Would this seem odd to you?

[hometheaterman]

So I have a buddy I hunt with looking for a gun. Actually two guys I hunt with wanting two different ones. Neither of them has a computer although one has access to one at his job. I found one of them on a for sale on a local site and showed it to him on my computer. He wanted me to send a message to the guy about it. I sent him a message explaining that I had a friend that didn't have a computer that was interested and did he have a phone number I could give him to contact him about it.

I didn't think anything of this and someone said something to me that made me wonder. If someone did this to you would you be cautious of the sale? I don't want the gun so didn't want to say I was interested in it when it was my friend but after hearing some others opinions I realize this might seem odd but at the same time I don't think it's that odd since he wants a number so he can contact him directly. What do you guys think?

 

[owlhoot]

I don't think any gun vendor would be interested in dealing through a third party. I would have deleted your message and never given it a second thought. And I'm a nice guy. Phone numbers can be traced to addresses rather easily by the way.

 

[hometheaterman]

So in a situation like this what would be the best method? I just wanted a way for my buddy to be able to contact him as I have no desire to be involved in this at all other than having seen a add for it on a local website. I don't want or even really like the gun nor do I know anything about it. Since he doesn't have a computer he couldn't respond to the add via email or private message. That's why I asked for a phone number so he could just call him.

It was for a person selling it though not a dealer.

 

[Mags]

Shoulda just asked for the guys number as if you were going to buy the gun, it's not like he knows your voice or phone number easily over the net.

 

[thebigc]

they could allways go to the library and make a yahoo account or something then use that computer for free the library's around here have free internet access you just have to check in at the desk and you get to use it for a hour. or if their phone has mobile internet they could do it off of there i would find it shady if a third party was involved.

 

[Sam1911]

Nothing wrong with that. You're not offering to represent your friend or purchase the gun for him or anything else illegal. You're just trying to get your friend in touch with him.

Now, I can see why it might be seen as a little suspicious, as in this day requesting "personal" information (even a telephone number) is too close to identity theft or whatever. The guy may simply ignore your request.

You could have simply explained your pal's situation and given HIS phone number with a request that the seller call him. Of course, the seller would have to expend the energy and/or phone minutes to make the contact instead of waiting for the contact to come to him! What ever is the world coming to?

-Sam

 

[hometheaterman]

I didn't know exactly what the best way to handle this is I just knew I didn't want the gun and didn't really want to be involved in it. However, I didn't mind putting my buddy in touch with the guy. I just sent him a message telling him the situation and explained a question my buddy had told him to ask me. I asked if he had modified a part on it and if not my buddy may be interested and was there a phone number I could give him so he could reach him.

Is there anything wrong with doing this or is it just something a seller may be cautious about?

I just don't want to act like I'm going to purchase the rifle since I'm not.

 

[Sam1911]

You've asked for his number. If he doesn't want to give it out, send him your buddy's number and ask him to call. That's all you can, and probably SHOULD do.

If he doesn't want to deal with your pal, that's fine. There's other guns for sale, and other buyers for him to sell to. C'est la vie.

-Sam

 

[hometheaterman]

Yep that's kind of how I feel. If he doesn't want to deal with him it doesn't really bother me. I'm sure he will find another one somewhere. I just thought I'd try to get him in touch with this guy since he had asked me to keep an eye out for one for him.

If he responds back not wanting to give out his number I will give out my friends and see if he wants to call him.

If not not a big deal as I said as I don't really care too much just trying to help a friend but if it doesn't work out it doesn't bother me that much.

 

[Nicodemus38]

of course its in the "slightly" odd category. he could have taken a few minutes to go to a library and created a yahoo acount and contacted the guy himself. he could have used your computer, created his own yahoo acount and sent a hello to hte guy selling firearm.

Although the intent of the person asking for the contact information is most likely benign/benevolent in YOUR case, it always isnt so. theres a very ancient scam for stealing items from online ads and bargain corner sections.
1. see if contact number in ad is for a landline using phone book or online search engine, they do make search engines for numbers. Ive seen some that will search for both owners name, and address if its a landline for a 10-30 dollar fee.

2. if its a landline contact seller using the contact number given and ask if item is for sale

3. if item still for sale, ask various bone head questions such as 'is it really in 270?

4. tell the seller you live a large distance away, say at least 80 minutes away and ask if a different location can be used for the transaction

5. if the seller has agreed to an alternate location, give them a time and place that allows for the possibility of not running into each other, ie burger barn at lunch hour.

6. when you believe the seller has left their house, take your burglar buddy and pickup to the sellers house found via step 1. Once there proceed to steal and rob to your hearts content.

This happens alot these days. doesnt really have to be gun related, selling a fur coat or atv will make most theives realize you probably have related items at home.
so the use of a prepaid cell phone is really good to have. Tracphone for example has the benefit of giving you a phone number thats actually in the wrong area code for you real location. several of my friends have numbers that are roughly 300 miles from their actual location.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I don't think it's that odd. Not everyone has (or wants) a computer and usually for that type of sale the two would end up on the phone anyway since emailing back and forth gets old and it's nice to confirm there is really a person at the other end with a legit phone # (and not some scammer on the other side of the world) before sending off money.

You've asked for his number. If he doesn't want to give it out, send him your buddy's number and ask him to call. That's all you can, and probably SHOULD do.

+1. "Hey my buddy doesn't have a computer but he's interested. Is there a number he can reach you at? Or if you want to give him a call his name is John Doe and his number is 555-5555" something like that.

 

[Big Matt]

I would ask why go through all the trouble when these guys could easily go down to the local gun shop, walmart, bass pro, cabelas, whatever and buy the gun they want? Unless of course they have a reason that they want to avoid the gun shop? Just seems sort of weird.

 

[Nick5182]

I'd be cautious of that situation, if I was presented with it. However, if I was in your situation, I wouldn't have thought anything of it (trying to get a gun for a friend). It seems like one side of the fence has a completely different view than the other.

 

[bdickens]

It certainly is odd. Two friends who don't own computers.

 

[hometheaterman]

As for avoiding the gun shop I think he would prefer to buy it at a gun shop but hasn't been able to find one that has one. I went with him the other day to a gun shop to look and they told him they hadn't seen one in a year or two. It's a older gun that you can no longer buy new and it doesn't see to be very common used.

I hunt with several guys that don't have computers. It's a small town where they only have satellite internet or dialup as an option. Several of the older guys don't have them or if they have them it's their wives that have them and they don't use them much.

 

[HKUSP45C]

You're not offering to represent your friend or purchase the gun for him or anything else illegal.

There is nothing illegal (or even suspicious) about buying a gun for someone else who would be able to buy the same gun them selves.

Nothing. At. All.

Now, I can see why it might be seen as a little suspicious, as in this day requesting "personal" information (even a telephone number) is too close to identity theft or whatever.

Anyone who wishes to sell something online needs to have the ability to be contacted in ways other than E-mail. This is just the hard, cold facts of peddling wares on the net.

Anyone so paranoid that they won't give out their phone number to get a business deal they initiated done probably has enough mental instability that I wouldn't want to do business with them anyway.

 

[bababooey32]

Anyone who wishes to sell something online needs to have the ability to be contacted in ways other than E-mail.

I would make two counterpoints:

1) No, they don't. The seller can do business any way they choose. Perhaps they only wish to deal via e-mail. If you want the item bad enough, you may have to deal on the seller's terms. Just the cold facts of buying things on the web (to turn a phrase).

2) It seems reasonable to expect that someone wanting to buy a gun over the internet will take the time to gain access to said internet in order to facilitate their purchase. If the buyer is unwilling to do something as simple as go to a library or login using the friend's computer, I would submit that the BUYER "has enough mental instability that I wouldn't want to do business with them anyway".

Not wanting to give out your phone number on the internet to strangers is not exactly paranoid. I think it is good sense to be wary of giving it out.

 

[youngda9]

Just ask for his number. That's it...no more additional information needed. You don't have to tell him that it is for someone else, issue avoided. I don't understand why this is so difficult.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

It may sound a little strange but there are still some sincere people out there that may understand.

Get his number for your buddy, and find an FFL where the gun can be shipped to. Take it from there.

 

[HKUSP45C]

I would make two counterpoints:

1) No, they don't. The seller can do business any way they choose. Perhaps they only wish to deal via e-mail. If you want the item bad enough, you may have to deal on the seller's terms. Just the cold facts of buying things on the web (to turn a phrase).

Touche' .... conversely, if you want to sell something to a stranger you must, necassarily, be willing to have contact with you potential buyer somehow. Giving out your home phone number isn't something that could (in any way I can think of) get you in a position the local whitepages wouldn't.

2) It seems reasonable to expect that someone wanting to buy a gun over the internet will take the time to gain access to said internet in order to facilitate their purchase. If the buyer is unwilling to do something as simple as go to a library or login using the friend's computer, I would submit that the BUYER "has enough mental instability that I wouldn't want to do business with them anyway".

Not wanting to give out your phone number on the internet to strangers is not exactly paranoid. I think it is good sense to be wary of giving it out.

We'll just have to disagree here. The buyer has already procured an avenue to the web via his friend. The buyer has made his or her intentions of making the purchase through that avenue. Not all public libraries have access to the web or computers, not all public libraries who do allow access to "free" E-mail accounts.

It's a situation of competing interests but, it seems to me, being willing to meet a stranger face to face has a whole lot more opportunity for mishap than giving out one's phone number.

 

[Sam1911]

find an FFL where the gun can be shipped to.

I don't see where this was going through an FFL. Sounds like a face-to-face transfer to me.

You want to do a face-to-face transfer with me? Fine. You want to tell me all about your buddy who you're really buying the gun for? That's going to push my "Something's Odd" button.

Asking for a phone number to discuss the matter is not odd at all. A phone call is still a reasonable way to communicate, and not everyone has a computer and email -- or really wants to make a transaction that way. If you're going to meet somewhere face-to-face to exchange the cash for the gun, speaking over the phone before hand is not an unreasonable request. If nothing else, you will probably want a cell number so you can contact them if you get lost on your way to the meeting.

On the other hand, someone's not wanting to give out a phone number is not any kind of "mental instability" and to say that it is is just silly. It may hamper their ability to complete this deal, at this time, with this particular guy's buddy who doesn't have a computer, etc., etc. But other folks will be perfectly happy to buy that gun without asking for further contact info, so the seller really doesn't lose anything.

-Sam

 

[Mal H]

There is nothing illegal (or even suspicious) about buying a gun for someone else who would be able to buy the same gun them selves.

Nothing. At. All.

Sorry, I can't let that one go by without comment. Buying a gun for someone else with their money (the important part of the equation) is strictly against the law. That is the primary definition of a strawman purchase. The legal status of the second party is not a factor at all. This is not like buying a gun as a gift for someone else.

The OP's question has been correctly answered early on in this thread, especially in Sam1911's post #6. There's nothing wrong with someone trying to get a buyer and seller together via phone or any other method, just as long as the actual buyer makes the purchase.

 

[MinnMooney]

I certainly don't see a problem with what you did or the way that you did it.

If I were the person selling the gun, I'd ask for the actual buyer's phone number and insist on dealing with him/her. In the end, it boils down to a FTF (if in the same state) or mailing the gun to an FFL holder anyway.

Where's the problem?

 

[MisterMike]

You want to do a face-to-face transfer with me? Fine. You want to tell me all about your buddy who you're really buying the gun for? That's going to push my "Something's Odd" button.

That pretty much sums it up for me. If I were selling a firearm, I'd just ignore any weird requests like this. First, you always have to be concerned about being party to an illegal transaction. Second, there are innumerable examples of situations where a sales transaction with an unknown person resulted in a robbery or assault (Just as an FYI, anytime I sell something via Craigslist I only meet the person if I am armed).

I think I'd just ignore an approach from someone with a story like the OP's.