Is this a scam....

[KingMedicine]

I always prefer doing all my deals through email. Mainly it keeps a record of all contact. Phone calls may be more personal, but anything said on the phone is worth nothing. Bad Deals happen, i had a huge one in the buy/sell forum here. But alas, a phone call isnt going to change anything.

I would say your luck was pretty good since he changed his mind and went with it, but next time if you sign the deal, you prob will be stuck with it.

I see the future... and its this thread being closed.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Had a dozen or so deals on GB,all went great without a single phone call.

 

[PowderKeg]

Good to hear that you got everything worked out to both side's satisfaction. I too like to get a live body on the phone when possible - either prior to bidding to confirm options/condition, or afterwards to confirm FFL and total costs, but I don't consider it a mandatory requirement if the sale ad or emails provide sufficient detailed info and pics.

Sounds like you've picked up on a few good lessons for future bidding as well, although I don't agree with the thought that no phone call/talk = possible scam, for reasons already expressed by others. Personally I consider the entire "picture" before placing a bid - well written and detailed description, multiple focused close-up pics, A+ seller rating with multiple recent feedback, replies to emails (if sent), results of phone call (if made), etc.

Good luck on your future bids, I've been pretty pleased overall with mine the past several years.

 

[wgsigs]

It appears that everything has been resolved satisfactorily so I am a little hesitant to stir things up again, but here goes.

The OP feels that a seller who will not talk to him on the phone is a potential scammer. I think he needs to look outside himself and look from the sellers point of view. If I were to sell on GB, as a private seller I wouldn't want some random buyer knowing my home or cell phone number, especially if he lived near by. I might suspect the buyer could do a reverse lookup on the internet with the phone number and find my home address and do who knows what. That might sound a little paranoid, but no more so than thinking someone who won't talk on the phone and thereby giving his phone number out (there's always caller id) is scamming him.

I've purchased several guns from GB and the only sellers who had their phone numbers in the auction were dealers, never private sellers.

 

[dirtyjim]

i've done close to 150 deals on gunbroker and 90% of the problems i've had have been with people who insist on calling to talk about the rifle or parts that i'm selling.
i don't chat on the phone i tell you what you need to know then i'm done, i don't need to hear your life story because i don't care.
if you need to know something or need more pictures email me and i'll get them to you asap, if you call and bug me before the auction is over i'll block you.
if you call after the auction all you need to say is the checks on the way or soon will be, end of conversation & we're done.

i hate to sound like a jerk but its gets old after a while

 

[M2]

The bottom line is that the seller set the terms, you agreed to them when you bid on the item (and won it), and now you want to change the rules to suit you. I'm glad it all worked out, but the seller was not in the wrong to want to stick to the terms he stated up front. Certain sellers want things done a specific way, and if you want to buy from them then you need to agree otherwise you're better off spending your money elsewhere.

I buy about half of the guns I purchase FTF, and usually at some public location during the daytime. I have had a few sellers that want me to meet them at their homes, I wouldn't do that but I guess they trust people enough that it doesn't bother them. But I am not paranoid about meeting people, and I have yet to hear of anyone being robbed during a gun purchase (well, in the traditional sense. Getting ripped off due to a bad deal is something else).

I also buy a lot of guns online, many through auction sites and I've had nothing but positive experiences to date. I occasionally read about bad deals but for the most part I think it is a good way to find and acquire firearms.

The bottom line is if you and the seller can't agree to the terms of the sale, then either of you have the right to walk away. Don't expect that because you want things done one way that the seller has to agree to them, it is a free market system and no one has to conduct a deal they are not 100% satisfied with!

Learn from this experience and move on...

Merry Christmas! M2

 

[rogertc1]

m***m should pound sand

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

Think this thread has went as far as it needs to. Bottom line is, he got it all straightened out and all is well.

 

[welldoya]

I agree with the OP. It would scream scam to me if the guy wouldn't talk to me and agree to meet me. He tried to e-mail the guy and he didn't return the e-mail.
If somebody is that close, I would assume that an FTF would be acceptable.
I once tried to buy a 4 wheeler off E-Bay. I didn't win the bid. The seller contacted me after the auction and offered to sell it to me for my bid which was a very good deal. What he didn't know was that I was 50 miles from the location that he listed in the auction. I told him to send me directions and I would be over the next morning with cash. Never heard from him again. He was probably actually in Nigeria or somewhere. You can't be too careful on the internet.
If an FTF is viable, and the seller refused, I would tell him he will have to find another buyer.

 

[kingpin008]

I agree with the OP. It would scream scam to me if the guy wouldn't talk to me and agree to meet me. He tried to e-mail the guy and he didn't return the e-mail.

If it screamed scam, why didn't he walk away?

If somebody is that close, I would assume that an FTF would be acceptable.

You know what they say about assuming...

If an FTF is viable, and the seller refused, I would tell him he will have to find another buyer.

As is your right. The problem is that the OP agreed to the seller's terms, then wanted to change things up to suit what he thought should happen.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I think the OP's question had been answered and he has a gotten more information than he bargained for as a bonus...plus the deal has been completed.

Now it is just piling on...which isn't very High Road

We're Done