Unexpected risk through on-line gun auctions?

C

cjwils

New member
In recent years there have been several well publicized cases around the US of sellers on Craig's List being robbed or even killed by people posing as buyers. Most Craig's List transactions are local, while transactions on Gunbroker, GunsAmerica, Guns International, etc are usually not local; and simply being separated by distance might provide some protection. Nonetheless, Gunbroker and some other on-line gun sites clearly display the seller's home town. In the worst case scenario, a criminal could peruse Gunbroker or other sites looking for sellers in the criminal's local area. The criminal could enter a winning bid, and would then receive the seller's address for sending payment. If the address is a residence (you can look up addresses on various on-line map services), the criminal could show up at that address expecting to find a truck load of guns for the taking. Is anyone aware that this sort of event has ever occurred? Speculating about this has caused me to think that I should get a P.O. box or the like if I ever do any sort of on-line selling, whether guns or not.
 
Seriously?

Then do not participate if you feel that threatened. Used CL lots of times without issues. ;):rolleyes: Just twist that tinfoil a little tighter.

You can be targeted anywhere, and if it scare you enough, just bypass it altogether
 
No more than sending your gas, electric, or other payment through the mail. The person on the other end has your address as well. I would think a criminal would stay away from someone they know owns guns.
 
I know a coin dealer targeted for theft at a bourse parking lot. The group of thieves knew who he was and selected him, the same way they selected other dealers up and down the west coast. These guys are out there, if they can steal enough and fence it for enough, they'll do it.
 
What about the guy who is walking around the gun show with a rifle slung over each shoulder and a backpack full of pistols? How hard is it for someone to watch him go to his car then follow him home?
 
If I were a criminal, that sounds like way too much work. I would much rather find a way to take down drug dealers out of their hood. They carry way more cash.

Your idea: Win auction, travel many miles, home invasion on a likely trained person, 100rd shoot out with the home owner, cut open the safe.......to get $10000 - $50000 worth of guns.


I like get on roof, shoot drug dealer at 600 + yards(silenced), pay kids to loot the car.....or have a pick up team in a older car.. Druggies always carry cash...it is a business hazard. Regular folks have little cash, unless you meet the for a cash deal, hence the Craigslist gig.

Nobody is digging into a robbed and killed druggie's death.
 
Gotta keep in mind that criminals don't like to work hard for small rewards. Otherwise, they would probably be legit. If you're that concerned, do what some folks do - get a UPS Store mailing address for the auctions and online ordering.
 
Gotta keep in mind that criminals don't like to work hard for small rewards.
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Well here's the exception that proves the rule...one of the network news shows (NOT 60 Minutes) had some thieves that targeted the shopping malls during the holidays. Their gig was going thru cars in the parking lot taking the change out of the ash trays or center console.

It was weird listening to the thief talking about having to be organized to hit 'about 40 cars an hour'. If they're locked forget it. If an alarm goes off don't worry, keep working down the line, nobody does anything about car alarms and you'll be several cars down the line by the time anybody shows up. Don't take CD's they're worthless and will weigh you down. Check the glove compartment too but there's hardly ever anything valuable their. Make sure you got fresh batteries in your flashlight and carry extra batteries. If somebody questions you just say wrong car and keep moving. If they are persistent walk away to another part of the lot they probably won't follow you, if they do call it a night for that mall. At the end I had to fight myself to keep from admiring the guy's work ethic. If he would have applied this much effort to something legal I think he could have made it work. Maybe he liked being self-employed. Of course the guy could have been putting on the reporter too.
 
I had some stuff from when I was a kid I was trying to sell. If you bought it all individually from ebay or a collector I had atleast $1000 worth of stuff. I was trying to sell it all for $80, for $100 I'd drive an hour to meet up. I had a guy actually try to scam me. Told me to mail it to his assistant and he'd mail me $160. Because that's believable. I had another guy trying to convince me to take $40 because it's worthless and to drive an hour. The guy texted me a few times a day for a week. Just yesterday I was trying to help my friend buy a truck from craigslist. The guy acts shady, ignores my multiple messages asking how many miles are on it but responds to everything else. No thanks. Now the old fashioned ways of Tradio and the Traders Guide always works, never heard of crazies messing with that stuff. With gunbroker you should be safe though. It'd have to be a local criminal unless you're selling something highend. And who says you have the stuff at your home? We're talking professional theives, not your out of pills drugie which what is basically every theif here.
 
cjwils said:
In the worst case scenario, a criminal could peruse Gunbroker or other sites looking for sellers in the criminal's local area. The criminal could enter a winning bid, and would then receive the seller's address for sending payment. If the address is a residence (you can look up addresses on various on-line map services), the criminal could show up at that address expecting to find a truck load of guns for the taking.
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Might be easier for the crook to just hang out in the gun cleaning supply aisle at the local gun shop or big box sporting goods store and watch for people buying ammo or actual guns. Then follow them home to find the aforementioned truck load of guns for the taking.

FITASC said:
Just twist that tinfoil a little tighter.
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Along with the extra tinfoil, it would probably also be a good idea to go out in full disguise (floppy hat, fake beard, dark glasses) and use several cutouts and handoffs to make sure that you're not being followed anytime that you buy a gun or ammo! :cool:
 
In response to the OP - I'd think that a criminal and looking to score some guns by robbing someone would think it's a whole lot easier to look for the truck/car with NRA, "Guarded by ________", "...from my cold dead hands" bumper stickers. Or, just follow someone home from your local gun show.

The bottom line - criminals can and will target folks for a bunch of reasons; better to be armed than try and second guess what goes through a crack-head's mind.
 
I like get on roof, shoot drug dealer at 600 + yards(silenced), pay kids to loot the car.....or have a pick up team in a older car.. Druggies always carry cash...it is a business hazard. Regular folks have little cash, unless you meet the for a cash deal, hence the Craigslist gig.

Nobody is digging into a robbed and killed druggie's death.
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:p Got a chuckle out of this one. Sounds like someone has put some thought and planning in to this! :D
 
>In recent years there have been several well publicized cases around the US of sellers on Craig's List being robbed or even killed <

Who cares?
The biggest risk of death most of us has is driving on the roads.
I've bought and sold a number of gun related things on Craigs - just have a concealed handgun on you and be alert to anything looking bad.
 
Armslist (TN) has been very safe for me with those two gun deals made in parking lots in west TN.

Before that, several deals closed using THR (WTS/WTT) or started with this website.
Daytime, fairly busy parking lots using common sense: McDonalds, Walmart, Kroger etc; SKS, Mini 30, Mini 14, Yugo Mauser, Mauser Hsc.

Somehow, I even found a totally unknown young guy willing to trade 2,000 rds. of 7.62x39 for my 1,900 rds. of .223 in the driveway of his home,
near a Dell facility in northeast Austin TX. That road trip via San Antonio had lucky timing!

He told me that his neighbor was an LEO and was also for these kinds of deals. We counted small ammo boxes right on his driveway, Sunday afternoon, well within clear view of multiple houses. Go Texas!
 
Far as I know, craigslist does not allow gun ads
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Correct, but everything else gun-related is sold there. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out of someone is selling scopes, reloading gear, etc., that he might be a gun owner or have some in his possession.
 
Meet in public and bring back-up if you are worried.
Parking lot of the Police Barracks is a great location if you notify the guys inside. (don't bring your guns in)
 
Yup meet in parking lot and bring back up.
Makes you feel funny opening the trunk to show a gun to some one.
But you have to do what you have to do.
other wise pay the juice and let a dealer sell on consignment.

As far as being targeted for robbery??
Possible for sure. Know a few that it has happened too. ( usually some one they know) Guys, Daughters, boy friends, buddies.

All I can say if they target me. They may win, but they better bring their A game.
 
If you are worried about criminals jumping through that many hoops to get the address of gun owners I hope that if you have a carry permit your state is not like Tennessee. Here the name and address of every person that has a handgun carry permit is considered open to the public and can be viewed by anyone. If I remember correctly, an anti-gun newspaper posted the names and addresses of everyone in the state a couple years ago on their website.
 
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