too good to be true?

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Axis II

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Say you ask about a product and all of a sudden you get a PM saying I have what your asking about and I don't like it so if you want ill send it to you and if you like it send me $75-80-item cost is much more than this and if you don't like the item send it back to me and no worries.

One member here sent me bullet samples and it was much appreciated and offered to send $ but was told it was not needed. All went well with that but he was a well know member.

How do you guys feel about the first paragraph?
 
If it sounds to good to be true I would definitely be cautious. I have a hard time sending someone money, sight unseen. I believe most people on this forum are trustworthy, however, you just never know. If your gut is telling you this is odd or something is out the ordinary, then I would reply thank you, but no thank you. Not rude, just a very polite no thanks.
 
ohihunter2014 said:
Say you ask about a product and all of a sudden you get a PM saying I have what your asking about and I don't like it so if you want ill send it to you and if you like it send me $75-80-item cost is much more than this and if you don't like the item send it back to me and no worries.
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Per your description, it appears to me that.the only possible down-side for you would be the cost of return shipping (plus insurance).

EDIT: About 15 years ago there was a fellow who lived out west who I had gotten to know thru a gun forum. We had engaged in enough Threads together to get a sense of each other so that when he mentioned that he would like to build a couple of FALs I didn't have to think twice about packing up my tools and sending them to him.

After he built a couple, he shipped them back to me.

He got into building AKs before I did but noticed that my interest was increasing in the subject. One day a heavy box arrived from Nevada. Tools. :)

I returned them after building my first and finding that I was going to be building more and, so, tooled-up.

I have found such things to be a norm in a group such as ours. A very nice mob to be a part of. :)
 
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Like the IRS tells everyone each tax filing season, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."
 
Too good to be true is generally a good rule, but there are still good honest people out there. The offer that was given to you should be the way things are if all people acted in good faith(and I feel the person offering is at much more risk than you). I think I would graciously take the offer and either pay the amount (maybe plus a little bonus something) or return it if it is not what I needed and be thankful.

edit: I know if I could help a fellow gunner out and not be out extensively I would gladly do so
 
I have made those kind of offers and have received them also. I have even sent offers as, Send me your address and I'll ship you the item for free.
If your not a trusting type of guy go have a look at the members profile. If they have little to no info on their profile maybe that will be a clue. If they list the area they live in, check their IP address and see if it matches the area.
Last, have a little trust in your fellow man, but also know how to find someone in case you have to hunt them down.;)
 
It would depend on how long that person has been a member and how many posts he has as well as how often he does post. All that can be found under his profile. You can also see posts hes made and threads he has started. You can get a feel for his general character there.

Offers to help do occur often. I've also been on both sides. A little research should tell you all you need to know before you do anything,
 
I guess I really have nothing to lose and I was a little worried about giving my address so I'll get a po box for a month. When he said I'll ship it to you and if you use and like it send me money it kinda threw a red flag but I guess he would be the one to lose not me. it just struck me odd as who will send me something of value and say try it out and trust me to either send it back or send money. I know I sure wouldn't be that trusting.
 
PO box is a good idea. I'm not seeing the downside to this one. Maybe he'll read this thread and change his mind...
 
For some years now I've had a small business (one employee, me ....) and do hand-crafted items for anglers fishing my world (inshore flats/backcountry fishing out of small skiffs mostly in or near the tropics) when I'm not working on the water as a guide. Only once or twice have I ever had a problem with a customer (and I routinely ship stuff I've made to first time customers that I've never met - and tell them to send me a check when they get the goods...). I've never been stiffed yet - and I know if anyone ever sent me a bad check it would be almost impossible to do much of anything about it as a practical matter...

Maybe on the sporting side of things, firearms or fishing, we've got a pretty good community... at least that's the way it looks to me.
 
lemaymiami said:
For some years now I've had a small business (one employee, me ....) and do hand-crafted items for anglers fishing my world (inshore flats/backcountry fishing out of small skiffs mostly in or near the tropics) when I'm not working on the water as a guide. Only once or twice have I ever had a problem with a customer (and I routinely ship stuff I've made to first time customers that I've never met - and tell them to send me a check when they get the goods...). I've never been stiffed yet - and I know if anyone ever sent me a bad check it would be almost impossible to do much of anything about it as a practical matter...

Maybe on the sporting side of things, firearms or fishing, we've got a pretty good community... at least that's the way it looks to me.
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I told him I would get back with him and if I decided to keep it I would send him a money order as I don't do checks.
 
Not enough details. I've sent PM's to people in the past offering to sell them unwanted items at a significant discount. I've even given items to someone else in the past. At my age I've accumulated a lot of "stuff" that I no longer need or will never use.

It isn't that there is anything wrong with any of it. but over the years I've found other items I like better, or just plain decided that item was something I just didn't want to use anymore. I'd rather give it to someone just starting out who will actually use it. Or at least get something out of it.
 
I did this for a board member. He was rebuilding a Carcano and was posting about it. So I PM'ed him that I had one in rough shape I would send to him for $50 if he wanted it.

He did, and after getting it sent me more than I asked for.

That's why I keep coming back here, it isn't the first story I have like that.
 
Not saying the OP should trust anyone who makes such an offer, but I bought a holster from a forum guy who offered to do the same thing. I paid him up front, anyway. The holster was very nice. He even sent along an additional less expensive holster at no charge, so I sent him a little extra.

But that was on the Taurus forum, and I've never run into any bad apples over there. Use your judgement, but I wouldn't categorically reject such an offer.
 
We often forget some folks get more value in helping others. Some of us enjoy that more than the consequences of losing the monetary value of the items sent. I have been on both sides of this kind of transaction and felt good about both.
 
rskent said:
Sounds like someone trying to do you a favor. What am I missing?
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I guess my spidy sense kicked in when he said ill send it free and pay me if you want to keep it. Ive given things away like old scopes, harnesses, etc that are laying around but they don't have much value and were used. I have a few friends that say no way its a scam but I guess I'm not seeing how someone sending me something to try and if I like send money is a scam.
 
I am not suspicious or surprised at all of a such a offer.

Maybe it is just because I am a rube or maybe to trusting but I believe most people are good and honest and gun owners are even more so. The fake news of TV creates mistrust and divides the viewers for the sake of the dollar and political power.

For the d-I-y types we often have a gunsmith job that calls for use of a special tool. For just one job buying the tool is expensive and will just take up space on the work bench. I have had fellow forum members loan me a tool and I have likewise done the same. Maybe someday I will not get the tool back but I am not going to let that risk prevent me from helping another gun owner having to buy a expensive tool for one-time use.
 
I wouldn't worry too much about it. It sounds like they guy making the offer is trusting, so..... You don't have much to lose here.

The world is full of dirtbags, but I still trust by default.

Not in the gun world, but I needed some setup bearings to build a differential; I asked on a related site, and a semi-local and trusting gentleman had some, and let me use them for free, so long as I brought them back. And so I did!
The world needs more of that
 
We trust people on the internet everyday. We buy brass, gun parts, reloading accessories, car parts, and on and on and on. Most of the time we send cash and trust the person on the other end to send the merchandise and complete the transaction. But in this case you get to test drive it first? The person on the other end is taking all the risk. And why waste money on a PO box? Worried about a stalker?
 
I had a SS Kel Tec carbine in .40 that I didn't care for. A member was asking about them and I sold mine to them at a very good price. It happens.

I still have my 9MM Kel Tec carbine. Gonna keep it. :)
 
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