So, the scammers know we're wise to a low post count new member advertising a desirable item for sale, but no one will bat an eye at a new member posting an ad seeking an item.

The scammer posts his WTB, gives it a few days, maybe a week, perhaps even a month. "Another" (probably the same scammer) low post count new member comes along who just happens to have the item being sought and he posts this in the WTB ad. You will see no response from the member who placed the WTB ad. The member claiming to have the item being sought just happens to have his email address displayed in his profile. A legitimate member then sees this exchange, sees the displayed email address, emails the member claiming to have the item. Boom. You're hooked. Bye bye money.

Be VERY careful of any new or low post count members advertising high-dollar/scarce items for sale or claiming in a WTB ad that they have the item being sought.


We get lazy, they rip us off.

then

We get savy, they fail.

then

They adapt, they rip us off.

then

We get savvy, they fail.

then

They adapt, they rip us off.

They're not going to stop, gentlemen. Count on it.



Ask questions- references, photographs. Ask which other gun forums they belong to. Ask for photographs. Take the images they provide and use a search engine to perform an image search, so you don't find out after the fact that they commandeered someone else's pics.

Be skeptical. Be VERY careful. If they get your money, you aren't getting it back and they are not getting caught. Each time they succeed, they are emboldened.

If you have any doubts about any activity you see in Classifieds, use the Report-This-Post feature which appears in the lower right hand corner of every post. When you submit your report, I'll get an email immediately and I will investigate. Please do not hesitate to use this feature. You will be doing me and all your fellow forum members a favor, even if your suspicions turn out to be wrong.

I buy and sell in various marketplaces.
A few things I've found to smoke out scammers are; don't communicate via text, get a phone number, look it up on a search and actually talk to someone on the phone. Also look up any send to or receive from addresses.
This may not be perfect but it will filter out at least 99%.

Shouldn't that read WTB ad?

Yes, thank you

Yeah those ads early looking for the exact same thing by two first time posters looked odd.

First Thanks again Papa PARA for watching over us. Also I buy a lot of things on this forum and others, and I use text a lot due to me living in Hawaii and the difference in time that I have and say someone on the East Coast or even the West Coast.
So having someone ask for you to text them doesn’t automatically flag me as a scam but I do try to put a call into that person and see how things go. Even tho this is not 100% it does help. Lastly whenever I’m buying a firearm I do my research and find a reputable FFL in that area that has good multiple feedback on line, then I’m putting in a call to that business and verifying what I’ve found on line- FFL #, address, etc.
I’m sure everyone goes thru the same steps to try and not get ripped off.
Thanks Again

Aside from that auction site, I buy from SigForum members, LGS or friends period. Besides shipping to Somalia is spendy. Pickle Rick !

As some of you may know, from time to time, I might occasionally buy and sell a watch from someone on watch forums. That is the Mos Eisley cantina of commerce. Hundreds of wonderful watch geeks, and seemingly thousands of scammers. So, I'm super careful ultra ultra paranoid on higher dollar deals. Perhaps this will be helpful for you guys,.. at least to give you some ideas. Obviously, the level at which I apply these techniques varies based on the risk level (dollar level).

My process to vet unknown sellers and buyers both -- First and foremost is if they haven't been a member of a forum or two for a number of years, I generally walk. Sometimes if I'm selling I'll still sell to people without years of forum experience because I always, without exception, insist on a bank wire transfer payment for anything much north of a grand.

I email or p.m. through the profiles of the userIDs they give me for the forums they are members of. I ask for LinkedIn, FaceBook, Instagram accounts if they have them. I check those to make sure they can communicate to me on them, and then that they are long established accounts with history, and that they have many long term connections.

My favorite personal technique is to ask where they work, and ask for the main number of their business. I look it up online, confirm it is the same, call and ask to be transferred to them. I once had a guy that claimed to work for BoA on the 30th floor in Dallas. So as I was talking to him, I asked him to walk to the window, take a pic, and text it to me. haha! That deal went great.

I have had sellers tire of my clearance process. That's understandable, and fine with me. I've never been scammed. And I've never had an unhappy buyer.

Edit to add: Beware of e-Checks. They are not at all the same as a bank wire. Call your bank and confirm it was a bank-to-bank wire transfer. I should also add that there's been an old adage: "Buy the seller, not the item". I agree with this philosophy, but with phished account credentials, you really have to make sure the profile you are communicating with is truly the person they claim. That is the purpose of all of the aforementioned steps I take.

Every few months, maybe once or twice a year, I'll notice "someone" who it seems is talking to themselves. A couple of newbies a little too chummy with each other.
So Report Button it shall be going forward.

One thing I always did when selling car parts and when buying them as well, ask to have someone hand write on a large card, their screen name, date and time. Photograph the item for sale with that card and post the picture.
This has helped me a lot in the past.

Like this:

I wonder if there is a technology to either identify or block isp addresses from outside the conus which might help in screening some scammers from Africa, Russia, or wherever. They may be able to piggyback on a US provider. I do not know how this works but one time a scammer email showed a USSR provider when I clicked the email and googled the provider.

Someone here may know how it works, but it an idea.

One trick is they are sending emails w a link to an alleged ad and when you click it, they get your log in and password, on the Rolex Forum, according to posts there. I received one but reported it and the moderator told me this.

Is there a way to hack one's Registered date? I find it highly unusual that someone who registered in 2006 has waited over 14 years to post for the first time, and his first post happens to be a WTB ad.

quote:

Originally posted by iron chef:
Is there a way to hack one's Registered date? I find it highly unusual that someone who registered in 2006 has waited over 14 years to post for the first time, and his first post happens to be a WTB ad.

Just a guess, but an account 14 years old might have a simple password or might have been phished.

Thanks for the heads up Para.

Thanks for Reminding us to be careful.

quote:

Originally posted by iron chef:
Is there a way to hack one's Registered date? I find it highly unusual that someone who registered in 2006 has waited over 14 years to post for the first time, and his first post happens to be a WTB ad.

I resemble this post.
Back in 2008 I joined this forum after purchasing one of those German Police P-6's. A 1980 to be exact. Life got in the way and fast forward to 2020 I found the old P6 in my safe.
I put a WTB post in the classified section for some magazines.
I'm wondering if the person who said he had some to sell is not getting back to me because of this post.
Your thoughts...

yes sir, noted

quote:

Originally posted by Bagman:
I resemble this post.
Back in 2008 I joined this forum after purchasing one of those German Police P-6's. A 1980 to be exact. Life got in the way and fast forward to 2020 I found the old P6 in my safe.
I put a WTB post in the classified section for some magazines.
I'm wondering if the person who said he had some to sell is not getting back to me because of this post.
Your thoughts...

As with most every other online trading platform, people are wary of transacting w/ members w/ very low post counts. More specifically, members here generally frown on other members who only appear to be on SF to access the Classifieds.

I don't know why that one member hasn't responded to you. I can tell you the WTB post that I indirectly referenced has be removed.

Wow... guess I am naive And over trusting. Then again, this is the first such site I ever joined. I understand the skepticism. What can I do to help others believe I am real and trustworthy? I don’t mind jumping through a hoop or two if it helps others feel comfortable dealing with me.

I’m the guy who posted the p320 WTB that was suspect. Parabellum was cool and reinstated my dusty account and suggested I add a thread in new members. I explained my absence from the forum there. Thanks