US Government Accountability Office Failed in Attempt to Illegally Buy 79 Guns Online
In a recently published report, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed that over a period of two and a half years, its agents attempted to purchase firearms illegally both on the darknet and the clearnet, but faced significant difficulties. The results of these experiments showed that buying guns online is not as easy as the media often claims. All attempts to purchase firearms on the clearnet ended in failure or scams, while on the darknet, agents managed to complete only 2 successful transactions out of 7 attempts.
Example of a firearm purchased by GAO agents on the darknet.
Why Did They Do This?
At the request of the US Congress, the GAO began a so-called “effectiveness audit” in July 2015, which concluded in November 2017. During this audit, agents tried to illegally buy firearms on the clearnet 72 times. In 56 cases, the seller simply refused to sell, and in 16 cases, the agents were scammed out of their money.
Is It Possible to Buy Guns on the Clearnet?
In the US, buying firearms online is legal through licensed gun dealers and even from legal gun owners residing in the same state. For the GAO, the following circumstances indicated an illegal gun sale:
- The seller knows you are in another country and is still willing to sell you a firearm.
- The seller knows you are not legally allowed to own a firearm and is still willing to sell it to you.
- The seller knows the firearm will be used for illegal purposes.
GAO Agents’ Attempts on the Clearnet
In 27 out of 72 attempts to buy firearms on the clearnet, sellers refused after learning the “buyers” had no legal right to own a gun. In 29 cases, sellers simply declined because they could not provide shipping for the firearm. This is likely due to federal firearms license regulations, which allow online sales but require in-person contact to complete the paperwork. Interestingly, in 5 cases, the deals failed because website owners had information and directly stated, “You are using GAO accounts,” even though this information is not publicly available. The remaining cases were scams.
GAO Agents’ Attempts on the Darknet
Of course, several attempts were also made on the darknet—specifically, seven. This was likely because agents found only seven suppliers who were not undercover government operatives. Two deals were successful: agents purchased an AK-47 assault rifle and a Uzi submachine gun.
What Else Is in the GAO Report?
The report also highlights cases where the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) used clearnet resources to investigate darknet users and gun sellers.
ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) is a federal agency under the US Department of Justice.
“For example, to identify anonymous users on the Internet, the ATF developed a special ‘digital user footprint’ left on the surface of the digital web,” the report states. ATF agents also actively registered on darknet forums, created threads, and communicated with gun sellers and buyers. By collecting and analyzing all this data, they used the information to identify darknet users, whether buyers or sellers.
Moreover, the agency collects statistics and maintains lists of darknet scammers who claim to “sell” firearms. These lists, of course, were used by the GAO during their audit.