Continent: Europe 
Country: Denmark dk flag 
State/Region: Capital Region 
City: Copenhagen 
Latitude: 55.6667 (55° 40′ 0.12″ N) 
Longitude: 12.5833 (12° 34′ 59.88″ E) 
Postal Code: 1513 








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Verbiage from AGN ad: 

www.airgunnation.com/topic/wts-hawke-sidewinder-30-17110-6-5-20-x-42mm-sf-20x-half-mil-dot-ir-new/ 

I have dealt with more than enough scammers , and most I have run into are either foreigners or kids -- -- basically , if the deal is too good to be true , then it is what it is -- I usually know a guy is a scammer in less than 3 emails -- just ask some technical questions like pellet selections / velocities etc , and a scammer ; for the most part , is not going to know technical data -- but if you are looking for the deal of the century [ ie - a mint airwolf for $700 ] and you want it to be true , don't get upset when it isn't because it is unrealistic in the first place --- I had a scammer send 50 emails [ I knew he was a scammer on the 2nd email and was stringing him along ] and he had the major set of gonads to actually send an official state of Colorado firearms transaction form [ 4 PAGES LONG ] complete with serial # , counterfeit / pirated NOTARY STAMP ---- I contacted the actual notary for verification and contacted the Colorado state dept. -- that's got to be some kind of felony , you would think --- needless to say , a phone conversation is good protection against scammers - most scammers do not want to speak on the phone , [ or can barely speak English ] so don't get lazy about that --- we live in a world that now has threats coming from every direction - some are lethal -- we need to learn how to protect ourselves because you can't rely on some knight in shining armor to mysteriously appear to save the day --