Author |
Message |
Oxblood
Site Supporter
Location: seattle Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 Posts: 182
|
Sold a glock 27 that I stopped carrying a while ago. I am not really in the business of selling guns, so to keep things simple, I stated in my ad that I only accept paypal.
Well, wouldn't you know it, the first message I get from the winning bidder is 'I don't use paypal, will you take a money order?'
I 'think' if I wait until I receive the money order and cash it to ship, I am not going to get scammed, but am I missing something?
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 10:45 am |
|
|
Sparky D
Site Supporter
Location: Bonney Lake Joined: Sun Oct 7, 2012 Posts: 2279
Real Name: David L.
|
Never use PayPal for firearm purchases or sales. It's against their TOU and could end up being disputed or denied.
Specify a USPS Postal Money Order. You can generally cash them at the post office and not involve banks that will hold funds for clearance.
_________________ If you're not a Sentinel of Liberty, you're a stepping stone to Tyrany... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.” - Jerry Garcia
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:06 am |
|
|
Oxblood
Site Supporter
Location: seattle Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 Posts: 182
|
thanks, Sparky.
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:07 am |
|
|
zombie66
Site Supporter
Location: Spanaway WA Joined: Wed Jul 6, 2011 Posts: 6301
Real Name: Hugo Stiglitz
|
Sparky D wrote: Never use PayPal for firearm purchases or sales. It's against their TOU and could end up being disputed or denied.
Specify a USPS Postal Money Order. You can generally cash them at the post office and not involve banks that will hold funds for clearance. This x100. The USPS also doesnt charge you any fee to cash the MO.
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:08 am |
|
|
Fishinpnw
Location: Tri Cities Joined: Tue Jan 8, 2019 Posts: 705
|
Sounds fine to me. As long as the bank says your money is in the account, you should be good to do. I also think that anyone not willing to adhere to your payment type request is going to have to take the risk and trust that you will ship the gun once you have verified the funds.
Also, be aware of Paypal scammers. They will ask for the email address for you paypal account to send you the money. Then they doctor a "you've been paid" notification and email it to you hoping you will see it and assume the money is there and send them the item. Be sure to check you actual accounts for the funds.
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:12 am |
|
|
NWRed
Site Supporter
Location: Puyallup for now Joined: Tue May 24, 2011 Posts: 2095
|
Cash a postal MO at the PO or at least use their "verify tool" to check the MO before depositing it in your bank. It isn't perfect but if the amount is wrong it will say invalid. If the serial number is wrong , it just says it hasn't been cashed........
As far as gun broker buyers not the reading the terms that's seems to be pretty standard especially with low or no feedback buyers.
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:22 am |
|
|
ViniVidivici
Location: Puyallup Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2018 Posts: 3027
|
I've used paypal to buy a ton of gun parts over the years, 'cause fuck them.
That said, for this I'd go USPS MO, don't send shit till you've cashed it.
_________________ I'm a Morlock, in a land of Eloi...
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:34 am |
|
|
Q151R
Location: Olympia Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2020 Posts: 29
|
some post offices do not have enough cash on hand to cash large money orders. they are very hard to counterfet and a post office will authentic one even if they are unable to cash it. most banks will cash a post office money order without holding because they are very hard to counterfet.
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 12:01 pm |
|
|
delliottg
Site Supporter
Location: Duvall Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 Posts: 4599
Real Name: David
|
Make sure it's a USPS money order and nothing else. It's possible to cash / deposit a completely bogus money order, have the funds go into your account, and a short while later the MO bounces on the bank, who then come looking to you for their funds.
USPS and nothing else.
_________________David Unique Treen
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 12:06 pm |
|
|
A Null
Site Supporter
Location: Federal Way Joined: Fri Aug 9, 2013 Posts: 913
|
I've purchased several firearms on gunbroker. Most of them I used USPS money orders.
Require USPS money order only goto post office, cash money order when you receive it. then send product.
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 12:52 pm |
|
|
A.O.
Site Supporter
Location: Tacoma :( Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2011 Posts: 2403
|
My bank used to do a week hold on funds deposited by check. Even payroll. So I got into the habit of asking the teller to cash it instead, and then I'd do a cash deposit. If it was a personal check, I'd take it to the actual bank it was drawn from to cash.
But I second what everyone else has stated.
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 12:54 pm |
|
|
catfishmoon
Location: Seattle Washington USA Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2020 Posts: 126
|
I am comfortable sending or receiving a money order from the postal service or Western Union, I am not sure why so many people seem to specify accepting only a money order from the post office. I think it relates to not wanting a "paper-trail" related to firearms. I would specify to the buyer that I am not shipping the item until I have exchanged the money order into cash... The individual in this type of transaction who is at risk of being scammed is the person sending the money order. They are trusting a stranger on the internet to mail the item to them after having sent their payment and basically have little recourse if you do not send the gun to them. Yes they can file a complaint with the post office, see how long that takes to get their money back... If I was the buyer I would want to use PayPal for security reasons (I know their policy prohibits firearms) and would only use a money order for a small amount of money that I understood I was at risk of losing.
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 1:35 pm |
|
|
dimwit13
Site Supporter
Location: Western Wa. Joined: Sat Jul 5, 2014 Posts: 485
|
ViniVidivici wrote: I've used paypal to buy a ton of gun parts over the years, 'cause fuck them.
I bought a lot of ammo from Academy using PayPal and gun part from Ebay, when they had gun parts. Now Academy won't do it....I don't use Paypal much anymore. -dimwit-
_________________ So much to do and So little help...
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 1:48 pm |
|
|
Selador
Site Supporter
Location: Index Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 Posts: 12963
Real Name: Jeff
|
I agree with the majority here.
Get a USPS money order.
Cash it at the PO and have cash in hand before you send the gun.
Don't cash it at your bank. Don't deposit it to your bank.
If it somehow turns out to be a scam, your bank will take the money from your account as easily as they put it in. It has happened to me before.
If you use the USPS MO, and get cash from the PO, who is going to be able to take the money out of your bank if they discover a fraud?
_________________ -Jeff
How can I help you, and/or make you smile, today?
You are entitled to your opinion. You are not entitled to tell me what mine must be.
Do justice. Love mercy.
“I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” ~ Richard P. Feynman
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 3:16 pm |
|
|
leadcounsel
Site Supporter
Location: Can't say Joined: Sun Sep 7, 2014 Posts: 8134
|
Scam warning bells.
Take extra precautions as mentioned herein. Lots of sophisticated scams. Either enforce the terms or cancel the deal or if you take a check get a PO Money Order and cash it at the PO. Do NOT deposit in your bank.
_________________ I defend the 2A. US Army Combat Veteran and Paratrooper: OIF Veteran. BSM and MSM recipient. NRA Lifetime. Entertainment purposes only. I'm a lawyer, but have not offered you legal advice.
|
Fri Oct 09, 2020 5:22 pm |
|
|
|