Armslist ATF Sting ?

[NHT3]

In the last 6 months I've listed a couple of pistols on ArmsList.. I always require an Indiana LTCH and a current IN DL for the sale..
Below is a response I received on each pistol. First time it was supposed to be an older lady and this time a man but the text was the same, as I remember, word for word.. The last time I declined to ship anything anywhere and never heard from them again.
Seems like it might be an ATF scam to me. What do y'all think?
[FONT=&quot]NRA Life member [/FONT][FONT=&quot]GSSF member[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
Gunsite graduate Certified Glock armorer[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]1911 Mechanic[/FONT]


Hello ,

Thanks for your reply concerning my inquiry. I am quite comfortable
with the condition and price of the item but due to the nature of my
health, I can not receive phone call as I am Impaired but i will call
you as soon as i can. I will be adding $50 to the purchase price for
the shipment... I want you to hold it for me before any other
interested person. Please provide your full name, Address and your
Phone number so that I can send your payment. I will be paying you by
Certified check. It will take 2 -3 days for the payment to get to
you...As for
delivery, I will make arrangements for the pick-up after you have
received payment, If this meets your approval, kindly get back to me,
as soon as possible, with your name, phone # and mailing address where
payment will be sent, so that I can make an arrangement on the Check.

Note: As soon as you have your money in hand, we can talk about the
picking up of the item. I would like you to take the posting off
Armslist.com today.You can send text to my phone, I will reply as soon
as I get it.
415-937-XXXX
Best Regards,
Williams

 

[partyboy6686]

Ive had some replys like that too when posting on Armslist. I have always ignored them. I dont know if it is a ATF Scam but it is some type of scam.

 

[Rob377]

I doubt it's the ATF, sounds like a garden variety overpayment scam though, run through a spambot that crawls sites that people sell stuff on.

 

[twcrensh]

it's a scam, once you cash the check, and they get the cleared check back, they have your bank account information and they will clean it out.

 

[Expat]

I listed an AK on Armslist. The only reply that I got I found worrisome was some guy in Kali that wanted me to sell to him. I just said no thanks.

 

[hooky]

It sounds like a variation on a scam where a forged check is initially cashed and clears. You're asked to send the extra $ back to cover shipping. The check then is declared a forgery and you're out the money you wired back to the seller. In your case, you're out a gun because you've shipped it between the check clearing and the forgery being discovered.

 

[Joq867]

No matter what, it is just too fishy. I had alot of interest in a car I had on craigs list from people wanting to send certified checks. I heard they are easier to counterfiet than money orders ( and money orders are pretty easy) so just say NO.

 

[nm0369]

I've had two instances on Armslist that I'm convinced were ATF. The "buyer" offered to meet anywhere I chose for full price, and could show me his Ohio DL+CCW.

 

[Manatee]

There are many check scams on Craigs list and, I suppose, Armslist with certified funds and Western Union money orders.

Know who you deal with. Make sure the funds clear properly. Take it to your banker and have them look it over.

Out of state transactions must go through an FFL. You should have the FFL send you (or your shipping FFL) a copy of his license. Check it against "FFL ezcheck" on line...make sure the address on the paper copy agrees with the ATF records and that the license is not expired or in other than a clean state.

Do not ship to anyone other than the address on the license.

 

[Rob377]

There are plenty of stupid people on Armslist. I had a guy from IL offer to meet me in Merrilville to buy his G21. When I informed him that was a felony, his response was, direct quote "I'm a cop I know the laws"

 

[Miles42]

Not an ATF scam but a typical scam attempted at many sites including ebay. It is a standard reply in an attempt to screw you with a certified check in the end is worthless but takes more time to weed out than it takes for the crook to arrange for pick up of the item.

 

[JRPLANE]

Its not ATF, I have had this same scam word for word, selling many non firearm related items. Its seems that it has to be $500 or more in prices. As soon as you send them a PO box address, you will never hear from that dirt bag again.

 

[venenoindy]

It is a scam atf or not I don't know, I gave armslist a try but I don't feel safe and also received a couple stupid offers and so I just left it alone.

 

[PGRChaplain]

I've never had any problems on A/L, Ca$H is the only method of payment I accept. I done several deals there as well on here.

 

[Nacho Man]

It's a scam. I had similar replies when selling some car parts on craigslist.

 

[citizenkane]

I'm not sure why you would think its an ATF sting? They are asking you to do anything illegal. If they asked to meet FTF and said they were from Illinois then maybe.
Im sure it's just a Nigerian scam. They are all over armslist.

It reminds me of a FTF I did years ago. The pulled up in an all black crown Vic. He gets out and says "don't worry I'm not a cop". I replied " Im not, I'm not a felon".

 

[printcraft]

It's a scam. I had similar replies when selling some car parts on craigslist.

This. /\

Scam.

Now that whole Nigerian prince thing is real though. As soon as my check clears I'll be in business.

 

[Gunaria]

It's a scam just like those imaginary 80% Ponzi lowers floating around that everybody has a stiffy for.

 

[threedhuntr]

Sounds very similar to respond I've gotten before on non firearms items. First one I followed through on out of curiosity. Received a fraudulent money order. Called western union soon as I received it to check.

 

[NHT3]

Probably is some sort of " bad check" scam after thinking about it but I just thought it would be a good idea to make everyone aware.

[FONT=&amp]NRA Life member [/FONT][FONT=&amp]GSSF member[/FONT][FONT=&amp]
Gunsite graduate Certified Glock armorer[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]1911 Mechanic[/FONT]