Thought some of you fellow gun guys might find this story interesting? I'm browsing one of the local facebook gun buy/sell/trade pages the other evening and guy has just posted a decent looking 7.5" AR pistol for trade or sale. He did not post his location.  It's obviously a franken gun. Appeared to be older Bushmaster lower, Colt upper, Sig brace, cheap red dot, and stupid looking extended brake...but it's got some potential I think to be neat little shooter.  The guy was asking $1000 cash or $1300 trade????  So I shoot him private message with a trade offer of a nice used Smith Shield in 9mm and $500 cash if he does not live too far away.  He immediately sends back a reply and says he lives near Fort Riley and wants the deal. We agree to meet in location to split both of our drives.

Here's where it gets weird.  He ask if I'm a Kansas resident. I reply Yes.  He says he will required "credentials" when we meet up.  I say no problem there, I will bring my driver's license to show him.  He then ask if I can scan and send him a copy of it now?  I'm starting to smell a rat.  So I ask why.  He says he will have some local PD run to see if I'm a felon? Well, folks that's not how it works around here.  You don't just call the local PD to run a criminal history on every joe blow you want to do a business deal with.  I tell him so.  Then I tell him that he sounds shady and I'll pass on the serving of  identity theft that he wants to serve up or the stolen gun he is trying to trade.  

His reply is "thanks".  He then proceeds to delete his posting on the gun page and his entire fake facebook account is deleted.  

So was I talking to undercover cop or a crook?

That sounds shady as fuck... Good call on that.

Sig brace, Facebook, this thread has it all.

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Why would a cop care?

Good call man! Never follow through with a shady gun deal.

I thought maybe a sting? You have to be Kansas resident to purchase guns FTF.  If not, you have to go through FFL dealer.  Also, maybe they trying to catch felons buying guns? OR...this guy was a felon?

He was going to see if you shouldered it during the purchase then take you to federal pound me in the ass prison.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Ok, so you agreed to show DL. Why would a cop push to have it photo copied?

I could see maybe it was a cop if he backed out once you agreed to show ID. But then why delete the profile? On to the next guy who might refuse.  

It sounded weird from the beginning when he accepted a less than $400 gun and $500 cash when he was looking for more like $1300. Unless he knew what he had wasn't worth close to that.

Good point.  I guess I'm leaning towards a crook facebook account?  Just not 100% sure what the DL request deal was about? My DL does not have Social Security # ? So wondering what the plans for it was?

Maybe he just blocked you so you cant post on his posts about your experience

Sounds like he wanted your home address to add to his shopping list. He already knew you owned guns and if you agreed to meet him for a FTF then he knew you wouldn't be home at a particular date/time.

That is entirely possible.  I'm not on the ol facebook very much and don't know all the tricks.

Ouch! I never even thought of that angle. I was so hung up on the statement that he was going to have local PD run my information.  I'm guessing you nailed it! That freaking turd was going to try to rob me.  

Yeah, tarp and all that.

I've only sold a few guns to non law enforcement.

I usually just have my dealer ship it to their dealer so they can paperwork the gun.

I did sell a rifle to a guy in my state and I told him beforehand that I was a LEO and would be confirming he wasn't a prohibited person before I'd complete the deal.

He said no problem. We met and the transaction went smooth.

I have no interest in selling a gun to a bad guy and told the buyer on the front end.

Whenever I sell a firearm I always get a copy of the driver's license and require a bill of sale to be signed.  I list this out as a requirement in all of my ads in the EE.  If something goes south I figured it would be a nice thing to have.  

I bet scam.

Verifying valid DL's I would have been good with. Running a background check with PD? Unnecessary and stupid.
No deal.

Not sure why you thought it was a good deal to begin with?
These were $599 just a couple  of weeks  ago . Looks like they went up   $50.
http://www.radicalfirearms.com/product-p/rf7.5pistol556.htm

I'm not seeing how the Sig Brace factors into this story at all. Unless you think he was going to trick you into shouldering it, then have ATF goons tackle you...

I usually require a BOS, 2 ID's (DL for residency and some form of good guy ID)  for my FTF transactions. I note the DL number and name on my BOS (sometimes address) I figure that's usually enough to cover myself. Somoene asking for a full copy of my DL before we even meet seems sketchy. If he was really concerned about the guy not being prohibited, they could always go to an FFL.

That would be my guess.

The pistol had a Sig brace.  Other than that does not really play into the story....but the catchy title made you click on this thread?  

Honestly, I thought they went for more than that? Saw the AR and wanted it. Sort of a spur of the moment deal. I guess I need to do a little more research in the future. Thanks for the link.

When I sell a gun, I don't force anyone to do anything above and beyond what it required by law. Missouri resident? Yes. Ever been convicted of a felony? No. Here's your gun, thanks for the cash, have a nice day.

I built one for $400.  Way overpriced.

Cyber cops are hard at work.

Crook. UC would have had something obviously illegal on the gun, and wouldn't have needed your ID. He would have simply hit up the fusion center with a warrant for your account (if he had probable cause that you were engaged in something illegal). Sounds fishy. Fair number of people being robbed from on-line deal meets.

This was also my initial thought. What better way to get home addresses for a hit crew to do burglaries on later?  I got my GPS stolen (well technically wife got it stolen) and our house was cased several times as part of that gig.

I'm guessing your instincts discovered a possible burglar.