jonk
02-10-2013, 11:40 PM
So I am a member on the gunbroker discussion forums as well, and have bought and sold a fair amount there over the years. One member listed a link as a shameless plug in the discussion forums about his auctions, as is commonly the case.
I emailed him for details on one gun, bid, and won. Good communication, prompt and polite.
This seller has very good feedback (only one negative in several hundred transactions) and is a gunbroker verified member.
So I look at the 'seller contact info' link and I see an address. I email the seller to confirm the total with shipping, and ask if he is an FFL holder. He emails back and says 'please send to my p.o. box, the address on file is just a dropbox on my property, I don't get down there every day.' Fair enough. He also says he is an FFL holder, and will supply a copy of his license to my FFL holder with shipment.
Still, being perhaps more suspicious than need be, I download the .xls file of all FFL holders in the state in question.
His name is not on it, nor is either address. Nor is his contact phone number.
Now if this were a NR seller I would immediately say 'sorry pal, you have to do better.' But again- he seems a very proliferate seller, with only glowing feedback.
I suppose it is possible that he works for a store that sells guns, and he is the web manager, or otherwise an employee and HIS name in particular isn't on the license, rather the store owner's; or has yet another property where his 'place of business' is located, or some such.
Nonetheless, you can't be too careful these days, and I am going to call him tomorrow and see what's what. I don't want to come across as overly paranoid, but it just strikes me a bit odd that his name, address, and phone number aren't on the ATF's FFL holder list, yet he says he has one.
I didn't want to post it on the gb discussion forums as he frequents those.
Whatcha think?
I emailed him for details on one gun, bid, and won. Good communication, prompt and polite.
This seller has very good feedback (only one negative in several hundred transactions) and is a gunbroker verified member.
So I look at the 'seller contact info' link and I see an address. I email the seller to confirm the total with shipping, and ask if he is an FFL holder. He emails back and says 'please send to my p.o. box, the address on file is just a dropbox on my property, I don't get down there every day.' Fair enough. He also says he is an FFL holder, and will supply a copy of his license to my FFL holder with shipment.
Still, being perhaps more suspicious than need be, I download the .xls file of all FFL holders in the state in question.
His name is not on it, nor is either address. Nor is his contact phone number.
Now if this were a NR seller I would immediately say 'sorry pal, you have to do better.' But again- he seems a very proliferate seller, with only glowing feedback.
I suppose it is possible that he works for a store that sells guns, and he is the web manager, or otherwise an employee and HIS name in particular isn't on the license, rather the store owner's; or has yet another property where his 'place of business' is located, or some such.
Nonetheless, you can't be too careful these days, and I am going to call him tomorrow and see what's what. I don't want to come across as overly paranoid, but it just strikes me a bit odd that his name, address, and phone number aren't on the ATF's FFL holder list, yet he says he has one.
I didn't want to post it on the gb discussion forums as he frequents those.
Whatcha think?