Gun show hypothetical.

[22-rimfire]

Be aware there is risk in accepting peoples' word that they are "good for it". People owe me thousands right now and I will never see a dime. The credit/debit car approach takes a lot of risk out of it for you even if you don't charge an extra fee. As with most things in life, it's negotiable.

 

[sig228]

If HE's local (works at local college) and YOU'RE local, why not agree that if it doesn't sell for CASH at the show, he can contact you later and make the transaction with CASH?

You're not losing out on the chance of a sale at the show (for cash) and he's not trusting you with some of his cash, until he can get it all together and get the gun. Of course, there's always the chance that you'll sell it at the show and he won't get it. But, if that's an issue, he can go get the greenbacks or, give you a little something to secure the deal. Not necessarily $500.

This ^^^ was the best answer by far.

 

[akodo]

Serious buyers going to gun shows should know enough to take adequate cash with them.

No, I wouldn't take a check for $1,000. But I would accept the $500 cash as a deposit (to hold the gun). The guy could go to a nearby bank or ATM and get the rest of the cash, and come back to the show, or else I could arrange to meet him somewhere else after the show (possibly the following week). (He would then have to trust me instead of me trusting him.)

If he was offering $1,000 in cash and a check for $500, instead of the other way around, I might consider it.

He is a faculty member at a local college. I'd tell him for $100 now I'll take the gun off the table until tomorrow, and then he can go to his bank and get cash and pay $1400.

Also, did he dicker over price? I'd be more suspicious of someone who just offered the listed value vs someone who tried to talk me down a bit.

However, let's say the person is from out-of-town. Then I'd do the photo of the DL and FFL and accept the check.

I suppose personal finances at the time may play a part as well. If I was selling the $1500 gun to make my morgage payment and the $1000 loss (even if temporary) would roll over into a bigger loss, then I'd pass. With the DL, check for $1000, and 'faked' FFL I feel confident the police would get this guy and I'd have at least a better than average chance of getting my gun back...eventually.

 

[JohnKSa]

People just aren't going to go about forging documents to make such a small score.

Why would you assume that it's only being done for a single score? What's stopping the guy from hitting every other table in the show with the same scam? It wouldn't be hard to clear five figures at a big gun show with several transactions like the one described.

With the DL, check for $1000, and 'faked' FFL

Why would anyone fake the FFL and then give you a valid DL? It would all be fake if any of it were fake.

 

[Ryanxia]

Take a non-refundable deposit and hold the gun for a few business days if you really want the sale, otherwise tell him if it's not sold he can come back any time with cash and purchase it. That's my opinion, to be on the safe side.

 

[JohnBT]

I've never had any trouble writing a personal check at a gun show. The last one was for a Sig X-5. I know I'd have a lot more money now if I'd been turned down a few times in the past 20 or 30 years.

And yes, I usually had a thousand or two on me. By writing a check for the gun, I still had my cash and could keep shopping.

SunTrust ATMs here limit you to $500/day. If they'd load them with $50s instead of $20s they'd hold more.

 

[Mike Sr.]

-----------------------

Fed law allows and individual to ship a long gun to a resident of his or her state. Plus, the documentation you have from the "buyer" can also be validated: call the DMV! Call the bank if it's before closing time. Once the check clears ship it insured, signature confirmation. If I sell my stuff at a gun show via renting a table: I print up and post: NO CHECKS CASH ONLY! One exception: if some one I KNOW is there and happens to know the 'buyers' and can vouch for the buyer I will accept that check..... ***I have not suggested turning over the 'good's until the check clears...I know the probability of a bank or DMV being opened over the w/end.......***

 

[SaxonPig]

Again, you want to be suspicious of the buyer trying to pay by check without considering that maybe the buyer is suspicious of a seller who wants payment up front and "promises" to ship the gun at some other time.

I say again that the overwhelming majority opinion seems to be against taking a check from anyone. I can't say that I blame people for being wary 9often bordering on paranoia), but is there nothing a buyer could offer as evidence of being an upstanding individual? If one has a CCP and an FFL you know he has no criminal convictions. He given proof of employment and local residency and despite what many think about lawyers, they do tend to not be married to people who routinely pass bad checks. The Bar Assc. frowns on that sort of thing.

It is what it is...

 

[newfalguy101]

In my mind it depends,

As a dealer I would, I have the guys info on a 4473, AND the best collection agency in the country at my disposal..............writing a hot check for a firearm is a felony and ATF takes a very dim view on people committing fraud ( writing a hot check ) to aquire a firearm.

As an individual, I am not so sure, I am really pretty limited as to resources to recover a bad check.

 

[medalguy]

I have two bad checks from lawyers I'll sell you for 10 cents on the dollar.

If you go to a gun show, take cash. Cash talks, BS walks. That's my motto. Most gun shows are Saturday and Sunday and banks and DMV are closed.

I started using Square last year and it works just fine. No fee to set up, no contact, no minimum, and you can accept any major credit card for a flat fee. I've used it a number of times and never had a problem at all. Too bad I can't say that for PayPal.

 

[Warp]

Plus, the documentation you have from the "buyer" can also be validated: call the DMV! Call the bank if it's before closing time.

In my experience gun shows are usually a Sat/Sun affair. Good luck calling both the DMV and the bank and getting responses on the spot.

 

[browningguy]

I know very few people walking around a gun show, or anywhere else that matter with $1500 in cash. Even if I decide to take cash it's usually only $4-500, and I have to go to the bank the day before to get that. And most of my friends, who all make as much money as me, very rarely carry cash. I paid more in federal income tax last year than the average annual household income in the US, and my time is worth more to me than any "thing" I can think of. Whether it's an individual or a company, if you make it difficult for me to give you money then I won't. If you don't feel that you can take my check or debit card then you won't get much from me at all, because most of the time I am walking around with less than $50 in my wallet. I am certainly not going to waste hours of my time just to meet someone after a gunshow with cash, ok, maybe if they were coming to my office I would. And on weekends it's a rare thing for me not to be wearing cargo shorts and a tee short, because the untucked tee shirt conceals really well.

Last week I ordered a new pair of prescription shooting glasses from a local place. Went out of my way to buy locally, went down to get fitted, paid them their $500 (outrageous but they are a locally owned store). They called three days later and said sorry but the frames won't accept lenses with your presciption can you come down and pick out new frames. No I can't, I had them refund to my debit card and ordered a set from another shop, simply because they cost me time.

That's just how some of us view the world.

 

[Warp]

I know very few people walking around a gun show, or anywhere else that matter with $1500 in cash. Even if I decide to take cash it's usually only $4-500, and I have to go to the bank the day before to get that. And most of my friends, who all make as much money as me, very rarely carry cash. I paid more in federal income tax last year than the average annual household income in the US, and my time is worth more to me than any "thing" I can think of. Whether it's an individual or a company, if you make it difficult for me to give you money then I won't. If you don't feel that you can take my check or debit card then you won't get much from me at all, because most of the time I am walking around with less than $50 in my wallet. I am certainly not going to waste hours of my time just to meet someone after a gunshow with cash, ok, maybe if they were coming to my office I would. And on weekends it's a rare thing for me not to be wearing cargo shorts and a tee short, because the untucked tee shirt conceals really well.

Last week I ordered a new pair of prescription shooting glasses from a local place. Went out of my way to buy locally, went down to get fitted, paid them their $500 (outrageous but they are a locally owned store). They called three days later and said sorry but the frames won't accept lenses with your presciption can you come down and pick out new frames. No I can't, I had them refund to my debit card and ordered a set from another shop, simply because they cost me time.

That's just how some of us view the world.

Without going to pick them out?

 

[mag1911]

I don't take personal checks at gunshows. Doesn't have anything to do with whether I think the check is good or not. I'm usually selling what I have to buy something else and the guy I'm buying from is not going to take a two party check.

 

[CTPistol]

Rich?.......I'm not rich either but I have access to $1000 if I want to buy a gun.

This has nothing to do with trust or today's society. Back in the "good old days" people didn't give strangers $1000 or a $1500 gun just on their word either.

What's the point? Be responsible yourself, have money if you want something. Why play games over $1500?

 

[Mike Sr.]

Warp.....do not construe my suggestion to be so narrowly defined! Depending on the timing of the Seller-buyer meeting it is possible to call a bank before a closing time on a week end; the branch office's for BANK OF THE WEST at certain locations are open as late as 5pm on Saturdays....and those locations will most certainly have access to account information....................they will not provide you with account balance but the will tell if check 12345678 will clear for $10.00 or $10,000!




And then what, if the bank validates the account and that there are funds to cover the check!!!! Should a Seller then wait to call DMV on a weekday???
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And one other aspect about a CHECK...not mentioned and maybe not considered in this discussion: a CHECK NUMBER!

A CHECK NUMBER DOES NOT NECESSARILY MAKE IT SO but if I am offered a check for $200 and from a checkbook, with a number of 0025 I have a number of reservations and red flag issues; on the other hand if I am offered a check, from a check book which is numbered 3287, like checks are sequentionaly numbered from my c-account then there is a little more comfort going thru the proper sequence of verifying funds!

 

[barstoolguru]

here in Texas if you take a check w/o a DL and DOB it is hard to get a conviction if it’s bad but if you get those two things and write them on the check at the time of acceptance and the CK is no good. You go to the da office and pay $5.00 and file a hot CK charge and they will put a warrant out for their arrest. Another thing you can do is call the bank and see it the account is active and is there enough funds to cover the check

 

[beatledog7]

Anybody can pass a bad check.

If the buyer wants my gun badly enough to meet my price, he will find a way to satisfy my need to be secure in the transaction.

Let's say the buyer has $500 cash and is carrying a sidearm I consider to be worth $1000. Would he be willing to exchange address/contact info and let me hold that pistol until his check clears? If not, then why should I be willing to take his check?

 

[Owen Sparks]

The details of this hypothetical story sound really specific. Is this something that actually happened to you?

If I were the dealer I would agree to hold the gun while he went to the ATM. Now days you no longer have to wait for the bank to open on Monday to get cash. ATM's are everywhere.

 

[Birch Knoll]

Although a typical ATM cash withdrawal limit is well below $1000.

 

[TennJed]

Although a typical ATM cash withdrawal limit is well below $1000.

That is per transaction. If you are willing to pay the $2 (or there about) fee you can do separate transactions at the same ATM to get your $1000


If the potential buyer had an ATM card and their bank has a live customer service rep available on the phone at that time, then 99% should be able to get the cash

 

[TennJed]

Double post sorry

 

[Tinpig]

I'd take a check from Saxon Pig any day.
You can always trust a Pig.

Tin Pig

 

[Owen Sparks]

The dealer could have testes the veracity of the buyer by saying that he would keep a major part of the firearm such as the bolt carrier group/ upper half/ cylinder or whatever until the check cleared and then ship it to the buyer. If the buyer agreed to that condition he is probably legitimate and I would go ahead and take the check and then let him take the entire firearm. Someone dishonest with intent would not take that deal.
Trust goes both ways.

 

[sigep749]

I stopped taking checks, period, when my NEIGHBOR across the stree bounced one at a garage sale for $15. Ended up costing me $45. They would never answer the door. Lived across the street for years, probably a simple mistake, but never again.