Transacting business with forum members who have not established a reputation here

May 30, 2018, 03:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jljones:
quote:
Originally posted by reloader-1:
quote:
Originally posted by musc:
quote:
Originally posted by az4783054:
Contact USPS Inspectors. They're relentless. They may ask if you want to prosecute or get your funds back. My choice would be to prosecute. Restitution can come after adjudication in criminal trial. Get a felony arrest on his record.

^^ This. I had a similar situation about 6-7 years ago where I sent a USPS MO and was scammed. It look a few months but I did get my money back. I wish I had prosecuted but at that time I was to the point where I wanted my $2k back. You can contact the USPS inspectors a few different ways at the link below. Good luck sir.

http://about.usps.com/publicat...pub300a_tech_024.htm

I would let them know this is a firearms related investigation. That may increase the urgency of their response...

Andy, so sorry about this. But, please do NOT follow this advise. This IS NOT a firearms related investigation. It is no more a firearms related investigation, than it is an internal affairs investigation when they pose to be the police to scam people. People tend to talk themselves into a lack of credibility when they attempt to classify things improperly to use buzzwords to say "look at me".

Contact the local LE in the area they scammer lives first. Find out if they need a local to you LE report to start an investigation on their end. I deal with this stuff on occasion at work. It is frustrating and often really hard to get things done. I've got 50 open cases right now, and it simply isn't getting any better. BUT- when we get calls with local leads, we chop a detective or two to follow up on it. Nobody, especially detectives likes a scammer, and getting to put one in jail is like a gift.

Just call the local guys at the point of the scam, see what they need. Be honest with them, and don't try to pad it by claiming it is something that its not. I wish you the best on getting your money back.

This guy knows what he is talking about.

May 30, 2018, 04:10 PM

Sig Sauer Kraut

Thanks for posting the info.

Another forum that I was part of published a scumbag list. Just a thought. I certainly defer to Para on whether he’d entertain such a topic here.

May 30, 2018, 04:15 PM

tha1000

Another forum I belong to restricts access to post on the classifieds until you reach a specified number of quality posts on the forum. The quality of your posts is left up to the moderators, but it is mainly to weed out folks who respond with inane comments to everything just to get to the number required. I have no idea how hard that would be to administer here.

May 30, 2018, 04:39 PM

mr kablammo

quote:
Originally posted by westsdad:
The address is a trailer home park, and the IP addresses are listed as being located in Lagos, Nigeria.

A lot of posts about scams when you google the phone number.

https://www.google.com/search?q=5139008549

quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
David Sawyer
13640 Fm 1314 Rd
Conroe, TX 77302
tel: 5139008549

purnelly@att.net is the email address used for registration

bofffycatie@gmail.com was used for communication

Posted from 197.211.60.59, 154.118.13.139, 154.118.48.104, 197.211.60.54

You should operate under the assumption that a low-life thief like this has likely already re-registered in the forum, so when you see a deal in Classifieds that's too good to be true, it's a scam, gentlemen. If you fall for this kind of thing after reading this thread, don't blame the thief. It'll be on you.

Be very skeptical. Ask questions. If you have any doubt at all, walk away and I will back you up.

Is doing a 'ping' on the IP address useful for detecting a scammer?

June 01, 2018, 05:55 AM

arfmel

"Is doing a 'ping' on the IP address useful for detecting a scammer?"

Not an expert, but I am going to guess that if the ip address shows anywhere in Nigeria, that could be a clue. So, yeah, it might be.

June 01, 2018, 06:06 AM

PowerSurge

The guy has a Texas address and an Ohio phone number. Edit: The guy has been at it on other boards: http://forum.accurateshooter.c...r-conroe-tx.3951047/

http://www.calguns.net/calgunf...hread.php?p=21561292

June 01, 2018, 07:27 AM

JimTheo

quote:
Originally posted by PowerSurge:
The guy has a Texas address and an Ohio phone number. Edit: The guy has been at it on other boards: http://forum.accurateshooter.c...r-conroe-tx.3951047/

http://www.calguns.net/calgunf...hread.php?p=21561292

Just for information, having differing postal address from an area code is not really highly indicative, as I live in NJ and have a PA phone number. Not saying absolutely, but I wouldn't hang my hat on that discrepancy. People DO move.

June 04, 2018, 09:21 PM

Cobra21

quote:
Originally posted by az4783054:
Contact USPS Inspectors. They're relentless. They may ask if you want to prosecute or get your funds back. My choice would be to prosecute. Restitution can come after adjudication in criminal trial. Get a felony arrest on his record.

I would be happy to contribute $ to prosecute if you go dowwn that path.

June 04, 2018, 09:32 PM

Cobra21

quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
quote:
Originally posted by musc:
I did that a lot in the past where I would write my forum name and current date on a sticky note and place it next to the item when taking pictures.
Yes, that's an excellent idea because it's simpler than what I was suggesting. Have the seller write your name and the date on a sticky and take a pic of the item with that sticky.
If they give you a hard time, or stop responding, let me know.

This is really interesting. If we all started doing this with our Classifieds (kinda' an unwritten rule), it would pretty easily expose those unwilling/uninterested...not a definitive scam, but a red flag nonetheless.

June 05, 2018, 08:28 AM

tatortodd

quote:
Originally posted by JimTheo:
quote:
Originally posted by PowerSurge:
The guy has a Texas address and an Ohio phone number. Edit: The guy has been at it on other boards: http://forum.accurateshooter.c...r-conroe-tx.3951047/

http://www.calguns.net/calgunf...hread.php?p=21561292

Just for information, having differing postal address from an area code is not really highly indicative, as I live in NJ and have a PA phone number. Not saying absolutely, but I wouldn't hang my hat on that discrepancy. People DO move.

Agreed. Since the end of long distance charges on cell phones, nobody switches cell #’s when they move. I used my Houston cell # all 5 years in Alaska. When I lived in Canada, I ported my Houston # to Google voice so I had a US # people in US could call and when I moved back to US had it ported to cell carrier. Same # for 13 years and I’ve lived in 4 cities in 2 different countries.

Here in Texas, I have friends with area codes from as far away as Boston.

June 05, 2018, 09:08 AM

ensigmatic

quote:
Originally posted by arfmel:
"Is doing a 'ping' on the IP address useful for detecting a scammer?"

No. Doing a "whois" lookup on the IP address might be. E.g.:

$ whois 197.211.60.59
% This is the AfriNIC Whois server.

% Note: this output has been filtered.
%       To receive output for a database update, use the "-B" flag.

% Information related to '197.211.60.0 - 197.211.60.255'

% No abuse contact registered for 197.211.60.0 - 197.211.60.255

inetnum:        197.211.60.0 - 197.211.60.255
netname:        GLOMOBILE-GPRS
descr:          GLO-1
country:        NG
admin-c:        PA2-AFRINIC
tech-c:         PA2-AFRINIC
status:         ASSIGNED PA
mnt-by:         GLO-ONLINE-ADMIN
source:         AFRINIC # Filtered
parent:         197.211.32.0 - 197.211.63.255

person:         Prasoon Agarwal
address:        1- Mike Adenuga Close, Victoria Island
address:        Lagos
address:        Lagos
address:        Nigeria
...

$ whois 154.118.13.139
% This is the AfriNIC Whois server.

% Note: this output has been filtered.
%       To receive output for a database update, use the "-B" flag.

% Information related to '154.118.0.0 - 154.118.31.255'

% No abuse contact registered for 154.118.0.0 - 154.118.31.255

inetnum:        154.118.0.0 - 154.118.31.255
netname:        Spectranet-INET-LTE_DYN_ALLOC
descr:          Dynamic allocation for LTE customers
country:        NG
admin-c:        TCS1-AFRINIC
tech-c:         TCS1-AFRINIC
status:         ASSIGNED PA
mnt-by:         SNL-MNT
source:         AFRINIC # Filtered
parent:         154.118.0.0 - 154.118.127.255

person:         Technical Contact SN
address:        PLOT NO-36B MOBOLAJI JOHNSON AVENUE OREGUN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE ALAUSA-IKEJA,
address:        IKEJA
address:        Nigeria
,,,

But maybe not. See next.

quote:
Originally posted by arfmel:
Not an expert, but I am going to guess that if the ip address shows anywhere in Nigeria, that could be a clue. So, yeah, it might be.

Well, kinda sorta.

In this day-and-age of people using VPNs to mask their location, etc.: Anybody from anywhere could appear to show up as connecting from anywhere else. Though common sense would dictate nobody who wished to be trusted would pick a VPN terminating in Nigeria

, likewise a scammer could easily VPN through a terminus in a more trustworthy-looking country--such as here in the U.S.

Besides: How are you, as a forum user, going to know from which IP address they're posting to SF?

quote:
Originally posted by PowerSurge:
The guy has a Texas address and an Ohio phone number.

A data point, but, in this age of number portability in the US: Not indicative of anything.

Heck: I bought something on-line from a Dutch on-line merchant while I was in the Netherlands and gave them my US-based mobile number for a contact number.

Personally, I'd neither buy from nor sell to anybody here I didn't recognize--or at least had a long-time posting history. The boss runs a tight ship, but he's not quite omniscient

August 16, 2018, 07:07 AM

capt14k

I was scammed by this scum sent payment to

Bonnie Cooper
108 Elmhurst Dr
Lockport, NY

email nickmcflash@gmail.com

$800 for PSL

August 16, 2018, 07:13 AM

MikeGLI

quote:
Originally posted by capt14k:
I was scammed by this scum sent payment to

Bonnie Cooper
108 Elmhurst Dr
Lockport, NY

email nickmcflash@gmail.com

$800 for PSL

Hello, welcome. Did said scam take place on this forum?

September 28, 2021, 10:43 AM

parabellum

Time for a reminder:

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0032584?r=7420014584

"Text me at (number) for pictures"

Poor English

Fluff posts and nothing but.

And, for me, seeing that they're coming of the freaking Chicago area.

"Text me..." Never, gentlemen, never make a purchase in this way, via this forum.

September 30, 2021, 02:49 PM

10X-Shooter

One thing I did recently on a purchase I’m in the middle of is ask for a copy of the drivers license and if they have one, a carry permit so I can be assured they would pass a background check. I’ll be doing this from now on. Once I get their name and address phone number etc. I do a search online, then I ask for copies of the ID to see if it matches what they are telling me. Not fool proof but sure helps create some feelings that they’re on the up and up. I too got bitten by someone last year, Para was aware and I think I posted about it. It was out of NY. I should have known. They contacted me outside the forum and there was no answer within the forum. Lesson the hard way.

September 30, 2021, 03:38 PM

iron chef

Would you post a photo of your driver's license &/or carry permit on the internet for all to see? If not, then why would you send it to a stranger?

Sending photos of your DL is a great way to become a victim of ID theft and doxxing.

I have seen and personally dealt with many scammers who acquired a photo of someone's DL &/or carry permit. They use them to build rapport w/ their victims. It's, "You can trust me. We're in the same state. You know I have a clean record, because I have a carry permit."

I always feel sorry for the people they're posing as and wonder how their IDs got circulated in the first place.

I've also seen legitimate private party transactions where one or both parties take photos of IDs to record the transaction. Later, one party feels jilted or cheated after closing the deal and expresses his scorn by posting the photos of the other party's DL on a public website warning, "Don't deal w/ ___. He ripped me off."

I've come across scammers who somehow acquired a photo of a legit gun store's FFL certificate and sent it to victims w/ the assurance that, "You can trust me. Here's a copy of my FFL."

September 30, 2021, 04:15 PM

220-9er

The few purchases I've made online here have been with long time folks with lots of posts. Even then, I've checked out their email or other contact info to be as sure as I can.
I'm always amazed to see how many in even SF classifieds are low count members and even then most seem to be OK for the transaction.

September 30, 2021, 04:37 PM

smschulz

quote:
Originally posted by iron chef:
Would you post a photo of your driver's license &/or carry permit on the internet for all to see? If not, then why would you send it to a stranger?

Sending photos of your DL is a great way to become a victim of ID theft and doxxing.

ALWAYS a bad idea to send a copy of your DL.
About 6-8 years ago another forum unnamed but specializes in distance shooting was selling some decent 308 ammo (before I got into reloading).
It was the forum actually selling the ammo not any company or individual.
They insisted on a copy of my DL to sell me the ammo.
Nobody else asked for that.
I flatly refused and they wouldn't ship.
OK with me but not going to expose that especially for something like this.