Friends,
I want to take a moment and share something concerning with you. There is a new scum that has been seeping into our competition shooting sports and outdoor hunting world. They start by filling out a few ATF Forms and begin scamming upstanding gun owners under an FFL Gun Store. I have been noticing it personally and after reading some posts regarding FFL transfer fees, background checks, price fixing, and even tax ID fraud I feel we are seeing a real downward trend!
This is happening in almost every city and the gun owners (us) usually try to look the other way and in some way try to justify it that an FFL transfer should cost $50,$75,or even $100+ because of (insert 'whatever' justification). FFL transfers require 3 sheets of paper and a phone call. I will let you in on a little something, if "all" your dealers are charging the same high amount, they are most likely price fixing and I implore all THR members to not support this activity and spend a little time looking for those that don't and support them. Even if the price fixing store is a (insert justification) it’s not right to support it by buying from them. Price gouging and scamming needs to stop in the firearms world. Here are a few topics of example:
Some THR members are reporting FFL dealers try to charge a % of the sale of the firearm you bought and are trying to transfer. I have seen this myself and made it a point to tell them neither I nor anyone else I know will buy from them. This % charging is a scam. Again, its 3 sheets of paper and a phone call, you already paid for the firearm, they have nothing to do with it past government regulation of a background check.
Some THR members are reporting FFL dealers trying to charge you tax on the firearm. This is a scam. The tax license they have (or may not have) is for State sales on goods sold by their store as reported to the IRS. This is actually a felony on the dealer to be scamming gun owners in such a way. I for one feel that if you ever experience this you MUST contact your Secretary of State to report them (and notify the THR/gun community).
Finally, I have seen gun stores selling THEIR OWN firearms in states like Colorado (Specialty Sports is one), Tennessee (The Gun Shop is another) and then charge for a background check on top of the purchase you made with them! Once again this is price gouging. And again, should not be supported as it is a phone call and three sheets of paper, one of which you fill out yourself!
Please DO support those FFL dealers that are upstanding and ditch the ones that are not. DO NOT over pay for an FFL transfer (many charge the standard courtesy $10-$15 for the service) for those dealers that are scamming tell them why you are no longer supporting them (i.e. price gouging, fixing, etc). I understand in some states that taxes, fees, and other charges apply so it is important to know your local laws. But those FFL's that are robbing the gun community while we, the loyal firearm owners justifying it, needs to end.
If you know of a shop that is scamming customers please feel free to post it here (phone number can be helpful too). Its time we let these guys know what they are doing is in some cases illegal and that we as the majority of the upstanding gun community will not put up with it.
If you need to find an FFL dealer in your area you can easily do a search on the links below. Be sure to ask #1 how much they charge and #2 when they are available.
I again implore you to spend the time to search out and support those who are moral dealers. I hope other THR members share in this.
Links to registered FFL dealers;
http://www.auctionarms.com/help/fflnetwork.cfm
http://www.gunbroker.com/User/DealerNetwork.asp
http://listings.shotgunnews.com/fflguide/http://www.sellguns.com/ffl/map.asp
I want to take a moment and share something concerning with you. There is a new scum that has been seeping into our competition shooting sports and outdoor hunting world. They start by filling out a few ATF Forms and begin scamming upstanding gun owners under an FFL Gun Store. I have been noticing it personally and after reading some posts regarding FFL transfer fees, background checks, price fixing, and even tax ID fraud I feel we are seeing a real downward trend!
This is happening in almost every city and the gun owners (us) usually try to look the other way and in some way try to justify it that an FFL transfer should cost $50,$75,or even $100+ because of (insert 'whatever' justification). FFL transfers require 3 sheets of paper and a phone call. I will let you in on a little something, if "all" your dealers are charging the same high amount, they are most likely price fixing and I implore all THR members to not support this activity and spend a little time looking for those that don't and support them. Even if the price fixing store is a (insert justification) it’s not right to support it by buying from them. Price gouging and scamming needs to stop in the firearms world. Here are a few topics of example:
Some THR members are reporting FFL dealers try to charge a % of the sale of the firearm you bought and are trying to transfer. I have seen this myself and made it a point to tell them neither I nor anyone else I know will buy from them. This % charging is a scam. Again, its 3 sheets of paper and a phone call, you already paid for the firearm, they have nothing to do with it past government regulation of a background check.
Some THR members are reporting FFL dealers trying to charge you tax on the firearm. This is a scam. The tax license they have (or may not have) is for State sales on goods sold by their store as reported to the IRS. This is actually a felony on the dealer to be scamming gun owners in such a way. I for one feel that if you ever experience this you MUST contact your Secretary of State to report them (and notify the THR/gun community).
Finally, I have seen gun stores selling THEIR OWN firearms in states like Colorado (Specialty Sports is one), Tennessee (The Gun Shop is another) and then charge for a background check on top of the purchase you made with them! Once again this is price gouging. And again, should not be supported as it is a phone call and three sheets of paper, one of which you fill out yourself!
Please DO support those FFL dealers that are upstanding and ditch the ones that are not. DO NOT over pay for an FFL transfer (many charge the standard courtesy $10-$15 for the service) for those dealers that are scamming tell them why you are no longer supporting them (i.e. price gouging, fixing, etc). I understand in some states that taxes, fees, and other charges apply so it is important to know your local laws. But those FFL's that are robbing the gun community while we, the loyal firearm owners justifying it, needs to end.
If you know of a shop that is scamming customers please feel free to post it here (phone number can be helpful too). Its time we let these guys know what they are doing is in some cases illegal and that we as the majority of the upstanding gun community will not put up with it.
If you need to find an FFL dealer in your area you can easily do a search on the links below. Be sure to ask #1 how much they charge and #2 when they are available.
I again implore you to spend the time to search out and support those who are moral dealers. I hope other THR members share in this.
Links to registered FFL dealers;
http://www.auctionarms.com/help/fflnetwork.cfm
http://www.gunbroker.com/User/DealerNetwork.asp
http://listings.shotgunnews.com/fflguide/http://www.sellguns.com/ffl/map.asp