Yes, I was "burned". Before I go on, I should say that dealing FTF and locally is probably the safest way to go, but in looking at my firearms collection, I would say that 2/3 to 3/4, if not more, of my firearms were purchased online.
I offered to buy a M1911 online through Armslist. The seller had me send funds and I did use a USPS money order (it was $600 shipped). The money arrived and then I started getting excuses as to why he couldn't ship the pistol over several days. He did keep in email contact. After a week, a good internet friend (whom I had been keeping up to date about this) sent the guy an email (this was done as a "test") asking to buy the pistol. To nobodys' surprise the guy said to send the money and he would send the pistol. This was a week after he had received money from me! Obviously trolling for another victim.
The one mistake the "seller" made was giving his name and address. In addition to filing a USPS fraud report (I've gotten various opinions on how effective that is), I contacted the local police department where the seller lived. Got ahold of a very helpful officer who paid the "perp" a visit. He wasn't there, but his sister was. She said the guy bounced around a bit and, to her knowledge, did not possess a firearm. The policeman said he had six outstanding warrants but didn't say for what. He also told me that, while he would be more than glad to bring the guy in, I would have to testify locally, which would mean going back to Pennsylvania (I live in WA State), which would hardly make sense.
I do have another Internet friend who is a state policeman back east, and he's checking with some contacts in the area for me. At this point, I doubt I'll see my $600 and also doubt the pistol even existed.
As a friend said, every time you send off money to a person selling through the Internet, you take a chance. From what I have been told, Armslist seems to be the worst sales/auction site of the bunch and I'll be avoiding them in the future.
Last edited by Rick the Librarian; 12-02-2014 at 07:52.
"We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst."
--C.S. Lewis