Trijicon Reports Their Customers to the DOD!

[SayNo2NWO]

Yeah, this pissed me off. Of course if something is stolen I believe it should be made right. That said, this whole thing really rubbed me the wrong way.

A few months ago I purchased an ACOG from another Calgunner. It was a little beat up, but worked fine and he told me Trijicon does refurbish their optics. I figured when I recouped some cash, I'd contact Trijicon and have them fix the cracked light pipe, etc.

On Dec 12, I filled out the RA form on the Triji website and the next day I received the following email from Jimmy Reed with veiled assumptions of legal misconduct and threats of confiscation:

Mr. Lewis,

Thank you for the needed information, however we have confirmed that the provided serial number and model number are correct. Our records also indicate that this product was originally sold to the U.S. Government and therefore, we are required to report this communication to the Department of Defense Investigation Group so that they can determine if this product was removed from government inventory legally or not. Please do not be alarmed if you are contacted by the Department of Defense once a decision has been made to pursue an investigation of the incident. Please contact us if you require further assistance.

You still have the option to have the optic repaired, all repairs will be non-warranty and will be at a cost to you the customer. Please keep in mind that the DOD, at anytime can confiscate or request the optic be returned to the US Government. Any money paid for the repair of the optic would not be refunded.

Regards;

Jimmy Reed

Am I wrong to assume this could have been handled way more tactfully? Needless to say, I was pretty upset by this response and the following day on Dec 14 I wrote back to Mr. Reed (to date I've heard no response):

By the way Jimmy, this is my first time purchase of a Trijicon optic and first time contact with your company and I have to say, I'm shocked and appalled by your "customer service". Having no prior experience of your company or its policies, I'm left with a very dim view and many questions. For one, is the government forbidden from selling their optics after your company's initial sale to them? I'm just curious since it sounds like you're assuming criminal conduct here? Or is criminal conduct simply assumed when it comes to this client of yours?

That said, should we warn all your potential "civilian" customers that should they choose to purchase one of your company's optics second hand and then contact you for service that you may report and tacitly threaten them with alphabet agency investigations and "confiscation"!? BTW, I wonder who would pay for that, and who's money did the government give to your company to buy "their" optics in the first place?

I'm not a government contractor, but am confused about this response from my inquiry to you. Why would you leave me, your now angry customer, hanging with this "we're telling on you" response, without giving me the opportunity to contact whoever it is you say you are reporting to with the DOD?

Is it your "policy" to threaten and anger your customers with the assumption of misconduct and then leave them wondering whether they've been duped by misconduct in government (yet again), then hang them out to dry with a "pursuit of investigation" and/or "confiscation" at any time threat? I would like some answers, Jimmy.

Sincerely angered... Jon

[Fishslayer]

I see no threats & I see no rudeness. They are required to notify the .gov & they informed you of their and .gov's policies.

Personally, if I was Jimmy I'd just send back your optic & tell you to pound sand.

EDIT: Wait! Whut? You bought an ACOG with a .gov SN on it from some random internet guy?

[Predaxian]

A few months ago I purchased an ACOG from another Calgunner.

Technically speaking, you're not Trijicon's customer. If you had bought from them, you wouldn't be in this situation. There's been tons of posts on this and other forums about this issue in the past few years, so it's not like the info about the risks wasn't available. Sorry for your troubles...I hope it works out for you.



Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk

[sofbak]

This...

I see no threats & I see no rudeness. They are required to notify the .gov & they informed you of their and .gov's policies.

Personally, if I was Jimmy I'd just send back your optic & tell you to pound sand.

EDIT: Wait! Whut? You bought an ACOG with a .gov SN on it from some random internet guy?

and this........

Technically speaking, you're not Trijicon's customer. If you had bought from them, you wouldn't be in this situation. There's been tons of posts on this and other forums about this issue in the past few years, so it's not like the info about the risks wasn't available.,,,,,

stop wearing you heart on your sleeve........

[MikeinCA]

I also considered buying a Trijicon ACOG TA31RCO advertised on Gunbroker for around $350. The pictures of the ACOG showed wear which indicated it had been used way beyond normal range use. I emailed the seller to reply with the serial #. I told the seller up front that I would use the serial # to verify w/ Trijicon as to the manufacture date, and if it was originally sold to the US Military.

The seller never responded to my email....

[vintagearms]

Your blaming Trijicon and NOT the Calgunner who may have sold you stolen Govt equipment? I would get a hold of the person you bought it from and get a refund.

[dieselpower]

All manufactures do this. There is a good chance you have bought STOLEN PROPERTY.

So let me explain so you and I are on the same page....

You buy a car and take it to a dealer to have it fixed. They look up the VIN and find out it was stolen. They tell you its stolen and they have to contact the police to report finding a stolen car...and you are upset they are calling the police... because you want to keep the stolen property. Now if someone stole something from you, would you want people to ignore the fact they found it...or would you like them to contact the police so you can get your stuff back?

Do I understand this situation correctly?

[dieselpower]

All manufactures do this. There is a good chance you have bought STOLEN PROPERTY.

So let me explain so you and I are on the same page....

You buy a car and take it to a dealer to have it fixed. They look up the VIN and find out it was stolen. They tell you its stolen and they have to contact the police to report finding a stolen car...and you are upset they are calling the police... because you want to keep the stolen property. Now if someone stole something from you, would you want people to ignore the fact they found it...or would you like them to contact the police so you can get your stuff back?

Do I understand this situation correctly?

[Ron-Solo]

You buy stolen government propery then get mad at Trijicon because they report it? You have got to be kidding.

How dare they not want to be part of a felony!

[SayNo2NWO]

Maybe I'm just too new ... and I don't understand why, b/c it was first sold to gov't, that it is now assumed stolen? I don't know its history nor gov't policies, but I suppose I wouldn't be surprised if they destroyed rather than sold their paraphernalia which we payed for. If I bought a used-to-be-police-black-'n-white, then brought it in to get fixed, should that be suspect to legal investigation too?

[call-in]

All manufactures do this. There is a good chance you have bought STOLEN PROPERTY.

So let me explain so you and I are on the same page....

You buy a car and take it to a dealer to have it fixed. They look up the VIN and find out it was stolen. They tell you its stolen and they have to contact the police to report finding a stolen car...and you are upset they are calling the police... because you want to keep the stolen property. Now if someone stole something from you, would you want people to ignore the fact they found it...or would you like them to contact the police so you can get your stuff back?

Do I understand this situation correctly?

I think there is a slight but very important detail that is being ignored in your example. The difference between the OP's situation and your example is that the car dealer checks the VIN to see if it is stolen before they call law enforcement. I would rather have trijicon ask DOD if the serial is reported as stolen before giving the OP's details.

[vintagearms]

Maybe I'm just too new ... and I don't understand why, b/c it was first sold to gov't, that it is now assumed stolen? I don't know its history nor gov't policies, but I suppose I wouldn't be surprised if they destroyed rather than sold their paraphernalia which we payed for.

http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=1093758

http://www.m4carbine.net/archive/index.php/t-11470.html

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1604564

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Stolen-Military-Equipment-Ends-With-Arrests-59271997.html

Lots of links about stolen ACOGS. Its not rare or uncommon.

[ke6guj]

Maybe I'm just too new ... and I don't understand why, b/c it was first sold to gov't, that it is now assumed stolen? I don't know its history nor gov't policies, but I suppose I wouldn't be surprised if they destroyed rather than sold their paraphernalia which we payed for. If I bought a used-to-be-police-black-'n-white, then brought it in to get fixed, should that be suspect to legal investigation too?

because we know that the LEAs sell off old police cars, but do you know of the federal government selling off surplus scopes recently?r

And your car example doesn't wash because cars come with a title. I would assume that you would expect to get a title when you bought that B&W, and then went to DMV to get it registered. YOu'd then have title to that car.

[SayNo2NWO]

No, what I'm upset about is that I was given no regard to contact whoever Trijicon supposedly contacted to find out myself whether it is or is not stolen. All I got was maybe an investigation will happen, maybe someone will contact you. Well, what if it's perfectly legit and nobody decides to let me know, now I'm left hanging wondering?

I felt I contacted them in earnest and was not given equal consideration, that's all. Like I said, of course if is illegitimate I would want it made right, I'm just taken aback that b/c it was originally gov't property then it's likely stolen and has to be investigated. Well, who can I contact to find out!? How can I help right a wrong!?

All manufactures do this. There is a good chance you have bought STOLEN PROPERTY.

So let me explain so you and I are on the same page....

You buy a car and take it to a dealer to have it fixed. They look up the VIN and find out it was stolen. They tell you its stolen and they have to contact the police to report finding a stolen car...and you are upset they are calling the police... because you want to keep the stolen property. Now if someone stole something from you, would you want people to ignore the fact they found it...or would you like them to contact the police so you can get your stuff back?

Do I understand this situation correctly?

[vintagearms]

No, what I'm upset about is that I was given no regard to contact whoever Trijicon supposedly contacted to find out myself whether it is or is not stolen. All I got was maybe an investigation will happen, maybe someone will contact you. Well, what if it's perfectly legit and nobody decides to let me know, now I'm left hanging wondering?

I felt I contacted them in earnest and was not given equal consideration, that's all. Like I said, of course if is illegitimate I would want it made right, I'm just taken aback that b/c it was originally gov't property then it's likely stolen and has to be investigated. Well, who can I contact to find out!? How can I help right a wrong!?

Try here. http://www.dispositionservices.dla.mil/