Watch this Guy......

OP's only fault was being too trusting. And most people who are "too trusting" trust others because they, themselves, are trustworthy. Since they've never thought about screwing someone over, it doesn't really register that someone might do that to them. The guilt here is entirely with the seller.

IOWOLF, I hope you don't lose your faith in humanity. Most folks *are* good, and I've had some good experiences buying through the AGN classifieds, but we all take a risk, because those few, those miserable few, that ruin it for everyone else, are always there looking for a victim. Not your fault, and thank you for the heads up to others.

GsT
Amen!
 
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So, in which ways would be best to protect yourself against scammers?

AI is getting to the point its harder to trust pic forms of verification, even when you ask them to write something specific on a piece of paper, and even then, the scammer might actually have the guns.
It kinda seems like the payment provider is the only way to protect yourself. It seems PayPal is one of the least trouble to work with should the sale fail to be delivered.
PayPal is terrible, I only use their invoice service, not PayPal themselves. Your CC is the one that will retrieve your money if scammed, not PayPal !! By using the invoice, the seller does not have your CC information !
 
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When a seller says they will only accept "Paypal Friends and Family", what they are really saying is that they are dishonest, and are attempting to screw Paypal out of a 3% commision!

When a buyer pays a complete stranger with PPFF, they have zero protection.
Oh, really? I don’t need my money taxed extra by anyone. If the buyer wants G&S , then add the percentage. But when extra tax is assessed over 6 bills total annually! I’m not to thrilled. You don’t want to F&F me? Fine, you’re not obligated to buy, but calling me a deliberate cheat? Ah, no. That’s what the feedback score is there for. By all means research the seller, if not convinced- don’t buy! Simple enough.
 
Oh, really? I don’t need my money taxed extra by anyone. If the buyer wants G&S , then add the percentage. But when extra tax is assessed over 6 bills total annually! I’m not to thrilled. You don’t want to F&F me? Fine, you’re not obligated to buy, but calling me a deliberate cheat? Ah, no. That’s what the feedback score is there for. By all means research the seller, if not convinced- don’t buy! Simple enough.
Very well Said!
 
Not according to Venmo. It's still in a state of we're trying to figure out how to really mess things up.
I wouldn't make that assumption. Venmo and paypal and the like were all associated together by the Gov't mandate, for lack of a better word, essentially, they are all given the same scutiny. Look up paypal and the new whatever, 1099 and it clearly states the new 600 rule which they said also simultaneously applies to venmo and the like. Please do not make the assumption this won't happen. My sincerest advice is to assume it is in effect from now on until a formal announcement rescinding these changes is made.
 
Last time I filed the over 600 in ebay sales there was an option on the tax forms to distinguish between if these were business sales or basically revenue generated through personal item sales. The tax is either not there or reduced for getting stuff out of your house vs. Buying and reselling for profit. Everything changes, it may not be that way now.
 
"[email protected]" also tried scamming me, yesterday.
A little more info please.

Same modus operandi as OP describes, exactly.

  1. I posted a WTB ad at GTA (as well as here)
  2. "[email protected]" contacted me by email in reply to my GTA ad: "Greetings, I have a ___, let me know if you're still interested"
  3. I replied by email: "yes. please send details and pictures with what you are selling"
  4. StrongarmsLLC replied by email: "I’m located in Connecticut, are you interested in shipping?"
  5. I replied by email: "yes" and provided my city/state/zip
  6. STrongarmsLLC replied by email with pics (which have a watermark which looks like a post-it note saying "@strongarms 4/27/24" and his asking price is too good to be true: $350 shipped for an AG which should be $600-700 with shipping

Scam. All up and down.

If this is a user here at AGN, contact me, if you'd like me to forward the email correspondence.

I also made a thread at GTA: https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=214085.0
 
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Same modus operandi as OP describes, exactly.

  1. I posted a WTB ad at GTA (as well as here)
  2. "[email protected]" contacted me by email in reply to my GTA ad: "Greetings, I have a ___, let me know if you're still interested"
  3. I replied by email: "yes. please send details and pictures with what you are selling"
  4. StrongarmsLLC replied by email: "I’m located in Connecticut, are you interested in shipping?"
  5. I replied by email: "yes" and provided my city/state/zip
  6. STrongarmsLLC replied by email with pics (which have a watermark which looks like a post-it note saying "@strongarms 4/27/24" and his asking price is too good to be true: $350 shipped for an AG which should be $600-700 with shipping

Scam. All up and down.

If this is a user here at AGN, contact me, if you'd like me to forward the email correspondence.

I also made a thread at GTA: https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=214085.0
Thanks for this. He reached out to me tonight - absolutely the same MO. I
Asked for pics, price, feedback and received no information back.
 
Thanks for this. He reached out to me tonight - absolutely the same MO. I
Asked for pics, price, feedback and received no information back.

You'll probably get pics. You're a "lead" now.. a mark.

Let's see if your experience follows the steps: Pics w/watermark, amazing price.

Once you don't respond, he'll follow up with an email asking about whether you're ready to send money.