Need Help: Questions about Selling and Shipping a Rifle

[rossislider]

I have a guy in New Jersey interested in buying my rifle. He has agreed to pay all FFL and shipping fees. My concern is that he he claims he cannot pay via PayPal due to his government clearance restrictions. He says he make satellite chips and can not receive or send PayPal payments because they could because they could be perceived as illegal payments to someone with his clearance. Sounds a little sketchy to me, buy I don't know much about it. He proposes to pay via postal money order first, and then ship via FFL dealers once I receive the money order.

 

It sounds a bit to me like the craigslist overpayment money order scam. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on this?

 

Thanks

[AverageJoe]

Plenty of other buyers out there. If you have any concerns dont do it. If it were me i would say h3ll no!!!

[antlers]

It does sound a little fishy. Have him send a cashiers check wait for funds to clear and then ship. If your going thru FFL's then after funds clear your good as your FFL will check validity of licenses.

[resolute]

Sounds sketchy!

[firstcoueswas80]

So Long As What Ever Form of Payment Turns Green....

[DesertBull]

PayPal will not give you any support on a firearm purchase if something goes wrong. You could try to go through an escrow service or inform the ffl you are shipping to that they are not hand over the gun until you give them the ok.

[Benbrown]

I buy and sell firearms on the internet pretty regularly. If I have any reservations about the buyer, I take only a postal money order and don't ship until it arrives. Then, if it is a long gun, I usually ship it USPS insured. The Postal Service is very good about investigating and prosecuting mail fraud, but not so hot on delivering on insurance claims, although they always do pay something eventually. I have also used both FedEx and UPS to ship both long guns and handguns. Never had a claim with FedEx, but have had two with UPS, both of which were dealt with fairly quickly. As long as you ship to an FFL, there is no need to ship from an FFL on your end. You need to be sure that the buyer and you are on the same page about the possibility of a return.

 

Most folks agree to a three-day, non-firing inspection, with the expense of returning the firearm to be born by the would-be buyer. I have had only one rifle returned, and that was on a trade, not a sale. On that one, the other party changed their mind after I had shipped (and before they got around to shipping their rifle). He called me and said for me to call his FFL and arrange for shipping my rifle back. I called his FFL and told them to ship me the rifle and bill him.

 

BTW, I have quit using Paypal--too many glitches to suit me. YMMV.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Ben

[wayno945]

Sounds like this dude is super paranoid or is trying to dupe you. I know of no restrictions or problems with paypal relating to DoD clearances. I would play it safe and sell to a local.

[rossislider]

Thanks for the input and suggestions. I think I'm going to follow my gut and wait for a local cash buyer.

[firstcoueswas80]

I say sell the rifle. Wait until you have the cash (not MO, cold, hard, CASH) in hand, and ship to the FFL (that you also have a copy in your hand). There's really not that much to it.

[metau]

Anything I do not sell locally(cash) must be by USPS money order. Even then, I wait a week for it to clear prior to shipping anything. Legit people don't mind the wait, sketchy ones hate waiting.