Scams and Scam Sites - Please list here

Payment methods tell the story

At least they were not asking for payment in gold or silver bullion…

Stay safe.

It was easier to spot a fake when people asked to send money to a P.O. Box.

Bitcoin? I only buy from questionable websites using Dogecoin. If it looks like a scam, smells like a scam, and quacks like a scam, it probably is.

Happened to me on another forum:
It’s my own fault. I got super excited that someone actually had the bullets I was looking for. So, I sent payment not even thinking it through.
10’s of thousands of dollars and hundreds of flawless transactions and it finally happened. It was time to pay the piper I guess.

User: Dan78
Venmo: Chris_trask_6
Number: (802) 546-1963

This is just a PSA. Nothing more.

How is it your fault? Were there telltale signs that you ignored? What forum was it on?

Bummer, I always worry about the same thing, haven't been stung yet but am still leery about doing it at all. I at least need to talk to the person on the phone before i send money, but that's not a guaranty either. I bought a bunch or reloading bullets from a private seller a couple months ago and paid thru venmo. It went ok but i was worried..

Came close today, myself.

Optics and Ammo listed a Walther CCP magazine I wanted to buy a few of.

A minor issue with filing out the order form, however, had me doing a little more research. (The order form didn't have the usual credit card info blocks I expected.)

I did a little google-fu and found a few forums on the site and the postings of problems there screamed SCAM!

Best I can say is dispute with the credit card company if you used a card and take a closer look to see what you can take away from this to benefit you in the future.

RetiredUSNChief said:

Came close today, myself.

Optics and Ammo listed a Walther CCP magazine I wanted to buy a few of.

A minor issue with filing out the order form, however, had me doing a little more research. (The order form didn't have the usual credit card info blocks I expected.)

I did a little google-fu and found a few forums on the site and the postings of problems there screamed SCAM!

Best I can say is dispute with the credit card company if you used a card and take a closer look to see what you can take away from this to benefit you in the future.

Click to expand...

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/optics-and-ammo-llc-warning.868278/

The owner is in jail right now.

Any online 'business' that only accepts Venmo or similar 'instant' and non-contestable payment methods is a scam-period, full stop.

If you've set up an online store and won't accept standard credit cards, you're not legit.

Larry

dranrab said:

How is it your fault? Were there telltale signs that you ignored? What forum was it on?

Click to expand...

I ignored my gut.
Texas forum.

Scummers are everywhere, scam of the Earth.

dranrab said:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/optics-and-ammo-llc-warning.868278/

The owner is in jail right now.

Click to expand...

HAHAHA!

Thanks! But his website is still up, which means it's capable of suckering people out of their money even if it doesn't accept credit cards!

Sorry to hear this. They're everywhere.

Everyone of us at some point has been taken advantage of. I look back at the first new car I bought on on my own or the first new motorcycle. Salesmen saw me coming a mile away. With firearms, many times the excitement of the moment has made me pull my monies out without opening my eyes and/or taking a few moments to think clearly. Hopefully the damage wasn't major.

buck460XVR said:

Everyone of us at some point has been taken advantage of. I look back at the first new car I bought on on my own or the first new motorcycle. Salesmen saw me coming a mile away. With firearms, many times the excitement of the moment has made me pull my monies out without opening my eyes and/or taking a few moments to think clearly. Hopefully the damage wasn't major.

Click to expand...

Definitely not life changing money, no.

Many have been there. Sorry for your loss, hope it wasn't too great.

This is why God made gun shows! Pick it up; feel it; look the seller in the eye; haggle with him and pay the agreed upon, "fair" price in cash. Then keep on moving down the aisle, looking and sniffing for new opportunities; something the internet will never compare to.

As other members have pointed out, if an online retailer only accepts Zelle, BTC, Venmo, etc. it is a scam. Anyone who gets taken by that in this day and age is playing the sucker in that story.

If any site accepts gift cards that aren't theirs, at all, it's not only a scam, it's the low-effort scam that preys on the same people as the seventeen million fleeing Nigerian princes.
A business has exactly zero use for unrelated gift cards.

If an online business does not accept debit or credit cards, it's a scam.
A business has exactly zero reasons to turn away legitimate, government-backed currency.

This one accepts the ones it does because they're untraceable or harder to track, almost unprovable, and have absolutely no way to rescind the payment once it's stolen sent.

Been there.

The least harmful hosing I got was, bought 2k of "115 gr 9mm" projos. Turned out it was 1800 100gr .380 projos.

run run away

If you have to ask, it is.

Yup, when you have a site that is close, but not quite the same as a known website, run.
Midwayweapons.com
Marlinfirearmstore.com
Onlineammostore.com
Firemanvally.com
Hodgdon.org
There's a mess of them out there these days. I'd say its a shame that no one can really start a firearms related website these days without being suspected of being a scam, but the red flags on scam sites are pretty glaring.
1. Payment methods, if they don't take Visa, stop.
2. Prices are too good to be true, they probably are
3. They have primers in stock....probably a scam, they have the primers you need...definitely a scam