Gunbroker Scam - Hall Rifle

[Cornbread]

People,

As if we don’t have enough scam artists here on these forms, I discovered they’re also on Gunbroker.
I am attaching an auction for a 1819 Hall rifle that ended two days ago (which I “won”) and after I refused payment due to fraud, it has been relisted for $1000 more!

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I don’t want to give direct links for possible forum rules violation, but this is more of an ALERT for future searches on a 1819 or 1841 Hall Rifle should this listing grab a members attention (because we like muzzleloading and rifles like this) over there or elsewhere. Then have that member come here to search for more info (just as I did).
The pics and discussion will be a dead giveaway not to mention pop up at the top or near because the default setting I think is “most recent”.

Regards,
James

 

[SDSmlf]

I refused payment due to fraud

Curious how you determined it was fraud?

 

[Cornbread]

Several red flags popped up at first before the auction ended. One was when I inquired if the bore condition was clean and got this reply:
"Yes it does but it has been packed and in store, everything is clean and just as is in the pictures uploaded. We cannot repeatedly take the gun out and take pictures unless we have a buyer."
(no picture of the bore was uploaded…and the seller invites questions).

The pseudo seller sent an email immediately after stating I can use Zelle to make payment for Buy It Now which is only $50 more than the auction. Never had a seller offer Zelle when originally money orders were the preferred method of payment.

For grins I bid and was the sole bidder and won. After my inquiry requesting total from the “A+” rated seller (figured not EVERYONE is a con artist) for the grand total including shipping and fees (which alone were $88) I got a Zelle request for $1000 ONLY and a name and email totally different than the seller’s info provided on their GB profile.

Consequently after notifying GB of what’s explained above, I got an email today stating not to send payment due to most likely being a scam. GB doesn’t have a dedicated customer service phone number so when I saw the new listing for more $$$, I decided to post this here so moving forward - any trolls here will see this and take heed. That’ll force them into a new scam attempt.

 

[TrapperDude]

How the heck does someone get an A+ rating with 181 transactions with that kind of fraudulent activity? It kind of undermines the purpose of the seller ratings if that joker doesn't end up being dropped to an F.

 

[PathfinderNC]

How the heck does someone get an A+ rating with 181 transactions with that kind of fraudulent activity? It kind of undermines the purpose of the seller ratings if that joker doesn't end up being dropped to an F.

Hacked maybe? It's happened even here, after all...

 

[TrapperDude]

Hacked maybe? It's happened even here, after all...

Someone's profile got taken over? I suppose that could happen.

 

[gregdr01]

The seller has more than 25 active auctions on GB, and feedback which can only be described as "glowing." If I were in the market for any of the guns he's selling, I'd probably purchase without any more concern than I generally have buying from GB.

I would not, however, *ever* use Zelle for a purchase from anyone I don't know well... there is just no security/backup with Zelle -- once you've sent money, it is pretty much gone for good.

Was this a scam? Who knows, but like James did, if something doesn't feel/look/smell right, walk away (or run), and report the to "authorities."

YMMV

 

[William Lincoln]

I got scammed on PayPal and they have good security. GB is automated software.
With millions of transactions, they cannot stop all the frauds. You just have to take
double care.

 

[vintovka]

Are you saying someone OTHER than the seller contacted you for payment????????????

 

[jdw276]

Hacked maybe? It's happened even here, after all...

We got one going on now. Guy was selling a walker for $250. Member has over 1500 posts. Called me names after i said great price be careful. Not nice names either on here. Check out in firearms item is now titled sold. Big, bold and red.

 

[TrapperDude]

If you look at the two advertisements, one says only the name, with no rating or sales count. That one also says he takes Zelle. The other advertisement has a rating and says nothing about Zelle.

The different email address and ESL syntax in the response indicate that someone may have actually duplicated an existing profile name and snatched the photos to make a fake profile. Notice how J.E.B.Stuart is bold black in one profile, while the other is standard green, also. I'm just spitballing, but the standard green looks like the way an ad hoc or alias screen bame is displayed.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yes it was hacked, from appearances. The account has been shut down until Angie can figure out what's going on.

One thing that neither here nor Gunbroker can prevent is somebody having their PC compromised and the hacker then gaining information to represent themselves as somebody they are not. @TrapperDude asked for an additional photo... a negative response caused him to be cautious. Then he spotted the change in payment and the name change on the Zelle account, which were the indicators. That and the too-good-to-be-true price.

Scammers want the transaction to move fast, so the price tends to be too low

Scammers also want an electronic transaction, not a check or money order, again to be fast, so the by the time the buyer realizes the item has not arrived, the scammer has moved the money and is gone. Scammers will often keep the price low to avoid "felony theft" charges, but that means they have to hit several victims in a short amount of time to get enough money to make it worth their time..., many have opioid problems so the scammed cash goes fast.

Occasionally, you will find some that will risk the time delay. So they will accept a money order, and give you a geographic address, but what they've done is place a "mail forwarding" notice at that address. The person at that address knows nothing of this as they never see mail for John Doe Scammer. The payment is then sent to the badguy at a totally unrelated address, and he cashes it and doesn't care if he gets caught. If he has an opioid problem he just needs the money couldn't care less.

As of right now, personally I won't send money via Zelle....,

LD

 

[jdw276]

Loyalist,

So which moderator takes care of the reported posts? On the other attempt i got called some very nasty things, reported it and they are still there. It is now locked which to me means someone did something as a moderator. This is under the now noted "sold" listing in the description. I understand it takes time to figure out what do do on a thread but when it involves those words should not take but a minute.

 

[tom in nc]

I believe we take the risk of someone "taking over" our identity on here by using a password that's easy to guess. So be sure your password is a good one.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Loyalist,

So which moderator takes care of the reported posts? On the other attempt i got called some very nasty things, reported it and they are still there. It is now locked which to me means someone did something as a moderator. This is under the now noted "sold" listing in the description. I understand it takes time to figure out what do do on a thread but when it involves those words should not take but a minute.

Wow, so I banned him from the group...
Sorry I missed taking away his mean old words as well

LD

 

[jdw276]

Wow, so I banned him from the group...
Sorry I missed taking away his mean old words as well

LD

Your sarcasm is not lost on me. Be above it please as a moderator.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Your sarcasm is not lost on me. Be above it please as a moderator.

I shall try to do so.
Perhaps you could reciprocate and be less nit picky as a member? He was given the ultimate penalty, he was banned, for good, before you made the complaint.


LD