You get a call from a credit card company that you don’t have a card with. They tell you that there’s a card that’s been opened in your name and that it was used to buy (illegal) firearms. Now, you’re cautious, so you check to make sure it’s a legitimate number for the company, and it seems to be.
They talk to you for a bit, telling you all sorts of things about the shipment, and then transfer you to either the local police department or a federal agency (Homeland Security or the FBI). The agent there will get you on Teams, Zoom, or similar, show a badge, talk to you, even persuade you to send money and be monitored. Both groups ask for information.
Eventually, you’ll get the idea to call the credit card company, who tells you that there is no card in your name. And when you contact law enforcement, you’re told that there is no person by that name.
There is a variation where the caller is from the USPIS (US Postal Inspection Service) and the item in question is a gun part (typically a silencer marked as a vacuum cleaner), and you’re transfered to a FBI or Homeland Security agent.
The combination of both is why I’m calling this one the Gun Purchase and Shipping scam.
How to protect yourself
Here’s the red flags you should look out for:
Legitimate numbers for companies can and will be spoofed. Always hang up and call the company to verify. If you’re being told they’re law enforcement, reach out to the relevant agency. Anybody can buy a fairly convincing badge/fake ID.
Credit card companies don’t know what you’ve bought, generally speaking. They might know that you’ve bought something for $855.77 at Bob’s Liberty and Justice For All Tactical Outfitters, but they don’t know what you bought there. For all they know, you bought a laptop!
Even if a company finds out that there was identity theft as part of a sale, they don’t tell you. They tell the relevant law enforcement.
Law Enforcement tends to come to your door, or sends your local law enforcement to your door if you’re not local to them. They don’t contact you via Teams/Zoom/Signal/Telegram etc.
In addition, things related to guns are not the providence of the FBI or DHS; they’re handled by a different federal agency.
It’s impressive how fast a private company can connect you to a law enforcement agency when said agencies never answer their phones!
No, even other government agencies can’t reach a person in another agency that fast. Heck, sometimes it’s hard to get someone in their own agency to answer the phone!
For domestic packages, you are not required to show ID or declare what the item is. The postal clerks don’t care as long as it’s not something prohibited. Declarations are for international packages, and you are generally not required to show ID for those, either.
And as always, government agents will not ask you for money, and they certainly won’t ask for it in crypto/gift cards/wire transfers.
Basically, like many other scammers, they’re hoping that the combo of law enforcement agency, supposed fraud, and guns will keep you from thinking clearly. Don’t give out personal information. In fact, unless you’re a victim of a crime don’t talk to law enforcement at all. And if someone tells you that you’re under investigation and will be arrested if you tell anyone… multiple red flags, run!