I recently tried to purchase a gun from Gunbroker.com. During the sign up process I was informed that my "Information could not be verified" and they needed a copy of my driver's license and utility bill showing my home address and asked that it be sent to a fax number. I was not interested in providing that info to what is basically just a match making service so I inquired further to their support contacts.
This is the conversation that follows
ME: When I registered with your site I was told that I needed to submit a copy of my drivers lic and copy of my utility bill. I am not interested in providing this. Is this a standard requirement of doing business with Gunbroker.com?
GBSupport: It is required if we are unable to verify your contact information.
ME: What information were you unable to verify? Obviously my email works and I am a live person who can respond. Did you try to call my phone number? My address is a physical address which can be looked up on Google maps. So what information were you unable to verify?
GBSupport: Our verification service is run by Equifax and it looks like you have requested a security freeze through them so they were unable to verify your information.
I do in fact have a security freeze on my credit reports. I have a armed stalker who has my Social security number and is following me around continuing to harass me and law enforcement has been no help. The fact that GunBrokers.com was aware that I had a freeze on my credit report tells me that they did attempt to run a credit report. They did not ask for permission nor notify me of an attempt to run a credit report. This seems like a extreme invasion of privacy and brings to mind the question of is Gunbroker.com following national laws on not keeping a list of gun purchaser. They also may have violated credit reporting laws by pulling my credit report without requesting permission from me before hand.
I understand the need to keep criminals from purchasing guns, but GunBroker.com is not the seller nor buyer. They are merely a match making service and have no responsibility in the purchase beyond match making. A requirement of a purchase through Gunbroker.com is that all sales are done through a FFL. It is the FFLs responsibility to do background checks and verify my legal right to purchase a firearm NOT Gunbroker.com.
Equifax is a data broker. Once a background check is run on an individual from a certain merchant that individual is now on a list of "gun purchasers". That list is now available to anyone for a price. This can include magazine publishers, merchants selling to gun enthusiast, or even the government who wants to know everyone who purchases a gun. This is exactly the type of list that is unlawful throughout much of the country. No where else that I might purchase a firearm am I exposed to this sort of invasion or privacy that does not have legal checks and balances. While my background is checked at my local FFL or gun show to verify that I am in fact legally allowed to purchase a firearm, that information cannot be sold, used for any other reason other than to confirm my legal ability to own or purchase a firearm. There are also time limits on the storage of that data, usually less then one month. No such requirements exist for companies like Equifax.
While I applaud any efforts to keep guns out of the hands of criminals I am completely against any violations state and federal law to do so. I am a Veteran and a law abiding citizen legally allowed to own a firearm and Gunbroker.com has ZERO need to know my credit back ground and history.
This is the conversation that follows
ME: When I registered with your site I was told that I needed to submit a copy of my drivers lic and copy of my utility bill. I am not interested in providing this. Is this a standard requirement of doing business with Gunbroker.com?
GBSupport: It is required if we are unable to verify your contact information.
ME: What information were you unable to verify? Obviously my email works and I am a live person who can respond. Did you try to call my phone number? My address is a physical address which can be looked up on Google maps. So what information were you unable to verify?
GBSupport: Our verification service is run by Equifax and it looks like you have requested a security freeze through them so they were unable to verify your information.
I do in fact have a security freeze on my credit reports. I have a armed stalker who has my Social security number and is following me around continuing to harass me and law enforcement has been no help. The fact that GunBrokers.com was aware that I had a freeze on my credit report tells me that they did attempt to run a credit report. They did not ask for permission nor notify me of an attempt to run a credit report. This seems like a extreme invasion of privacy and brings to mind the question of is Gunbroker.com following national laws on not keeping a list of gun purchaser. They also may have violated credit reporting laws by pulling my credit report without requesting permission from me before hand.
I understand the need to keep criminals from purchasing guns, but GunBroker.com is not the seller nor buyer. They are merely a match making service and have no responsibility in the purchase beyond match making. A requirement of a purchase through Gunbroker.com is that all sales are done through a FFL. It is the FFLs responsibility to do background checks and verify my legal right to purchase a firearm NOT Gunbroker.com.
Equifax is a data broker. Once a background check is run on an individual from a certain merchant that individual is now on a list of "gun purchasers". That list is now available to anyone for a price. This can include magazine publishers, merchants selling to gun enthusiast, or even the government who wants to know everyone who purchases a gun. This is exactly the type of list that is unlawful throughout much of the country. No where else that I might purchase a firearm am I exposed to this sort of invasion or privacy that does not have legal checks and balances. While my background is checked at my local FFL or gun show to verify that I am in fact legally allowed to purchase a firearm, that information cannot be sold, used for any other reason other than to confirm my legal ability to own or purchase a firearm. There are also time limits on the storage of that data, usually less then one month. No such requirements exist for companies like Equifax.
While I applaud any efforts to keep guns out of the hands of criminals I am completely against any violations state and federal law to do so. I am a Veteran and a law abiding citizen legally allowed to own a firearm and Gunbroker.com has ZERO need to know my credit back ground and history.