[Uncle Joe*]

I posted an ad in the WTB section for an M94 stock. I received an offer (emailed, not PMed) from the UK. I was sent some photos of the stock. After a little research I found the same photos on the web from an older auction:
http://www.gunauction.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=8407602

Seller wanted me to wire the cash to him. All sorts of red flags are popping up and I'm thinking I'm getting scammed. Do these pics look familiar ? Is it even legal to own a firearm in the UK these days ?
None of the people who posted in response to my ad had a UK address. Hopefully I'm not getting scammed and this is a mistake, but these days you can't be too carefull.

 

[FIVESHOT]

It is legal to own firearms in the UK

if you abide by about 10 pages of rules and

regulations . But you're talking about a stock ,

right ? Is the fellow you wtb from on gunboards ?

I've bought a number of items from the UK but

mostly from members . Be careful and look before

you leap .



FIVESHOT

 

[swede]

Your link has a complete M94/14 carbine . Are you saying those are the photos he sent to you . That is an Auction Arms photo , so not likely it was sold to someone in the UK ? Why break up a complete carbine . Prices in the UK for any firearm is double or more from the USA . So , I can imagine the stock was more than a complete M94 in the USA .

Looks like a scam to me !!!!!!!!!

 

[USMCsean]

I agree. Sounds like scam.

 

[iskra]

Red Banner!

Ignoring the photos/goods issues, the financial element alone casts sufficient warning. THE GOLDEN RULE: NEVER WIRE CASH. At best you are being asked to assume the entire risk of an indirect transaction. More realistically, such demand suggests a strong presumption of fraud. Within the US, laws such as the Bank Secrecy Act and other complimentary regulations have been tightened considerably in the last decade. Among other things, these requires banks to exercise considerable oversight of feeder/sweeper accounts as well as to implement anti-smurfing and 'know your client' rules. Yet due largely to fast and loose players in smaller segments of the financial industry, the Golden Rule remains almost as valid for cash delivery transactions within domestic locations as abroad. Likely due to your astute caution, some bank in Nigeria will be denied 'confidential participation' (it's cut) in the prospective deal.
My take!

 

[stevan1]

Run away from it. There is nothing there but Red Flags.

 

[Uncle Joe*]

I can't believe I fell for it ! Had it not been a bank holiday I would have wired it. Waiting for my wife to come home I did a google search and found the pics. I was so happy to get a stock I guess I was blinded by the obvious.

 

[buffdog]

Went to the link to Auction Arms first, then read the rest of the comments. SWEDE beat me to it with the question I was going to ask. "Complete rifle pictured. What happened to the rest of it?" From a U.S. Seller with seven transactions, who has not been active on Auction Arms for over a year!

Something is rotten in Denmark or in this case, the U.K. Keep both hands on your wallet and check book, and run as fast as you can to the furthest corner of your cellar. Do not surface until Groundhog Day 2013.

If you go for this one, send me your e-mail address. I have some choice, well irrigated property in Southern Florida that I will let go at a bargain price. Just wire me the Ca$h.
.

 

[JK]

Same thing happened to me for a rare bayonet from someone in the UK. They wanted me to do a Western Union for the payment. Smelled to much like a scam so I backed out. Try Googling their email address, sometimes it gives a link to other people they ripped off.

Be prepared to get more scams in your email. I did.

 

[ibewbull]

Go with the gut instincts.
We have had many buyers in our business attempt things.
If you get a feeling then go with that.
The arms list had Python Scams on Pythons a lot. The pics look funny and command of English is not up to good ole boy gun talk.
So I only do FTF on there.
If it is a deal on a blog check the guy out. I am new to this but on THR and SW i think most of us use the same user names. So it is easy to check things out. Also If you google an e mail or telephone number and www.zabasearch you can pretty well find out the skinny.

http://www.armslist.com/classifieds/usa/all/2?search=smith%20and%20wesson%20357

 

[manygunsmike]

STAY AWAY and DO NOT REPLY ! Its BS

manygunsmike

 

[tacfoley2]

I posted an ad in the WTB section for an M94 stock. I received an offer (emailed, not PMed) from the UK. I was sent some photos of the stock. After a little research I found the same photos on the web from an older auction:
http://www.gunauction.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=8407602

Seller wanted me to wire the cash to him. All sorts of red flags are popping up and I'm thinking I'm getting scammed. Do these pics look familiar ? Is it even legal to own a firearm in the UK these days ?
None of the people who posted in response to my ad had a UK address. Hopefully I'm not getting scammed and this is a mistake, but these days you can't be too carefull.

Dear Mr Joe - it certainly IS permitted to own guns in the UK, as my grand total of 11.882 posts on the subject on 14 forums would show you - including about 400 on THIS one alone.

However, as Swede points out, the chances of ANYBODY in the UK selling gun parts to ANYBODY in the US is as likely as walking to the moon and back. The reason is simple - as he wrote - EVERYTHING here costs at the very least 2.5 times what you pay in the US of A.

All you have to do is to ask somebody who lives here about any deal that purports to come from the UK - I have a consolidated list of EVERY authorised dealer in the form of the Gun Traders Association Annual Handbook.

Most native folk over here speak a recogniseable form of English, similar to your own - you ARE reading this, aren't you?

TBH, I'm not sure where the UK comes into this equation, so perhaps you can enlighten me by pretending that you are talking to a dim-witted furriner.

tac

 

[morgans]

I've gotten burned on other things, even after getting address and phone numbers which were all fake. I got a email from couple of other boards I'm on , not members, gave my personal info out, won't do that again, I get more spam. The joys of the internet.As for me I will only deal with a members on here. if something goes wrong you have a better chance of chasing ISP. Overseas I'd only use a pay service PP or others.Ok yep smells like scam!!

 

[jjjxlr8]

"WTB" listings are perfect for scammers. Do your own searching and you'll be better off.

 

[foudufoot]

When I have doubts about a seller, I will usually ask for additional pictures from a particular angle or closeup. If he is not holding the item, he can't comply. Ransom negotiators call it "proof of life". You might call it proof of ownership. Foreign deals are particular risky as you are crossing jurisdictional lines and your recourse if burned is very limited.