[L-Frame]

I was wondering what the opinions are out there regarding sending money and FFL to a PO box when buying a gun from someone in one of the gun forums on the internet. Is it a bad idea? Thanks.

[Jason Demond]

I would not send a cent unless I had a verifiable address, preferably an FFL!

[Kenneth Lew]

If the person has an established independently verifible positive feedback and history, go ahead and pay with a postal money order. I receive all my mail via a P.O. Box.

Kenneth Lew

[Standing Wolf]

I'd want to talk with the person by telephone first.

[Kharn]

I'd send it to a PO Box only if that was listed as a mailing address on an FFL. No way would I send it to a private individual.

Kharn

[Steelharp]

My mailing address is a P.O. Box, and I've bought/sold with no problems at all... but I'm an honest guy. And, apparently, so is everyone on this forum that I've had dealings with. (The firearms are shipped through my local store's FFL, though.) I've also found a few deals on GunsAmerica (rare, I know!), and had no problems.

Mikey D...

[Preacherman]

I use a P O Box for all my mailing, and have bought and sold guns through it. The key is to send any funds via Post Office money order, and send the MO and FFL via reply-receipt certified mail. That way, whoever picks up the money has to sign for it, and can't get the cash without signing the back of the MO as well. This means that if there's anything fraudulent going on, you now have a felony misuse of the Federal mail system, which the Postal Police take very seriously indeed. (I've trained alongside them at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia, so I know something whereof I speak.)

Any seller who won't accept funds via USPS Money Order, or sign for their receipt, is to be avoided, IMHO - whether or not he/she uses a P O Box or a physical address is irrelevant.

[L-Frame]

Thanks for the input. Good Stuff.

[striker3]

I did business with only a PO box for years, and sent PO Money orders and FFLs to the same with never a problem.

If you really have a problem with it, ask for a physical address and send it FEDEX, that will also solve the problem.

[George Hill]

Nope. I wouldn't.

[threeseven]

All my mail is through PO box because I don't trust my actual mailbox to not be tampered with. Some of these replies irritate me. Why the PO box hate?

[L-Frame]

Hey threeseven,

Your reason for using a PO box is exactly the reason the seller gave me for using one. He also e-mailed his address and phone number when I inquired about his PO box.

[Vodka7]

The PO Box hate comes because it's relatively easy to get one using fradulent identification. You need two forms of ID (fake ID + sam's club or blockbuster card) which they keep on file for six months, but most LEO's will tell you there's not much they can do with just a picture of someone who's probably not even from that area.

If you have his home phone number and address, do a reverse lookup and make sure they match. Just remember that pre-paid cell phones can be bought with, again, nothing more than a fake ID and some cash. Also, make sure his home address is close to the PO Box he gave you. If his home is 25 miles from his PO Box, but there's a different post office within 5 miles of his house, something's up. Mapquest and usps.gov are helpful.

That said, the best way to protect yourself from auction fraud is to carefully check through his history. Looks for regularly spaced auctions of items close in price to what you're purchasing. Watch out for long periods of (a month or more) of inactivity. Generally it means the account was hacked and sold off.

A PO Box is a pretty big warning sign, right up there with only accepting Western Union for payment, since they're pretty much the same thing. Ways of accepting cash with nothing more than a fake ID.

[Steelharp]

Vodka7, just a personal example... my PO Box address is in Hendersonville, TN. I live in Gallatin, now. I lived in Hendersonville for almost 30 years, boy and man. I have had that PO Box for years, and don't want to go through the hassles of letting hundreds of people go through a change of address, even though it's about 17 miles away. I've been in Gallatin, with a Post Office three miles from my house for 8 years now... and I never go there.

While what you said is certainly sound advice, and worth taking note of... there are exceptions.

Mikey D...

[Nathanael_Greene]

I wouldn't have a problem with sending it, if the seller has some verifiable information--even a decent amount of positive feedback on Gunbroker or AuctionArms would satisfy me.

[aguyindallas]

I may try this:

Tell the guy that the money will be sent WITH the FFL (your FFL sends) paperwork for transfer. That way, the money goes to the FFL on his end, the FFL has EVERYTHING needed to send it your way (to your FFL).

Or.....try Pay-Pal!

[Evil_Ed]

Paypal is no guarantee of a smooth transaction as there are no real legal options for you in a worst case scenario. I second the recomendation for the postal money order (after doing some basic checking of the guys feedback, etc). By sending a postal money order it becomes a federal crime if he screws you on the deal. Pretty much a guaranteed investigation by LEO's if he takes the money and runs.