Unscrupulous online gun sellers ... .

mick53 · Mar 19, 2020

Hi,

For the past couple of days I have been searching online for a CZ 82 to buy.

Here's the problem. Many different sellers list multiple CZ 82s for sale with accompanying photos.

But when you blow up these photos, you can see it is the EXACT SAME PISTOL right down to the serial number!

What's even worse, it's not just a single seller doing this.

A lot of DIFFERENT SELLERS are doing it. AND, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY'RE USING THE SAME CZ 82 PHOTO TO DO IT.

Nowhere in the listings do they say, "This is a representative photo," or anything of the sort!

The serial number on these "different" pistols, sold by different sellers is the SAME SERIAL NUMBER.

I always buy my firearms in person at local stores or gun shows. But there are no CZ 82s around here to be had, so I looked online.

These sharpies usually also say in very fine print, "No returns, refunds or exchanges under any circumstances."

Zaydok Allen · Mar 19, 2020

Scams are a thing.

Steve S. · Mar 19, 2020

The reason we get educated is to protect ourselves from other people - be careful.

Waveski · Mar 19, 2020

What kind of scam are you suggesting they are running?

mick53 · Mar 19, 2020

Waveski said:
What kind of scam are you suggesting they are running?

The first photo is what one seller had posted in his ad as for sale.

The second photo (and I had to ask for it) is what he would have sent me.

skeeterfogger · Mar 19, 2020

I've only bought one online non standard store gun. Was a non FFL. Would not consider any that was FFL. Still it made me sceptical and I for sure kept track of every aspect of it. Made delivery guy stay till I inspected it. Cabelas, DGW, TOW and such are more trustworthy. IMO

mick53 · Mar 19, 2020

Hi,
Cabelas I know.

What are those other abbreviated ones you mention.

Thanks.

skeeterfogger · Mar 20, 2020

mick53 said:
Hi,
Cabelas I know.

What are those other abbreviated ones you mention.

Thanks.

Dixie Gun Works, Track of the Wolf.

Mauser lover · Mar 20, 2020

You pretty much just always gotta ask. I'd say most folks just use stock photos, so unless they specifically say that it is the actual firearm being sold, I assume it isn't. I don't know why anyone thinks Cabela's uses pictures of the actual gun? At least not on their new guns.

mick53 · Mar 21, 2020

Mauser lover said:
You pretty much just always gotta ask. I'd say most folks just use stock photos, so unless they specifically say that it is the actual firearm being sold, I assume it isn't. I don't know why anyone thinks Cabela's uses pictures of the actual gun? At least not on their new guns.

See this guy was selling a used gun, just one. But he put up a photo of the same make and model but a different pistol.

Here's how I see it. He's selling a single pistol. Yet he puts up a photo of a different pistol. Why not put up a photo of what you're selling, pal?

Now go back a few posts where I put up his photos: One is his GB photo of a pretty decent pistol.

The other is the photo of what he wanted to sell me. And I had to browbeat it out of him. He kept telling me, "Don't worry, it looks like the GB photo."

The hell it does! Plain and simple. He was/is a dishonest seller.

I'm done.

drk1 · Mar 21, 2020

Unfortunately, your experience is not unusual. I've had to adopt the view that I won't send out money that I'm not willing to simply say goodbye to. I haven't kept track because the individual incidents have been too painful, but I suspect that I've lost between 5 and 10k over the last 25 years to "unscrupulous on line gun sellers. An interesting note is that all of the rip-off and scam-artists have been in the United States. I've purchased as much if not more stuff on-line from Europe and have never been ripped-off even once.

Pat Riot · Mar 21, 2020

I would not buy a gun from a person / FFL Dealer if the photo looks like a stock photo if the gun is a used gun and not advertised as “New” or New in box”.

Years ago there was a gun sales magazine / periodical called Shotgun News. I bought a lot of stuff from people who advertised in that magazine. I learned some hard lessons buying from folks then. It seems that dirtbags and nefarious individuals CAN learn technology and advanced their scamassery to adapt to the times.
May not be the same people but they are definitely the same types...dirtbags.

I give a seller / dealer one chance to make me feel good about the sales item. If they balk, delay, give me hard time or just act shady, I walk. Simple...and I let them know why.

Life is too short.

GBExpat · Mar 21, 2020

mick53 said:
... He was/is a dishonest seller.

Sure sounds like it to me.

Waveski · Mar 21, 2020

mick53 said:
The first photo is what one seller had posted in his ad as for sale.

The second photo (and I had to ask for it) is what he would have sent me.

I did not realize from the first post that the gun for sale was used but the image was of a NIB looking specimen. I thought it was a matter of just 2 different NIB items.
The misrepresentation you showed is misleading and unacceptable. You would be justified in filing a complaint with whatever site the ad was on , and informing the unscrupulous seller that you were doing so.

Waveski · Mar 21, 2020

drk1 said:
I haven't kept track because the individual incidents have been too painful, but I suspect that I've lost between 5 and 10k over the last 25 years to "unscrupulous on line gun sellers.

You've got to be kidding.
"Fool me once , shame on you ... Fool me twice , shame on me" comes to mind.
Hopefully you have learned to spot a questionable ad offer after all that experience. The warning signs are usually fairly easy to identify,
Wow.

Unscrupulous online gun sellers ... .

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