Fake Websites

[BBOWL10]

Hello,
I am a new member here and I introduced myself in the new member section. I believe this has already been discussed but I am seeing more fake websites claiming to have stock on things we all know are hard to find. I think they are all being run by the same unscrupulous people under different websites with different formats.
All of these websites claim to have thousands of percussion caps in stock, all brands of black powder, and BH209 (for the other crowd).
If the suppliers we have all patronized and trusted for years don’t have it then these fly by night companies don’t have it either.
Another giveaway is the payment method. They frequently use cash apps for payment instead of debit or credit card. You have no recourse through these methods if you pay that way and there is fraud or some other issue.
Buyer Beware!
It’s a shame these people try and take advantage of a shortage to make a quick buck.

midwestreloads.com is one of them
Maxammodepot.com is another

 

[springfield art]

Hello,
I am a new member here and I introduced myself in the new member section. I believe this has already been discussed but I am seeing more fake websites claiming to have stock on things we all know are hard to find. I think they are all being run by the same unscrupulous people under different websites with different formats.
All of these websites claim to have thousands of percussion caps in stock, alol brands of black powder, and BH209 (for the other crowd).
If the suppliers we have all patronized and trusted for years don’t have it then these fly by night companies don’t have it either.
Another giveaway is the payment method. They frequently use cash apps for payment instead of debit or credit card. You have no recourse through these methods if you pay that way and there is fraud or some other issue.
Buyer Beware!
It’s a shame these people try and take advantage of a shortage to make a quick buck.

midwestreloads.com is one of them

That's how they make a "living"! We should all be on to them by now!

 

[Brokennock]

If you have doubts about a company,,, and some of the scam websites do take regular debit/credit cards, look up the address the list. Use Google maps, does it list that business there? Any business there? Does the location in the town seem a likely place for a business?
Here's one that I used,,,, call the chamber of commerce of that town, give them the address and ask about the business. If there is a business at that address,,, call them.

A few months ago I got an urge for a back up to my little scandi grind fixed blade that I carry every day. None of the vendors I usually use for modern knives had one,,,,, but, one website I hadn't done business with before listed it,,, and at a really good price.
So I got out my debit card and ordered it..... Then the suspicious messages started. Something seemed odd about the order confirmation email, I can't remember what exactly. But, I knew I'd been screwed when the next email was about shipping and how they were working on getting my package onto a ship, and then a bunch of notices about shipping by sea and keeping me updated on my package's progress,,,,, the business was listed as being in the Midwest and the knife manufacturer is also in the US.

I did all I listed above. The lady at that town's chamber of commerce was very pleasant and confirmed that there was a business at that location,,,, a nice little gift and curio shop .
I called the shop,,,, the lady there sighed heavily..... She told me that I wasn't the 1st and that several fake businesses had used her address in the past.

My bank took a bunch of info from me and a month or so later I had my money back.

Another tip off,,, it wouldn't have worked with the knife as there weren't any,,, but,,, read the reviews of the items. Read them out loud if you have to. Why? How do they sound? Do they sound like they've been translated or like English is not the writer's 1st language,,,,, and do they all sound like they were written by the same person. I ran into this with a "dealer" of modern ammo, early in the 2020 ammo shortage, who was advertising on social media. I looked into his website and things seemed fishy. All the reviews were strangely worded and seemed the same.... And his shipping prices weren't listed because he didn't use any of the usual companies,,,, no way was he or his friends getting my address.

 

[BeardedGunsmith]

If they only take zelle, bitcoin, etc.... and not credit card then you can definitely put them on the fake list.

 

[vintovka]

Both sites do appear to be scams

 

[BBOWL10]

Both sites do appear to be scams

Here is a good article about the situation:

https://www.outdoorlife.com/guns/scam-ammo-websites/

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

It's not a fake website.. It's actually a real website - they are just not a legal business. Just had to put that out there. Now with that being said yes it shameful and people fall for it everyday. I have buddies say well let me try a small order just to see, that way if its a scam I'm not out much.. That's how they make their money in small doses over a large crowd. Most people feel silly for being scammed or knew there was a chance and don't report it.

 

[User_Dan]

It's not just ammo, I am an a different outdoor retailer industry and there are copies of our website out there stealing customers money. It take legal months to get them shut down and days for a new one to pop up.

 

[vintovka]

It's not a fake website.. It's actually a real website - they are just not a legal business. Just had to put that out there. Now with that being said yes it shameful and people fall for it everyday. I have buddies say well let me try a small order just to see, that way if its a scam I'm not out much.. That's how they make their money in small doses over a large crowd. Most people feel silly for being scammed or knew there was a chance and don't report it.

If our govt cannot control these scammers it reflects the absence of actual enforcement powers.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

If our govt cannot control these scammers it reflects the absence of actual enforcement powers.

Our government has no control over these sights if they are being run in foreign countries like most are. All our government can do is discuss it as far as foreign policies.

 

[vintovka]

Our government has no control over these sights if they are being run in foreign countries like most are. All our government can do is discuss it as far as foreign policies.

Still seems to shows both us and the world the US is in a weakened position. Clear sign to scammers its open season?

 

[Sam squanch]

If our govt cannot control these scammers it reflects the absence of actual enforcement powers.

One hundred and twenty years ago our flag would have been planted in that nation’s capitol…..

 

[vintovka]

"It's actually a real website - they are just not a legal business."

Not thieves just crooks???

 

[Old-Duckman]

I use SCAM-DETECTOR.COM when I have a question about any possible website.

https://www.scam-detector.com/validator/midwestreloads-com-safety-review-scam-risk-or-legit-site/

The above link is their evaluation of midwestreloads.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Our government has no control over these sights if they are being run in foreign countries like most are. All our government can do is discuss it as far as foreign policies.

Actually that's not quite correct.
The sites are found by people using web browsers like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Some of them also have Facebook pages.
The web browser and social media companies CAN and DO mess around with what comes up on a search. They modified their algorithms in the past they claim, for example, to avoid directing searchers to "fake news" during the 2020 election cycle. This included blocking certain sites from coming up at all.
They can do the same for swindle sites..., but they normally don't, and Congress can force them to do this by threatening regulation and taxes if they don't...

LD

 

[wiscoaster]

It's not a fake website.. It's actually a real website - they are just not a legal business. Just had to put that out there. ....

That is correct. Anybody that's got a few bucks to register a unique domain name can get a host and put up a website. The website is real. What they have to say or offer might not be. Browser beware.

 

[wiscoaster]

There is a website called "whois" where you can look up the registrar information for any website. Thing is, most site owners also buy domain privacy. For example, one of my sites:
https://www.whois.com/whois/logbookstories.com
There's no way you call tell who I am from that information. You note you can contact the site owner through the proxy, however.

 

[Howard Pippin]

That's how they make a "living"! We should all be on to them by now!

Why people buy from sites like this are a mystery to me. There's a lot of good sites out there from midway to track of the wolf that have everything I need and at a fair price. Time has taught me that if sounds too good to be true, then it's not true.
Squint

 

[Old-Duckman]

Why people buy from sites like this are a mystery to me. There's a lot of good sites out there from midway to track of the wolf that have everything I need and at a fair price. Time has taught me that if sounds too good to be true, then it's not true.
Squint

P.T. Barnum

“There is a fool born every minute.”

“No man ever went broke overestimating the ignorance of the American public.”

 

[vintovka]

Add that no body really knows the value of dollar anymore?