Gunsmerica Fraud Alert Received

[Pete44ru]

I just received this fraud alert from the gunsamerica.com F/S website:

THIS IS AN OFFICIAL GUNSAMERICA FRAUD ALERT

Do NOT send payment to anyone asking you to use TRUSTe.
If the price of an item is unusually low - be suspicious.
If you suspect fraud, email GunsAmerica customer service.

There is a group of con artists who are targeting buyers on private selling sites such as GunsAmerica.
These frauds advertise items they do not have, take your money, then never deliver.

One very common ploy they use is to send an email to you telling you about TRUSTe secure payments.
They will also try to convince you that GunsAmerica has approved payment through TRUSTe.
This is a scam!!
They will also tell you GunsAmerica has a payment protection program or buyer protection plan - this is not true.
We can not and do not have a payment protection program.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF:
Be sure to read our FAQs on FRAUDS & SCAMS.
http://www.gunsamerica.com/FAQ.htm#fraudscams

Most scams of this type will be selling items at a very low price.
Always question a deal that seems too good to be true - because it probably isn't true.

Always get the seller's first and last name, address, phone number, and the name of the FFL who will be shipping to your FFL (if applicable).
If the seller does not want to give you the FFL info, he must at least give it to your FFL dealer before you make payment.
Always check a seller's name, address, and phone number in known databases (white pages, USPS.com, etc.).

NEVER send payment using MoneyGram or wire transfers - they are almost always used by scammers.
If you do not feel comfortable, if something doesn't feel right - do NOT deal with that person.

If you suspect fraud please send an email to customerservice@gunsamerica.com - be sure to give us the GA Listing Number.

Customer Service
www.GunsAmerica.com

[Hobie]

I am a member and never received such a thing. What's up with that? Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they ain't out to get me..

[Griff]

I got one today.

[cubrock]

I got one today.

Me too.

[Andrew]

I got the email too.

[awp101]

Got one too.

Hobie maybe they think you're smart enough to figure it out? Wait, what does that say about the rest of us?

[Hobie]

I still haven't gotten one. I had to look for it but this is the actual text from the address given (and GunsAmerica's actual FAQ page)...

Fraud & Scams

FRAUD & SCAM ALERT!!
There are many scammers on the Internet who pose as buyers and sellers.
The most common scam is actually someone who poses as a buyer!
Below are some warnings and tips to help stay a step ahead of the bad guys.

* NEVER accept a Money Gram or Western Union unless you know the buyer personally or feel confident you can trust the buyer. Although we never recommend Money Gram or Western Union for any transactions.

* NEVER accept a bank/wire transfer for payment. This is almost ALWAYS A SCAM!! Doing so may allow the buyer to hack into your bank account!!

* NEVER accept payment for more than the price of the listing & shipment. This is a typical scam - to pay for more than you ask. The excuse will be that their spouse or secretary accidentally made out the check or money order for too much OR it was done on purpose so the remainder of the money can be used to pay the shipper they will send to pick up the item. This is ALWAYS A SCAM!!

* NEVER ship before a check or money order has cleared! Another common scam is when the buyer asks the seller to ship before a check or money order has cleared. * If accepting money orders as payment we recommend the use of United States Postal Money Orders. Postal money orders are hardest to forge AND can be cashed at any post office - keeping you from incurring any fees from your bank if the money order is bogus.

* Yet another buyer scam is to send the seller a small amount by check, for down-payment or lay away, so the seller will hold the item for the buyer until full payment is made. Sometimes the check bounces and sometimes it does not, but the scam is that the check (good or bad) is eventually returned to the buyer with YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER on it - giving the scammer information that can help them hack into your account. NEVER accept checks for lesser amounts to hold an item or lay away unless you know the buyer personally or are willing to take a chance!

* Sometimes an item will be paid in full with a check that bounces in an effort to get your account number - that is because some banks will return the bounced check (or a copy of it) to the person who wrote the check as well as sending a copy to you. To protect yourself you can either cash the check at any branch of the bank the check is drawn on OR you can call the exact branch of the bank the check is drawn on BEFORE you cash it and ask if the funds are available.

* If accepting any kind of check as payment we recommend, whenever possible or if suspicious, you cash the check at a branch of the bank the check is from. This keeps you from incurring any fees if the check is no good AND it since the check is not deposited into your account, at your bank, your account number is not on the back of the check when it is returned to the buyer.

* Scammers (both buyers & sellers) will often ask to ship without an FFL. Don't fall for it! ALWAYS use an FFL if required by law.

* Fraudulent buyers have been known to give FFL information to lure sellers into accepting bogus payment. If you are a seller, ALWAYS check out the FFL dealer you are shipping to; visit the ATF website to verify their license number and address AND call the dealer yourself to verify.

* Fraudulent sellers have been known to give FFL information to lure buyers into paying for items that will never ship OR when selling inferior products. If you are a buyer, ALWAYS check out the FFL dealer that will be shipping the item; visit the ATF website to verify their license number and address AND call the dealer yourself or ask your FFL dealer that will be receiving the package to verify the FFL shipper for you.

* Scammers usually use prepaid cell phones or payphones for contact. We recommend communicating with a member only if they can supply you with a phone number that can be verified (name, number, and address match) through an online directory such as Anywho.com or Infospace.com.

* ALWAYS get complete contact information from a buyer/seller before any payment is sent. Do NOT rely on GunsAmerica to give you this information - we have a strict privacy policy that prevents us from giving you contact information about any member.

* If you suspect a scam please forward the suspicious email/evidence to GunsAmerica customer service. The email must include the suspicious text and the member's email address. We will terminate the member's account if it is clear to us there is a scam or fraud or an attempt to scam or fraud is clearly involved.

* If you are the victim of a scam or fraud contact your local authorities immediately! GunsAmerica can terminate the scammer's account but you will need to contact your local law enforcement and other local/state/federal agencies in order to take further action.

* ATF FAQs and other helpful information: http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/index.htm
* ATF FFL Dealer eZ Check: https://www.atfonline.gov/fflezcheck
(you will need to know the first 3 and last 5 numbers of the dealer's license AND their address to verify)

TRUSTe is an independent organization but I see no way that one CAN send money via TRUSTe.

Smells of non-sensical phishing spam. Just enough truth to lure one in...

[Sixgun]

Yep, me too, the other day. And yes, I have had people try to scam me. I will post guns from time to time for my dealer buddy Tom (the first year Marlin 39 is on there now) and once in a while I will get an e-mail by some guy who can't spell too well asking all kinds of weird stuff. Dirt bags. Why can't they get jobs like normal people.---------Sixgun