Beware Internet/Web deals and ads for ammuntion.

[puma guy]

Yesterday I received notifications from CCI and Federal regarding hackers who put up websites that perfectly mimic their pages. I had already been scammed. Three weeks ago I got a notification from Nosler and ordered some .223 Rem ammo and paid with PayPal. The site allowed me to set up an account, even had a bounce back verification email, Listed an email contact and phone number for customer service. To my surprise my PayPal account showed a payment to an individual's name - totally unrelated. In addition they adjusted the payment for more than the purchase price. Unfortunately PayPal allowed the adjustment, which was an additional 4 bucks to the original $77 and change. I called and emailed the website customer service and got a recorded message to leave my name, etc for a call back. Called PayPal and got an iffy response from some guy in India and he said I would get a case number by email. That didn't but oddly a few hours later I got a an email saying my payment had been refunded. Sure enough I got the refund to my credit card. It was pending for a couple of days as they processed it, but it removed from my balance. I Googled Nosler's customer service phone number and thru the robo operator left my name and number fro a call back, Sort of like the fake website, but a very nice, cordial gentleman called me a couple of hours later. I explained my situation and the first thing he asked was "Did you pay with PayPal?" Then he said we don't accept PayPal was his reply and he told me all the ammo companies, Nosler, Hornady, etc, were getting hit by hackers. When I went to the actual Nosler site and compared them they were identical, item photos, descriptions, tabs for product selections, etc. My advice is if you get an alert from an ammo vender or any vendor, Google their Customer Service Phone number to make certain the url is actually theirs. I should have done that myself since about two years a ago I was buying a Walther PPK/s .22 pistol and a website came up that looked absolutely legitimate. I got to the payment page and it said they only accepted Zelle and Bitcoin for payment. I set up a Zelle account on my bank, but before I paid I looked up Walther's CS phone number and was told they'd been trying to get the website I got scammed by eliminated with no success. The fake website was WaltherUSA and the real one has no USA in the url. Sorry to be so long winded, but those criminals are very sophisticated and getting better all the time. The fake Walther site still comes up in searches for Walther firearm. Of course the caveat goes for all firearm, ammo and related companies. Just be aware and beware.

[mrvmax]

Here are my suggestions, first, get rid of PayPal. Not only are they anti-gun, they have seized personal accounts when they deem they violate their TOS. Yes, PayPal is convenient, but why support those against our rights? Try closing your PayPal account and see how they make it really difficult in order to keep making money off you. It took a lot of effort for me to close mine down. You agree to their TOS and have little repercussions when they want to take your money.

Second, only purchase using credit cards. With AI the scams are getting more sophisticated and credit cards allow reimbursement for fraud.

[JustSomeOldGuy]

I'm seeing a load of ammo sale ads on Facebook that are being made to look like companies like PSA, S&W, Federal, etc but are unrelated or iffy url's.....

[puma guy]

Here are my suggestions, first, get rid of PayPal. Not only are they anti-gun, they have seized personal accounts when they deem they violate their TOS. Yes, PayPal is convenient, but why support those against our rights? Try closing your PayPal account and see how they make it really difficult in order to keep making money off you. It took a lot of effort for me to close mine down. You agree to their TOS and have little repercussions when they want to take your money.

Second, only purchase using credit cards. With AI the scams are getting more sophisticated and credit cards allow reimbursement for fraud.

Apparently PayPal discovered the fraud quickly after my phone call and refunded the funds to my CC. I buy a lot of items online and from Ebay including gun parts. PayPal has always corrected every problem I've ever had with a seller; I always use a CC with PayPal's service. I know they are not 2A friendly, but some Ebay sellers only accept PayPal.

[RoyGBiv]

I clicked a link on another gun forum. Seems Sig wanted to sell me 9mm at 6.99/box of 50.
I loaded 1,000 rounds into my cart and they offered me a Romeo-X compact for $100. Of course I took them up on it.
Payment was limited to PayPal.

LOL. I wish those were legit prices.

[mayor]

Apparently PayPal discovered the fraud quickly after my phone call and refunded the funds to my CC. I buy a lot of items online and from Ebay including gun parts. PayPal has always corrected every problem I've ever had with a seller; I always use a CC with PayPal's service. I know they are not 2A friendly, but some Ebay sellers only accept PayPal.

I don't buy from any seller that only accepts paypal as I don't have an account.

Here are my suggestions, first, get rid of PayPal. Not only are they anti-gun, they have seized personal accounts when they deem they violate their TOS. Yes, PayPal is convenient, but why support those against our rights? Try closing your PayPal account and see how they make it really difficult in order to keep making money off you. It took a lot of effort for me to close mine down. You agree to their TOS and have little repercussions when they want to take your money.

Second, only purchase using credit cards. With AI the scams are getting more sophisticated and credit cards allow reimbursement for fraud.

And I use only one credit for making purchases by internet and it has a low available balance.

[RoyGBiv]

I don't buy from any seller that only accepts paypal as I don't have an account.

FWIW, you can make purchases via the PP payments page using a regular credit or debit card as a "guest", without needing a PP account.

I agree with you that PP is a company to avoid...

I recently found out that Venmo is owned by PP (since 2013)... I try to avoid them too.

[puma guy]

Apparently PayPal discovered the fraud quickly after my phone call and refunded the funds to my CC. I buy a lot of items online and from Ebay including gun parts. PayPal has always corrected every problem I've ever had with a seller; I always use a CC with PayPal's service. I know they are not 2A friendly, but some Ebay sellers only accept PayPal.

I don't buy from any seller that only accepts paypal as I don't have an account.

The website posing as Nosler that I mentioned had other payment options, not just PayPal. They accepted CC's and some others I can't recall. As I said these posers are very good and their fake websites perfectly mimic the legitimate vendors. The categories, selections, drop down menus, product photos and descriptions all look real, identical to Noslers. They even mimicked the Clearance tab and product listings that Nosler has on their website. To be sure you have the legitimate vendor website do a Google search for the customer service phone, call it and ask if the url you got the offer from is the same as theirs. As I said in my post the Walther fakers used one that you would think is real.