Possible Pistol Permit Re-Certification SCAM

[XGX7PM]

FYSA, SCOPE:

 

Pistol Permit Recertification Email

Several SCOPE members are getting emails about their pistol permit recertification and are, legitimately, concerned about a scam. SCOPE tried to get confirmation from the state police.

A visit to the state police web site is not helpful in confirming if these Emails are valid.

The state police web site “contact information” contains a phone number.  (You will have a better chance reaching the IRS on April 15^th).  We tried.  After a very long message you get to press 1 and end up in oblivion.

The web site also has an Email address - but it goes to the governor.  Good luck getting a timely response that does not refer you to the state police web site.

Finally, calling the local troop headquarters got a human being who tried to help.  She investigated and could only say, “We believe Emails are being sent out”.  She could not confirm yes or no and she cautioned not to click on any links in the Email.

Our best advice is to treat the Email as a reminder, only.  Do not click on the links.  Below is the information that SCOPE previously sent out.  It contains a legitimate link to start the recertification process.

The deadline for pistol permit renewal in New York is five years after your exact date of certification.

Examples: 1/1/2017 is due 1/1/2022; 1/31/2017 is due 1/31/2022; 1/1/2018 is due 1/1/2023

You can check on the date you certified on this site:  NYS Pistol Permit Recertification

You will need your driver's license number.

It's faster submitting the information on-line, but you can still submit a paper application

Information is available at the NY website.   NYS Pistol Permit Recertification

You will need all of the information on the pistols you will be submitting AND your New York Driver's license

SCOPE strongly suggests that, before sending the information in,
you TRIPLE CHECK the information, as just one mistake can cause a problem.

After submitting, you can go back to the "HOME PAGE" and check for confirmation that your application has been accepted and that you're "good".

Do yourself a big favor and print out the information so you can have it when you have to renew again.

[ADK Native]

Please, the following statement I am making is the to best of my recollection of a dangerous and heinous act committed in New York State endangering innocent lives.

Some years ago a person/organization requested under Freedom of Information the names and addresses of New York State pistol permit owners from the New York State Pistol Permit Bureau. The great State of New York allowed that sensitive information to be made public.  My recollection was the perpetrators believed that everyone should know who was in possession of a legal handgun,  They did not care about criminals having illegal handguns. I could not believe the accuracy of such sensitive information being made available to potential criminal use of knowing the locations of where handguns were stored and by whom.  this information was place online for all to see who in New York State had a pistol permit and of course handguns.  I lost the website...it was something like Pallidum or something like that, but I have since lost the information.  I was told by sources the site was taken down.

I first became aware of this exposure of pistol permit holder information because a newspaper located in Poughkeepsie, NY published it.  Sometime later they had received death threats and requested law enforcement assistance.  So they provided information of who and where handguns were located?  Sounds like a criminal act of providing information where criminals are to go and steal handguns.

So I am guessing, and only guessing that someone hacked or is using that old information.  I say hacked because I used certified snail mail, not using my email address.  I trust law enforcement with that information, but who hacked into their system to steal email addresses of those using it to do the SAFE Act required re-registration?

My suggestion is to NOT use email.  Just complete the form in hardcopy, certify mail to the NYSP and follow up in a couple of weeks where you can get a confirmation letter from the bureau that your re-registration has been received.  Also be sure you carry a copy of your registration form summited AND the document from NYSP confirming you did register.