Firearms Scam! Be Careful What you Buy!

Twisted Canuck · #1 04-24-2012, 04:27 PM

I received PMs on this forum, and on GunNutz forum (CGN) today, from observant members who were asking what the heck was going on?? I have had a Sako 85 rifle for sale on both forums for a little while, and apparently somebody in Quebec has lifted the pictures of my rifle off the Buy and Sell from one of these sites, and offered the rifle for a fraction of what it is worth ($800). The bogus scam ad is here:

http://www.firearmscanada.com/ads/sa...unter-270-wsm/

If you email and ask for pictures, this person will send you the pictures off my ad here:

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum...d.php?t=725780

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=125748

I can assure you, if money gets sent to this lowlife scum by EMT, you will be left hanging. I suppose this may be the only downside to the LGR being abolished, as you can't get a transfer reference number prior to sending funds anymore......

Just thought I would warn our members to be careful and not get burnt! I think we are going to be seeing more and more of this. Always ask for pics, and more pics. If you ask this Quebec seller for other angles, closeups or what have you, he will make excuses because he doesn't have the rifle to sell you. A legitimate seller will provide you with fresh, multiple angle pictures because he has the firearm, owns it, and is selling it in an honest fashion.

Just thought I'd bring it up, it has probably been mentioned here before, but since it happened to me (my sale) I figured I'd bring it up again!

Regards, TC

Edit: Question is directed at Randy, as he is our local Sheriff, should I report this to the RCMP or other? Let me know, I have copies of emails sent to another AO member, who brought this to my attention.....thanks.

dale7637 · #2 04-24-2012, 04:29 PM

Weak....
People will find a way to run a scam off of anything. Sorry to hear that you got drug into it.

Okotokian · #3 04-24-2012, 04:31 PM

You should contact the police. Would be pretty easy to set up a sting and catch the guy. You could volunteer to try and buy your own gun and see what happens

Twisted Canuck · #4 04-24-2012, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dale7637

Weak....
People will find a way to run a scam off of anything. Sorry to hear that you got drug into it.

I'm cool...I have the goods. I'm just glad there are some observant eyes out there, as I don't frequent the site where the scam ad is posted. I sent their admin an email on this, but the ad is still posted.

huntinstuff · #5 04-24-2012, 04:54 PM

Let Firearms Canada know
They will ban the seller and remove the ad. That protects the buyers

Police in PQ will do nothing about it.

TBark · #6 04-24-2012, 04:56 PM

Pictures is the key, like TC says, different angles, and they type of picture of the item that cannot be taken anywhere off the web.
I actually requested an Ebayer from NB, to email an item pic showing a note beside it with my name as I just emailed it to him. That proved to me he had the item.
This transaction went with no issues, I was careful because the guy had only 6 EBay feedback history, not because he was from east coast, ha.

TBark

Twisted Canuck · #7 04-24-2012, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

Let Firearms Canada know
They will ban the seller and remove the ad. That protects the buyers

Police in PQ will do nothing about it.

I sent an email to their Admin first thing this morning, 8 hours ago. So far, no answer, and the ad is still up. I registered on their site a few minutes ago, and sent the 'seller' an email saying I want the rifle right effin now, EMT on the way, but send pics to me (at my backup email addy)....we will see what happens. I've never spent any time on FC before, this is my first dealings with them....so far, I'm impressed beyond measure. And I'm sure the PQ are going to be more than useless in the matter too....will get a call in to the RCMP Anti Fraud line tomorrow.

300savage · #8 04-24-2012, 05:28 PM

It appears to be gone now. Hope the bugger gets caught. I hate crooks with a passion!

elkhunter11 · #9 04-24-2012, 05:34 PM

Firearms Canada is full of scams, many of which are the same people using different usernames. As soon as one username is banned, they register with a different one. I haven't bothered even looking on their site in months.

Twisted Canuck · #10 04-24-2012, 05:36 PM

Yup, ad is gone, but I'm currently playing him as a very hot buyer. Got the pics of my rifle sent to me, he is being really reasonable on price, only $830 shipped.....I am transferring money to my chequing account as we speak, to EMT him funds ASAP (Don't sell that rifle to anyone else, LOL!).....but want pics of the reverse side to make sure the wood is perfect all the way around. What a dink.

Ice Fishing Maniac · #11 04-24-2012, 05:37 PM

I had the same on a Tikka T3 LS rifle I seen on Buy Sell. First # was in Sask...next time was in Alberta with a different pic, but similar rifle. Both phone #'s listed did not work.

I questioned the guy by email with a few questions b/c I know the first rifle listed was pics of MINE with a Leoupld scope taken on my couch, and he said it was a Bushnell. Second time, same looking rifle with a Bushnell. He got pushy...I was trying to set it up to see if he was the one that got my friend.

$#!^#& guys like this need to be strung up. Would be surprised if not the same guy that got Alberta Coyote Hunter on a Swaroski scope.

Twisted Canuck · #12 04-24-2012, 05:39 PM

LOL!! What a dink!! here is his reply....

Ohh Ed. well the Wood is very nice on the other side.i wish i could snap more pictures of the Sako but my camera dropped and i havent got time to fix it yet maybe later this weekend probably i hope this is no problem becuase i sent the pictures i have at hand.in my previous email..i will consider is SOLD to you thats no problem.Send password once Emt is sent and Email me your fullname, shipping address and PAL#

Thanks
Don

Hmmmmm, I'm sending the money with the wrong password I think. That should be fun.

hal53 · #13 04-24-2012, 05:44 PM

Ask him for his full name and details, as the seller you will verify his PAL????

silverdoctor · #14 04-24-2012, 05:51 PM

Are you doing all this through email? They can be tracked via IP address and the police can gain access to their address and such, most crooks i've dealt with over the years aren't too bright.

Twisted Canuck · #15 04-24-2012, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverdoctor

Are you doing all this through email? They can be tracked via IP address and the police can gain access to their address and such, most crooks i've dealt with over the years aren't too bright.

It is, and I am getting as many emails from him as I can. It's funny, because I got an EMT earlier, so I cut and pasted, changed all the info on it, and sent it to him as payment, with a BS security password. He should be going nuts shortly.....LOL.

Badgoodguy · #16 04-24-2012, 05:54 PM

WOW twisted you know and find all the trick LOL and you were trying to sell me a rifle. Glad you reported them bud

silverdoctor · #17 04-24-2012, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twisted canuck

It is, and I am getting as many emails from him as I can. It's funny, because I got an EMT earlier, so I cut and pasted, changed all the info on it, and sent it to him as payment, with a BS security password. He should be going nuts shortly.....LOL.

Ok, so what are you using for email? Hotmail? yahoo? are you running through outlook? Grab the IP from the header, see if it's valid and call the police.

Twisted Canuck · #18 04-24-2012, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverdoctor

Ok, so what are you using for email? Hotmail? yahoo? are you running through outlook? Grab the IP from the header, see if it's valid and call the police.

All on yahoo.....my backup BS account I use. I will be passing everything on to the RCs tomorrow AM.

silverdoctor · #19 04-24-2012, 06:07 PM

cool...

But what i'm saying is to ensure you have the IP information from the emails - ensure they are valid and not proxied addresses. in my dealings with police, many don't know there's header information available, let alone know how to get it from an email.

TBark · #20 04-24-2012, 06:07 PM

Can you actually get this guy TC ?
Trying for IP Address and such, or will authorities just pass it off as a non violent crime, or not over a certain dollar value crime ?
I thought AB coyote hunter went through all these types of checks. And came up empty.
Asking for PAL to prove reg or valid owner, well you already know he won't bite on that, or will he ?

TBark

Albertacoyotecaller · #21 04-24-2012, 06:08 PM

Try and get a current phone number from the person. I believe it is the same scam artist that did me in.

Twisted Canuck · #22 04-24-2012, 06:12 PM

'Don Low' doesn't want to play anymore, he says the EMT I sent him is fake. I think his feelings are hurt because he won't send me his phone #. I will report it tomorrow to the Anti Fruad folks, send them all the info I have, and I honestly expect zero will come of it. Just a guess. Hopefully, nobody got sucked in to his scam. What a dink.....

If you all want to try to buy his rifle, the email that I have is:

schon17@yahoo.ca

Although, I expect that will be shut down soon. I think I may go and subscribe him to 60 or 70 spam mail sites though.....

Zip · #23 04-24-2012, 06:56 PM

Good Job TC...i hope you made his life misserable while making the rest of ours interesting...i was kinda giggling with every update you posted as i worked a scammer over pretty hard the other day on a vehicle i am trying to sell...i saw through his scam right off the get go,but when i finally insisted i get his phone nbr so we could chat....he dissapered on me...The Dink!!
I hope the effort you put in to get this guys info to the proper people does some good...these people need to just go away,they are everywhere it seems. Getting worse near as i can tell...Dinks!!

wwbirds · #24 04-24-2012, 07:13 PM

Firearms Canada is starting to scare me. never bought anything but came very close a month or two ago. Tried to buy a rifle and made the guy an offer but he said no can do. Got pictures but deleted them when deal went south.
Wrote him a month later when rifle was no longer listed and he said still had it. (I thought listings lasted months unless you took them down?).

Asked for more pictures and got the same ones again. Asked for phone number and looked the guy up on Linked and seems ok but after talking to him and thinking we had a plan since he wasn't set up for EMT (bank was 45 minutes away from his rural maritime location) deal is back in limbo and he is not answering emails. Might be safer just to walk away as I don't see a trader rating section like we and CGN have so it may be more prone to scams.
Maybe the difficulty and spidey senses tingling is an omen.
Rob

pikeslayer22 · #25 04-24-2012, 07:15 PM

So is there any safe way to purchase anything off of buy and sell here as well as can? I have made a few purchases but only cash deals and face to face. The buyer seems to have to take most of the risk on these transactions.

wwbirds · #26 04-24-2012, 07:18 PM

Both AO and CGN have feedback areas for trader ratings. if new member or very low or no feedback proceed with caution.
Saw a rifle here yesterday and price was too good to be true. thread disappeared within 5 minutes so guess the mods figured it was a scam.

If it sounds too good to be true it probably is a scam. Get pictures name address phone number and call to sound them out.

pikeslayer22 · #27 04-24-2012, 07:25 PM

Thx for that...is there anyway these guys can Edit their feedback as well as posts on these sites to make themselves sound better?

silverdoctor · #28 04-24-2012, 07:32 PM

It's buyer beware all the time and if it sounds too good to be true, then it is - no probably to it.

Biggest scammer I dealt with was for a client in Edmonton, $75K for sporting event tickets for his clients. They did this every year, take some clients to the US and have some fun at different events. He did everything right, met face to face with the guys selling tickets - went to BC to meet with them.

Shipped the money to the person in the US, never got his tickets. The people he met with claimed the guy in the US that was given the money skipped out and therefore he was out the money, tough luck. I got a call from BC RCMP asking if there's a way I could track anything through his emails, well sure enough, they are all in BC - nobody was in the US. Sent the info and within 3 hours I got a call from the RCMP saying thanks, they are on the way to the guys' homes. Arrests were made.

Keep your eyes open people, google phone numbers, names, email addresses, any information you have that may show someone is scamming you. Even if you do everything right, you may get scammed.

TBark · #29 04-24-2012, 08:15 PM

Paypal if you are a buyer is great. Those losers that contact you on your ad and want to send a courier to pick up yur vehicle play then play the "I didn't receive it" game, and your paymment $ is frozen and returned to them.
But as a buyer you have this protection to ensure you get the goods.
EMT and W Union, well you'd better know the seller or you take your chances.

TBark

dale1010dog · #30 09-22-2013, 09:48 PM

Hes still at it he's on usedfirearms.ca site right now with the sako hunter and Zeiss scope and a M1 Garande gave me his phone number and name Philip Cressman 647 486-7265 prob fake but I will try it lol. email address is pegdril@yahoo.com that he is using. after doing some searching the same add is on Armslist so prob scamming in the USA also. Be careful everyone