[Jeff Higgins]

Any time a transaction if facilitated in any way through the use of the USPS, there is the ability to add "mail fraud" to any charges against a scam artist. In other words, if you mail payment in any form (it does not have to be a Postal Money Order), you can pursue mail fraud charges. Good luck with that one, though.

I filed a complaint with the USPS alledging mail fraud over that Gunbroker deal that went sour on me a few months back that I mentioned in another thread. The Postal Inspector does not pursue individual complaints; they look for "patterns". Even if the interstate sale of firearms is involved...

Speaking of which, Gunbroker finally got back with me over a month after the seller had re-listed and sold the gun. They clearly looked into the dispute between myself and the seller with all of the enthusiasm that PayPal investigated this watch dispute. In their reply to me, after their "investigation", they had simply cut and pasted the seller's feedback comments about me into their "resolution" verbage - "buyer did not send form of payment authorized in auction".

I responded that was absolute b.s., and asked if they had even read my complaint. It was clear to me at that point that Gunbroker had no interest in protecting me, and was there to cover for the sellers (who have paying accounts) rather than the buyers.

Myself, I'll never buy from an on-line auction site ever again. I use PayPal for certain things, but also learned long ago to only use a credit card, and not to leave money in my account. I think a lot of us are coming around full circle on this kind of internet buying. It was kind of novel at first. That has worn off. Not only because of the scam artists, but because of the folks who own the sites that facilitate the scamming. They could give a rat's ass if anyone gets screwed through the use of their site.