Selling on Armslist...what to watch out for?

Target

Target

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I have my MVP on Armslist and got an email from a guy in Florida that wants it.
Says he'll send a cashiers check and ship to his FFL.

I've heard to be cautious on Armslist, what can I do to protect myself?
 
GOYABEAN

GOYABEAN

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Nothing wrong with using it just like everything else buyer beware and if you sell follow states regulations on transfers personally I only sell locally using FFL ! Had numerous offers from out of state wanting to send money order bank draft checks for transactions o_O not my cup of tea face to face transaction only :D anything else is just a headache :violin:
 
Target

Target

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I asked him what makes my rifle so appealing
I know Mossberg no longet offers it in 20" barrel so if thats what you want....

Cashiers check, wait till it clears ( 10 days should cover it) , ship to a FFL which can be verified online.
If he has my name, address and cell # ....not sure how that can hurt me too bad.
 
Tinman

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Only use USPS money order. Federal offense for faking one of those. Have him send the money order. You can check online with the postal service if it is legit or not. DO NOT ship anything until you receive the money order and have it verified. I have sold one pistol on armslist to a guy in Alabama. I think he was more concerned about getting screwed than I was. Remember you have the power because you have the gun and the money order.
 
S&W Fan

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Tinman said:
Only use USPS money order. Federal offense for faking one of those. Have him send the money order. You can check online with the postal service if it is legit or not. DO NOT ship anything until you receive the money order and have it verified. I have sold one pistol on armslist to a guy in Alabama. I think he was more concerned about getting screwed than I was. Remember you have the power because you have the gun and the money order.
Click to expand...

This right here ^^^^^^
 
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tony

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There are security features built into the USPS money orders you can check yourself besides having it verified by the USPS.

Cashiers checks from a bank usually have security features as well. You can also call the issuing bank to check legitimacy.

However, I recently called a few banks to see if you could stop payment on a cashiers check. Some said yes as long as it has not cleared the issuing bank and some said no. So no definitive answer there. I would err on the side of caution and say yes, payment can be stopped. You could just hold the shipment 2 weeks or so until check cleared the other bank. I would want the buyer to agree to the delayed shipment before hand. I believe your bank could tell you when check cleared the other bank. If it bounced you'll have a returned check fee to deal with but at least you'll have the item for sale...
 
M

Mk44

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I've sold many guns on armslist. Most were FTF at the local FFL.
Like craigslist, you will have scammers.
I've recently had someone from out of State offer to buy my handgun on armslist. Went through the usually discussion about having to sending FFL to FFL. and the cost of shipping. All was agreed upon. Then he tells me he would be paying by certified check. I told him that I would only accept a USPS money order, BUT first I need him to have his FFL email a copy of their FFL license to my FFL. I never heard from the guy again.

I know your buyer is offering a cashier check (not a certified check.) But, I would feel more comfortable w/ USPS money order. just my $0.02
 
M

Modean

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Had one bad experience with a guy long distance , and now list anything as locals only, no shipping. And still a bunch of people disappear as soon as I ask if they have a preferred FFL to do the transfer with.
 
Glenn B

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Here are some of my terms when I sell on GunBroker (my actual auction terms are quite a bit longer but never a problem with legit buyers):

The high bidder must supply me with a completely legible photo copy of government issued photo ID sowing full name, current residence address and date of birth. High bidder must also supply me with completely legible copy of any state required documents as per your residence's state's laws. In addition the high bidder must supply me with full legible copy of C&R FFL (address on C&R must match that of photo ID) or a dealer's FFL to which the rifle will ship. I ship using only UPS. If you cannot receive a parcel from UPS at your address - do not bid. No shipping to AK, HI, APO or FPO, overseas or foreign. Shipping fee, flat rate $35.00 ground. I accept ONLY U.S. Postal Service (USPS) money orders as payment; I do not accept payment through GunBroker's Checkout system. Payment must be received within 10 calendar days (as opposed to business days) of end of auction. I strive to ship within 5 business days of money order clearing my bank or being cashed at post office. DO NOT SEND CASH or any form of payment other than a valid USPS money order.
Click to expand...

I also limit to which areas I will sell, no sales to CA, Chicago or NYC for instance. I am not a lawyer and I do not need the headache of interpreting overly restrictive laws and regulations. So, I simply choose to sell to folks who reside in areas with which I am fairly comfortable as to the gun laws there. I am not about to take a week or more to learn about what I can sell or not sell, as a private non-commercial seller, to someone in San Fransicko just to make a one time sale there. I am not restricting anyone's 2nd Amendment rights as the 2nd Amendment is a restriction on government not on private citizens and most definitely not on how private citizens make sales of their personal property. Also, I am exercising my right to dispose of my property as I see fit regardless of what you may do with your property. Some people on this site have expressed they do not like my restrictive terms and because of that, for a short while, I changed them to ease and even remove some of the restrictions. Then I went back to them after a troublesome potential buyer or three, in the places I had once restricted, made the transaction impossible. Anyway, that is their choice to moan and groan and melt like snowflakes over my terms, just as it is any potential bidders choice whether or not they want to agree to abide by my terms by making a bid. For those who don't abide, there is no sale. It is my sale, thus my terms. For those who have agreed to my terms, there is rarely a problem. Every now and again, I will let someone slide who has unwittingly violated my terms so long as no laws are broken.

One other thing, if I am uncertain over a serious concern about a firearms transaction that I cannot address by checking on the ATF website or on the state police website of the state to which I would be shipping, I contact either the ATF or the state police in the appropriate state to where the firearm would be shipped to check on the issue.
 
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