G43 Scam

Hello,

Not sure if any of you use Florida Gun trader, but I stumbled upon a substantially underpriced G43 on Florida gun trader the other day. I noticed the listing was two weeks old and it still hadn't sold. I assumed he either had forgotten to taken the listing down or wasn't responding to messages. I messaged him something along the lines of "I am interested in your rifle here is my number". He texted me within a few hours saying it was still available and asked if I still wanted it. I was assuming it as a beater and MM gun that probably had a damaged receiver, but I want a shooter so I said yes I am still interested. He sent me bunch of pictures and I noticed it looked to be all matching which I thought was even weirder. I asked a couple of times inquiring about a shooters kit , how many rounds he had put through it and if the receiver had any damage. His response was "no man" "its fine man". Any ways I said I would take the rifle for his asking price. after asking my location he said he was located in key west even though Florida gun trader sorted the article in north Florida. He wanted to ship it, but I said I would be willing to make the drive to pick it up in person as I live in central Florida. He didn't respond so I sent him a text saying he could ship it if he sent it through an FFL. I gave him a copy of my FFL. He asked for payment and when I asked for a copy of his ID and a copy of a local gun shops FFL he went cold. In my opinion and that of a deputy I asked, he was just hoping I would send him $1300 and then not send the rifle to get someone else.

Give me your thoughts here is the link: https://floridaguntrader.com/index.php?a=2&b=888957

Run away, very fast!

All the signs, and more.. of a classic scam. I believe that pic is from a GB auction.

Im a member of that site, I do not see a scam.

first its legal to ship firearms to others "within" florida without a FFL, unless the law changed recently.

we still have private sales If I was the seller regardless of how the deal is done I would ask if you have a CWP ( CCW) & resident Drivers License. I would take a picture of both on my phone

my problem is the lack of close up pictures. and the stock has been cleaned . could be a scam

also I thought travel out or into the keys was still somewhat restricted, that maybe why he does not want to meet you, also its almost 4 hour drive from key west to Homestead.

I would ask for more in detail pictures, and serial number, if he does not then it may be a scam

OH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am against shooting these old girls, so many damaged rifles

sprat said:

Im a member of that site, I do not see a scam.

first its legal to ship firearms to others "within" florida without a FFL, unless the law changed recently.

we still have private sales If I was the seller regardless of how the deal is done I would ask if you have a CWP ( CCW) & resident Drivers License. I would take a picture of both on my phone

my problem is the lack of close up pictures. and the stock has been cleaned . could be a scam

also I thought travel out or into the keys was still somewhat restricted, that maybe why he does not want to meet you, also its almost 4 hour drive from key west to Homestead.

I would ask for more in detail pictures, and serial number, if he does not then it may be a scam

OH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am against shooting these old girls, so many damaged rifles

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I am as well that was the idea behind buying a non important rifle. I purchased a G43 from a vetts kids 5 years ago and have never shot it because I wont take the risk. The purpose of the FFL is to make sure I am not gonna send a check and not receive a rifle. I would think if he was not willing to send a picture of his ID he would not be willing to send a picture of his CCW if he even has one. I dont mind a big drive to avoid being ripped off. I was gonna make the drive in my daily driver a 1972 vw beetle. If he didnt want to meet me I would think he would be willing to go through an FFL especially since I didnt try to negotiate and would be paying for shipping, but hey you live in Florida message the dude and see for yourself.

Hibbs said:

I am as well that was the idea behind buying a non important rifle. I purchased a G43 from a vetts kids 5 years ago and have never shot it because I wont take the risk. The purpose of the FFL is to make sure I am not gonna send a check and not receive a rifle. I would think if he was not willing to send a picture of his ID he would not be willing to send a picture of his CCW if he even has one. I dont mind a big drive to avoid being ripped off. I was gonna make the drive in my daily driver a 1972 vw beetle. If he didnt want to meet me I would think he would be willing to go through an FFL especially since I didnt try to negotiate and would be paying for shipping, but hey you live in Florida message the dude and see for yourself.

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good to be cautious I understand. I drove 1 1/2 hrs each way , up to a well known shooting club two saturdays ago, to help this old lad reduce his small rifle & pistol primers stockpile. He did not show up on time, made me wait a full hour, I thought it was some con. I paid last years price on the primers. you just never know. I also insist on meeting in person, but a few times it did not happen that way and it worked out

If you press the target next to the sellers name in his profile it will tell you he isn't even in FL. The IP is showing Austin, Texas.

99% of the time if its too good to be true, well you know the rest. Gone are the days where people don't know the value of things. If someome can make a sale post on the internet they can Google previous sale prices too. Especially when its wildly off, that's half of what a gun like that starts at....

hibbs

so I took your advice and contacted him, he sent along about 12 pictures, scope mount is a repro, stock cleaned, numbers appear to match. I contacted him thinking it was a east german rebuild, but its not

IP in texas, ok it does put up a red flag, Im a resident of florida, but currently Im in NJ on business, working off that IP

I would pass due to the red flags

We have the same thing in VA. VAGuntrader.... I've had pretty good luck selling things in the past on there... and have gotten some great deals on stuff too... but there are definitely scammers on there.... I ran into a similar situation with a K43 too... turned out to be a scam also, but I did my homework and was okay...

I'd take a hard pass on this one, sounds like the usual scam they pull on these types of sites.

sprat said:

hibbs

so I took your advice and contacted him, he sent along about 12 pictures, scope mount is a repro, stock cleaned, numbers appear to match. I contacted him thinking it was a east german rebuild, but its not

IP in texas, ok it does put up a red flag, Im a resident of florida, but currently Im in NJ on business, working off that IP

I would pass due to the red flags

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Hahaha I am forced to take a pass as he doesnt have a rifle to sell to me... I would buy it in a heart beat if he actually had a rifle to sell.

Rarely is such sketchy shite real. There are all kinds of internets POS lifting pics from sites and auctions then listing such things on various internets sites, notorious being "Guns International" https://www.gunsinternational.com/ . They prey upon the general good will and honesty in our hobby upon those whose greed and emotion in getting a great deal on a nice firearm overload their common sense. Always search the person's name, connect it with the address, get a telephone number, etc., at a MINIMUM.

If the guy won't agree to a face-to-face in-state transaction, it's 100 percent guaranteed to be a scam. Keep pushing to meet in person and you will certainly be given all sorts of reasons why he can't meet you. Anyone who falls for it at this point only has himself to blame.

the purpose of my post were to indicate that not every transaction is a scam, although it is best to be prepared, wonder how many folks he has scammed

the best way and I have outlined this before, was started over at sturmgewehr years ago they even had a sticky to refer to.

I contacted the seller, he wanted to know where I lived in florida I did not answer that

I asked him for more pictures, which he did supply 12 photo's I believe

I asked him why his IP was in Texas?

I told him the stock had been refinished and cleaned, dropped the value

I told him this rifle was being discussed on one of the firearms websites

Never got a reply

The seller took down the listing!

We did it boys we defeated the scammer until next week when he creates a new profile and finds a new gun on gunbroker to take screenshots of...