Loxz34 is a Scammer

[SaltyGator]

Don't deal with @Loxz34 he is a scammer that went by Dennis Farnes. He ripped me off and will rip you off too. Pieces of shit like this will get their due one day.

 

[Carl]

What happened?

 

[SaltyGator]

What happened?

I posted in the WTB, he sent me a message asking if I was still looking. I said yes, he sent me some pics and info on a gun. We did the deal and he's now radio silence. He sent me a copy of his driver's license and I should have looked at it closer but I didn't. His name and address are clearly photoshopped on the ID and the name doesn't match the signature. My fault, I had a feeling but didn't trust my gut.

 

[Snake-Eyes]

When you say “we did the deal”, does that mean you sent money to someone?

Depending on HOW you sent the money (bank transfer, physical check in the mail, Western Union, PayPal, Venmo, USPS money order, etc) and HOW MUCH money is involved, you may have other resources available to pursue the scammer.

Did you ever talk to him on the phone?
Did you get any verification that the gun was in his possession and not a file photo? (Something like: “put two paper clips and a quarter next to the trigger and take a picture”)
Is that address where the money was sent?

These are things to help others.

 

[SaltyGator]

Unfortunately no, I'm newer to this and guess I just learned the hard way. I did none of those smart things you mentioned. I sent him $750 via Venmo. Full conversation from PMs is:

Conversation at Florida, Alabama, Gulf Coast Gun Talk (https://www.gulfcoastgunforum.com)

Title: JM stamped Marlin 336
Conversation starter: Loxz34
Start date: 2023-01-20T23:49:41+00:00
Last reply date: 2023-01-21T20:26:29+00:00
Loxz34: Loxz34
Participants : SaltyGator, Loxz34

User: Loxz34
Date: 2023-01-20T23:49:41+00:00
Message:

Hey man,
As regards your post, still looking? Let me know.
Thanks.

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User: SaltyGator
Date: 2023-01-20T23:50:57+00:00
Message:

Hey man,
As regards your
post, still looking? Let me know.
Thanks.

I am, do you have something?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: Loxz34
Date: 2023-01-21T00:25:43+00:00
Message:

Thanks for getting back. I have an excellent condition JM Marlin 336 30-30 older
pre-lock model I'm willing to part with. Production year is 1948.
Pretty much
been a safe queen. Fired about 100 rounds through, works flawlessly. Just
looking to clear out shelf space and fund really cool projects. I'm asking $750
for it, let me know if this interest you.

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User: SaltyGator
Date: 2023-01-21T02:39:38+00:00
Message:

Would you take $700, I can meet you with cash tomorrow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: Loxz34
Date: 2023-01-21T05:08:01+00:00
Message:

Where are you located? I'm in Tampa, FL.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: SaltyGator
Date: 2023-01-21T05:43:39+00:00
Message:

Where are you located? I'm
in Tampa, FL.

Oh didn’t know you were down there, that’s a bummer,
I live up in Pace by Pensacola. I am going to be down in Gainesville Feb 5 if
you would want to meet me there. I’ll pay $750 if you do since you’d be
traveling a couple hours too.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: Loxz34
Date: 2023-01-21T12:41:44+00:00
Message:


I don't travel much, not sure how we could make this work.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: Loxz34
Date: 2023-01-21T12:42:35+00:00
Message:

Would shipping to your local FFL work for you? Probably the easy way around
this. Let me know your thoughts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: SaltyGator
Date: 2023-01-21T13:28:56+00:00
Message:

Would shipping to your
local FFL work for you? Probably the easy way around this. Let me know your
thoughts.

Yea I’m fine going the FFL route, have you ever shipped a
firearm before?

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User: SaltyGator
Date: 2023-01-21T14:38:28+00:00
Message:

Yea I’m fine going
the FFL route, have you ever shipped a firearm before?

There are a few
FFLs on here, I can find one of them.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: Loxz34
Date: 2023-01-21T14:57:25+00:00
Message:


Yes, I have shipped firearm a few times in the past.
You will have to talk to
your local gun shop about receiving a gun for you. Let me know if your FFL
accepts shipment from individual or I have to ship via my local FFL, I'm cool
with either.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: Loxz34
Date: 2023-01-21T14:59:08+00:00
Message:

There are a few FFLs on
here, I can find one of them.

Sounds good. Once you find one, shoot me
their info.
Thanks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: SaltyGator
Date: 2023-01-21T15:02:36+00:00
Message:

Sounds good. Once you find
one, shoot me their info.
Thanks.

Will do, I’ll try to find one today
if they’re open. We can go to text if you want.

Dan
850-501-0680

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: SaltyGator
Date: 2023-01-21T17:10:15+00:00
Message:

Will do, I’ll try to
find one today if they’re open. We can go to text if you
want.

Dan
850-501-0680

I just talked to this guy, Larry. He’s one
of the FFLs listed on the forum and he’ll take private sales. He needs you to
email him a copy of your drivers license.

For price, will you do $750 shipped?
Also, do you have Venmo?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: Loxz34
Date: 2023-01-21T17:54:13+00:00
Message:

Awesome! I will shoot him a copy of my drivers license once I get off work. I
can send you a copy as well for your record, do you have an email?
$750 shipped
would work.
As regards payment, I usually prefer Zelle for firearm related
sales. I have Zelle via my Bank, let me know if Zelle works for you.

Thanks

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: SaltyGator
Date: 2023-01-21T18:00:21+00:00
Message:

Awesome! I will shoot him a
copy of my drivers license once I get off work. I can send you a copy as well
for your record, do you have an email?
$750 shipped would work.
As regards
payment, I usually prefer Zelle for firearm related sales. I have Zelle via my
Bank, let me know if Zelle works for you.

Awesome! I will shoot him a copy of my drivers license
once I get off work. I can send you a copy as well for your record, do you have
an email?
$750 shipped would work.
As regards payment, I usually prefer Zelle
for firearm related sales. I have Zelle via my Bank, let me know if Zelle works
for you.

Thanks

I don’t have Zelle but I’ll look into it. Will it
let you send me an invoice? Saltygator81@gmail.com

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User: Loxz34
Date: 2023-01-21T18:06:09+00:00
Message:

We can work with Venmo if that's easier for you.
Here's my Venmo info:
Venmo
tag: @Dennis-Farnes
last 4 digits: 8854
Name: Dennis Farnes

Will let you now
once email is sent to FFL. Let me now if you need anything else.
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User: SaltyGator
Date: 2023-01-21T18:33:57+00:00
Message:

We can work with Venmo if
that's easier for you.
Here's my Venmo info:
Venmo tag: @Dennis-Farnes
last 4
digits: 8854
Name: Dennis Farnes

Will let you now once email is sent to FFL.
Let me now if you need anything else.

I guess I should’ve asked
before any rust on the gun?

Also, what’s your email address and phone number?
No offense, I’ve never purchased online like this without a local meetup so
I’m just a little weary of sending $ and being ripped off.

Can you send me a
request for the payment and state the item in the comments? I don’t know if
that would do anything but it makes me feel a little better @saltygator81 or my
email address above. As soon as I get the FFL email I’ll send over the $.
When should you be able to ship it?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
User: Loxz34
Date: 2023-01-21T19:50:26+00:00
Message:

No rust at all on the gun. I would ship out Monday AM, will send you tracking
info.
Email with drivers license copy has been sent to your FFL, sending a copy
to your email as well.
I sent you a payment request on Venmo as well,
description put as "336".
Also I have reviews on Gunbroker, username
"dennisz1992". This would always turnout to be another positive experience.
[URL
unfurl="true"]https://www.gunbroker.com/a/feedback/profile/4672862[/URL]

Here's
my info:
Dennis Farnes
11815 Lancashire Dr,
Tampa FL
33626
dennisfr433@gmail.com
406-838-6781

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User: Loxz34
Date: 2023-01-21T20:26:29+00:00
Message:

He has sent me a copy of his FFL license. I think we are good to go!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Snake-Eyes]

I would edit out everyone’s personal info:
-definitely your phone number and email address
-his phone number, email and snail mail addresses
-etc

He was supposed to mail it yesterday. Did he mention via what carrier? (USPS, FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc)
Did you speak on the phone, ever?
Did you contact your FFL to verify they both emailed each other?

Does Venmo have any recourse for ”stop payment” or scam recovery of funds?

When you say “radio silence”, did you send an email and he hasn’t responded? Or did you try calling him direct?

Yeah, there’s a lot to unravel…. until it’s definitive, I’d remove his personal info. Regardless, I recommend removing your personal info immediately.

Just use the “edit” option at the bottom of that post, delete the info, and hit “Save”.

For what it’s worth, I “reported” one of your posts. Hopefully a moderator contacts you soon.

 

[Raven]

@Longtooth

 

[Raven]

Does Venmo have any recourse for ”stop payment” or scam recovery of funds?

When you say “radio silence”, did you send an email and he hasn’t responded? Or did you try calling him direct?

Yeah, there’s a lot to unravel…. until it’s definitive, I’d remove his personal info. Regardless, I recommend removing your personal info immediately.

Regardless of his intentions and whether or not "its in the mail" the seller photoshopped and faked the driver's license. It's already definitive. He's shady and should be banned for life

 

[BluesBrother]

Don't deal with @Loxz34 he is a scammer that went by Dennis Farnes. He ripped me off and will rip you off too. Pieces of shit like this will get their due one day.

Let's hope that they do, in spades. Something similar happened to me on Florida Gun Trader or Arms List a few years ago. I prey the a$$hole burns in hell. I will never use that site. I encourage others to do the same. That site is a magnet for the POS.

 

[Snake-Eyes]

Regardless of his intentions and whether or not "its in the mail" the seller photoshopped and faked the driver's license. It's already definitive. He's shady and should be banned for life

True.

I just noticed that the address on the photoshopped DL doesn’t match the address he gave in the “here’s my info” message. 1118 vs 11815

Maybe Venmo will have some options to retrieve the money.

 

[SaltyGator]

True.

I just noticed that the address on the photoshopped DL doesn’t match the address he gave in the “here’s my info” message. 1118 vs 11815

Maybe Venmo will have some options to retrieve the money.

I missed that too I created a dispute with Venmo, we'll see if they can do anything. At the very least they have to have a record of the bank account the funds went to unless he's smart and requests a check. But then maybe they can run a stop payment on the check.

 

[Raven]

I got my people working on the driver's license

 

[BluesBrother]

I missed that too I created a dispute with Venmo, we'll see if they can do anything. At the very least they have to have a record of the bank account the funds went to unless he's smart and requests a check. But then maybe they can run a stop payment on the check.

The cost of a stop payment is on you. The fee could be as high as $50. Scamers rely on this fact. Vigilance and skepticism are the best and maybe only weapons.

 

[SaltyGator]

The cost of a stop payment is on you. The fee could be as high as $50. Scamers rely on this fact. Vigilance and skepticism are the best and maybe only weapons.

I paid through Venmo, I created a dispute with them and I'm waiting to hear back. I'll gladly pay $50 to get $700 back

 

[BluesBrother]

I paid through Venmo, I created a dispute with them and I'm waiting to hear back. I'll gladly pay $50 to get $700 back

Whoa, I guess so. Mine was through PayPal. Zero help from them.

 

[Smith_586]

I remember something similar that happened to me a couple years on armslist. Luckily I knew it was a scam and didn’t fall for it. Someone contacted me about a sig p320xfive I had posted and was going to send a money order/ certified check and it was way more than the amount for the gun, it was clearly faked and I contacted the actual company the check was from and dude got mad and ghosted. Be wary of sending money or cashing soemthing for an online transaction.

 

[SaltyGator]

Whoa, I guess so. Mine was through PayPal. Zero help from them.

Venmo said they're escalating the claim but said it may take 6-7 business days. I told them well that's plenty of time to cash a check or transfer the money to another account...

 

[Deersniper270]

I work in banking and just so anyone who reads this knows…

Most banks are moving away from disputing transactions through 3rd parties like Venmo, PayPal, cash app, etc. it’s like handing someone cash and never seeing them again. If you are lucky you might get one of the 3rd parties to stop or reverse the transaction before it posts but most the time it takes too long to investigate and they will just do nothing because hey what are you going to do about it? In recent months there have been more scams coming from Zelle so anyone asking to use Zelle should put you on alert.

Not much in the way of protection when it comes to using a 3rd party funds transfer. Zero from your bank and run around from them because that’s how they make money and you consented to the transaction. It’s like buying a gift card and giving the card number to someone. Only the amount the gift card or funds transfer was for can be disputed. Like if you meant to send $100 and they sent $1000 in error. But you have to have a ton of evidence of the error.

 

[G-rat]

Doodes been banned. Sorry you had to learn a VERY hard lesson. Contact law enforcement and get a case started... paper trails can be your friend.

 

[FLT]

All the scammers are the reason I stopped doing anything thing other than face to face. It’s made a couple of legitimate buyers angry , but I’m not likely do a deal any other way.