T-Square Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Recently I've posted a WTB (wanted to buy) and I've been contacted by a Wire "Guest" and a SASS Member with a 16000 number, whom just joined the Wire 2 hours ago . The Guest connected me with a fella who didn't want a u.s.postal money order, and wanted PayPal or Venmo. Neither service is safe nor allowed for firearms. Venmo even says on the FAQ page that the service is made for friend who know each other !! LOL Then, my guest wanted the money order made out to "his woman" who had a different name ! I'm just sharing this to put the community on notice of possible scams. I'm still in the market for ROAs, but I guess I also want to trade with others who have a SASS or GunBroker identity. It just does not seem worth it to get 'taken' for a thousand bucks and then spend ten thousand sending my lawyer and my strong arm to extract vengeance - and y'all know I would (grin). I also looked up the Guest address on Google Earth. They should sell all their guns and get a lawnmower. I could be totally wrong, and I apologized in advance, but a fool and his money are easily parted, and without some online identity / SASS connection, I will pass. Be safe, the politicians aren't the only shady people who want your money, or sell their stock on insider trading ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eliphalet R. Moderator Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 7 minutes ago, T-Square said: Recently I've posted a WTB (wanted to buy) and I've been contacted by a Wire "Guest" and a SASS Member with a 16000 number, whom just joined the Wire 2 hours ago . T-Square, Please click the "Report Post" link in the upper right of the PM, when something like this happens. I may not have read this post, but I would see the red flag that comes up when something is reported. Thanks, Eli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Lone Rider Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 As-well-as guests are not allowed to sell on this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 PLZ-Post up this person's screen name. OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 There was a recent scammer on the Colt Forums as well: https://www.coltforum.com/forums/lounge/373921-scam-wts-genuine-ivory-grips-1911-texas-only.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tennessee Snuffy Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Folks I got scammed a couple of months ago by a fellow name Gary Hosmer from Louisville Kentucky (that what his driver license said but I believe it was a fake ID). His email name was Baros (cokerbaros@gmail.com and anthonycynthia929@yahoo.com). I was able to get my money back from PayPal. This guy was a guest, had no SASS number, had no SASS club, etc. I am now a lot wiser and check out folks a lot more before making a deal. Tennessee Snuffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Square Posted March 22, 2020 Author Share Posted March 22, 2020 and it there a way to look-up members "official"? This "member" with a 16,000 member number, according to the wire profile, just joined one day ago!? Really? a 16,000 number - isn't that like from the '90s? and they just joined, and I'm the first interaction they have? There must be a way to get a fraudulent member profile, and list a fake number - can we check the SASS HQ list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboose Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 This individual has been using the same M O for the last 2 months on WTB ads. He comes up with pictures of what your looking to buy that he has gotten off the internet and has the same story, a friend of his has what you want to buy but the money goes to woman’s account. He changes his screen names continuously and affiliated clubs and sass number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eliphalet R. Moderator Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Please be careful out there. Scammers and Spammers sign up all the time, with made up SASS numbers or as Guests. We catch most of them as they sign up, or soon after, but sometimes one slips through. Cypress Sun says "You can't get all of the speeders on the Interstate, the best you can do is slow them down." With your help, by reporting suspicious offers, we can drive out the culls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Square Posted March 22, 2020 Author Share Posted March 22, 2020 26 minutes ago, Caboose said: This individual has been using the same M O for the last 2 months on WTB ads. He comes up with pictures of what your looking to buy that he has gotten off the internet and has the same story, a friend of his has what you want to buy but the money goes to woman’s account. He changes his screen names continuously and affiliated clubs and sass number. I'm only buying from Prairie Dawg from now on!! He has the real heroin....I mean the real ROAs...and I like the guy too. (joke) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Fill 'Em 67797 Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Last week I posted a WTB ad for a Glock 21. I have received FIVE messages from people with names like "stan6white" and "bobjones123" that signed up on the SASS WIRE literally minutes before telling me to contact someone with a gun to sell. I almost fell for the first one that contacted me. I sent an email to the supposed seller to ask for pictures and details. I got a response back with pics and everything but the price was ridiculously low and some of the wording in his email made me suspicious. When I asked for more details he just wanted to know if I had sent the money yet. I told him I wasn't interested. Pictures are easy to pull off the internet and send to make things look legit. I doubt if he even really had the gun. Be careful who you buy from. I have been on here since 2005 and done lots of deals and never had a problem with a SASS member but the scammers are out there to take advantage of us so keep your eyes open! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fence Cutter Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 I had the same thing happen last fall with a WTB ad. I just didn't think much about it and delated crappy info. Then I BTT the ad and on February 22 a message came from " vbrass1 " with a SASS membership # 60006 and showing that they had just joined that morning. I joined in 2012 and my number starts with 95 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakeleg Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 I put an add on longrangehunting a few weeks ago looking for a 500 Linebaugh revolver and a guy pmd me about a friend who had one. He gave me his email and I was in rush to get going I sent guy a email and to my suprise he emailed me right back. And a beautiful custom bisley in 500 Linebaugh w custom grips for a little of nothing and wanted a wire transfer.I couldn’t get tha email deleted fast enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Rich Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Couple of years ago we had a guy wanted to trade or sell a gun here and claimed to be a member of a small local club that I shoot at sometimes so I contacted the MD and asked about the gent. MD said never heard of him. What made me suspicious was I told him I would come to the next shoot and bring what I had so we would both see what we were getting. He declined for some reason I don't remember. I did contact the moderator at the time but was told that nothing could be done without the MD contact saying he was not a member of that club. kR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outlaw Gambler Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 This is the same type of scam used on Armslist. Fake pictures, seller doesn't know crap about the gun, emails with broken english or not making sense about gun details. Always asking if you sent money yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tennessee Snuffy Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Folks Here is another piece of information that I found useful. If you purchase a firearm from a dealer and want to make sure sure he as a valid FFL, here is a website you can go to. Might be handy when the seller tells you that he will take the firearm to XXXXX dealer for shipment, if you get the dealers FFL, you can make sure everything is on the up an up. https://fflezcheck.atf.gov/fflezcheck/ Tennessee Snuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaco Joe Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 T-Square, I sent you a PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rance - SASS # 54090 Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Great post.. Thanks to you all.. I've bought and sold both on our SASS wire classified.. l had never ever given thought to being scammed there.. Rance Thinkin' I reckon I'm too trusting.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Meadows,SASS#28485L Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 I went through two fraud prosecutions off of Armslist and was successful with both. JM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOLFY Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Mine was on armslist and went nowhere, paypal was zero help amd my ex-bank was "well you voluntarily paid" Live and learn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting Bull Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Not firearms related but my wife and I got scammed on Ebay selling a high end watch a couple of years ago. I'm posting this to warn you about PayPal. If you accept PayPayl make darn sure the $$$ is in your bank account before send any merchandise. An email that looks like it's from PayPal isn't good enough because there are some VERY convincing fakes out there. We were able to get the watch back but it cost us a couple hundred dollars and a ton of stress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grass Range Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 I got scammed buy a SASS member who is frequently on this site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Rich Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 I've had two SASS members who were less than honest about what they were selling or trading on here. kR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 I predict this thread is about to get locked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Duncan Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 At the time I was looking for a quad (four wheeler).. Found a really nice one on Craigslist. Price was low. Seller was out east, recently devorced, needed the money to buy her exs half of the house, working long hours. I needed to deposit the money in a eBay secured account, then she would ship the quad to me. If I didn't like it then she'd pay for return shipment and eBay would return my money. I checked eBay website for this secured account she was talking about, scam. I did a Al Bore Internet search, same quad was for sale with different owner's names in different states. Emailed her. Told I had family in her state, save her the cost of shipping. Family was willing to come to her house, look the quad over and pay cash. She never replyed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eliphalet R. Moderator Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 Just be aware of this new group of scammers. They are sending unsolicited offers by PM from new Guests or new Members with odd/suspicious SASS numbers, and should be viewed critically. Especially if they are directing you towards a third person. We are being diligent in screening new sign-ups on the SASS Wire, but we are not on-line 24/7. Some still make through the cracks. You can help. "If you see something, say something". In a Post or PM, in the upper right corner is a link that says, "Report Post". This red-flags it and brings it immediately to our attention. You can also leave a comment. Eli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 I ALMOST got ripped off by a SASS member on this site. I had a bank check in the mail at the local post office, to pay for a pair of Colt SAA revolvers. So, after this SASS member/seller knew “the check is in the mail,” he said he was going to sell the pair of Colt’s revolvers to his friend, instead of me. My wife went quickly to our local main Post Office, where they (very agreeably) sorted through some 3000 pieces of mail and found my outgoing envelope with my check. Several days later, this SASS member/seller realized no check was coming, so suddenly, the pair of revolvers were “available” again. The snake. Cat Brules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 10 minutes ago, Cat Brules said: I ALMOST got ripped off by a SASS member on this site. I had a bank check in the mail at the local post office, to pay for a pair of Colt SAA revolvers. So, after this SASS member/seller knew “the check is in the mail,” he said he was going to sell the pair of Colt’s revolvers to his friend, instead of me. My wife went quickly to our local main Post Office, where they (very agreeably) sorted through some 3000 pieces of mail and found my outgoing envelope with my check. Several days later, this SASS member/seller realized no check was coming, so suddenly, the pair of revolvers were “available” again. The snake. Cat Brules Cat, you can report PMs too. You (everyone) should report suspicious transaction requests. That way, the people with Administrative authority can research the person. For example, multiple reports would be a red flag as would be an IP location in Hong Kong, or somewhere there are no SASS Clubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 13 hours ago, Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 said: Cat, you can report PMs too. You (everyone) should report suspicious transaction requests. That way, the people with Administrative authority can research the person. For example, multiple reports would be a red flag as would be an IP location in Hong Kong, or somewhere there are no SASS Clubs. Thanks, Allie, very much. I trust you are well. I could not get assistance from SASS when I complained about fraud on the sass Wire years ago; such fraud is worse now. For me, experiencing sass’s unwillingness to take action against real-members who are crooks, just makes it futile to report or seek other assistance from the edgewood people in matters like this. I am right now, trying to get $100 returned to me from a SASS member/“hotshot” fast-shooter/match winner (whose alias might be familiar), after I returned an item to him that he misrepresented in the classifieds. He won’t return my money, answer my calls, or mail. We are unable to warn other members about these people here on the Wire, because sass won’t allow victims to post the names of these people. For me, previous and recent experiences of being stolen from and cheated, make it impossible for me to trust, buy or sell in the classifieds any longer. I’ve never experienced such fraud using CraigsList. Cat Brules sass 14086 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 "I’ve never experienced such fraud using CraigsList." You're joking, right? For me, using the Wire has been a virtual guarantee that the deal is on the up-and-up, when used in conjunction with a few "common sense" restrictions. For instance, I don't buy from folks who joined the Wire yesterday, or whose SASS No. is an obvious fabrication or extremely recent. If I'm buying iron or pricey equipment, I ask for an inspection period, with the right to return no questions asked. I know that I may miss a deal or two, but I prefer to be a bit conservative and cautious. Overall, the reliability and truthfulness of folks in the Classifieds is, in my experience, far and away better than anywhere else. As for posting the names of "bad actors", sounds good but difficult in practice. When a buyer and seller disagree about the actual condition of a gun vs. representations or expectations, there is often a gray area. Who is telling the truth? SASS is ill-equipped to sort out such disputes. So how can it know if the Buyer's version of being cheated is accurate? If I were at SASS, I'd be reluctant to throw shade on another cowboy's reputation based upon only the untested version of a disappointed buyer. There is risk in every transaction; more so in "sight unseen" electronic transactions. Buyer beware, and take some extra precautions when you do not know the other party. LL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 Loophole is right, it is difficult to determine sometimes. However, multiple reports from different people and some IP addresses make it easy to weed out some crooks. So don't give up and continue to report shady characters. If it was just a misunderstanding that will show up too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 “You're joking, right? For me, using the Wire has been a virtual guarantee that the deal is on the up-and-up, LaRue“ I wish I WAS joking, LL, but I’m not. - Most of my transactions worked out okay, but you don’t have to have but a couple turn out. badly. In my case, for the 4 or 5 transactions I’ve been involved in this year, 2 of them were bad, to the tune of approximately $3100.00. That’s 40% to 50% of them that were $$ problematic. I was able to avoid the one for $3k, and the “active” one, for $100......this guy will pay; one way or another. As “they” say, your mileage may vary. I don’t trust the Wire Classifieds anymore, aside from a couple free things I will put on there to match a free item that was gifted to me. Cat Brules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 Personally, I want to know if a "respected" SASS member "who frequents the forums" has ripped people off or left dissatisfied folks in their wake. Grass Range and Cat, I would like to know their names. Please PM me so that I don't suffer the same misfortune as you did. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 Cypress Sun, I won’t directly use any of the sass forums’ services to discuss these things, since I believe (not sure) sass prohibits such discussions in the forums. Anyway, send me an email (below) with your phone number. Cat Brules ——————— NOTE: rec’d no emails.....if you still wish to talk, PM to me here with your email address or phone number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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