e-FA10. It's officially a mess!

G

GOAL C.M.

FA-10 Form Alert

10/24/11 Update

Once again the state changes things with little to no information broadcast.

We received word from the state that going forward, for paper filing, only the official 3 part numbered FA10 forms will be accepted.

Please see our webpage on this issue for more information.

We would also like to point out, the discrepancies on the state website for e-filing the FA10, some of the things that jumped out at us are the "Moving to the state, register your guns here" and the "License validation before purchasing" areas.

At this time neither of these are required by law. GOAL is continuing to investigate this issue and will update as soon as info is available.

June 22, 2011 Update
Please see our webpage on this, we just posted a bunch of info in regards to this fiasco created by the FRB.

June 1, 2011 Update

GOAL Executive Director Jim Wallace just spoke to Jason Guida, Director of the FRB stating that paper FA10 forms will still be available and accepted.

We are still waiting for further information as to what the availability of the forms will be.

We have also requested the details of this in writing, when GOAL receives this information we will share it here first.

_____________________________________________________________________

May 26, 2011

Gun Owners’ Action League has recently received a letter from the Firearms Record Bureau (FRB) dated May 23, 2011. The letter is in regards to the new E-FA-10 Online Firearms Transaction Recording Application.

Most Massachusetts gun owners are familiar with the current FA-10 sales and transfer form. This form is required to be filed with the state whenever a gun is transferred, sold, etc. Under the law, licensed individuals in the state are allowed to privately transfer up to four guns in a calendar year utilizing the FA-10 form.

The letter from the FRB states that on June 1, 2011 the new online version of the form, the E-FA-10, will replace the current paper forms. What is unclear is whether or not the paper forms will still be available for those people who do not have access to the internet, high speed or not.

On Thursday, May 26, 2011 GOAL received a call from Senator Ben Downing’s office. The Senator’s staff stated that they had been in contact with agency personal and were assured that paper copies of the FA-10 would still be available through local police stations and so-forth. GOAL has received information from other sources that the paper forms will no longer be available.

Unfortunately, there seems to be no clear answer as of yet. GOAL will continue to work on the matter and keep our members informed of any new developments.
 
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this goes hand in hand with the FUD letter from EOPS, it's like way back when when they decided to outlaw pot without outlawing it....just passed a law that you need a tax stamp to make your pot legal and then never printed the stamps! plus make it so that having the pot without the stamp is illegal but require that you bring said pot to the place to get the stamp that doesn't exist. just the gubbmint up to their old tricks again.
 
Who benefits from digitizing these firearms transfer records?

ETA - or is the information on the paper form entered into a database already?
 
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low speed, high drag. as usual from mass dot gov [thinking] this is getting insane. i thank you mike, and all the staff for what you guys have to relay.

remember folks, don't shoot the messenger. [laugh].... damn! don't shoot me either!
 
Who benefits from digitizing these firearms transfer records?

ETA - or is the information on the paper form entered into a database already?

Since 1998 the FA-10 forms have been scanned and OCR'd into a database.

One reason for the e-file is that OCR is less than perfect and many of us have atrocious handwriting, so not everything scanned is accurate or even readable. They are looking to improve the accuracy of their database at CJIS.
 
The FRB/CHSB, putting the "Criminal and System" in the CHSB...

When individuals !@#4 up on this scale they get fired, fall into debt and some times have to answer to charges.

When corporations do it, they have to issue recalls, lose business, get sued and now and then get called before Congress to testify as to why their cars don't work.

When government does it, repeatedly, we do nothing... why is that?
 
Seeing how we are only allowed 4 transactions a year, I would go to my local P.D. and get 4 FA10's.....then wait a few weeks and go back and get 4 more, and if you think you need more, wait a week or two, then get four more.....now your covered for three years............if that doesn't satisfy you, go and apply for an FFL...............
 
On Thursday, May 26, 2011 GOAL received a call from Senator Ben Downing’s office. The Senator’s staff stated that they had been in contact with agency personal and were assured that paper copies of the FA-10 would still be available through local police stations and so-forth.

Really? Since they haven't been printing them since the shenanigans with the printer who copyrighted a state form not being allowed to be a state vendor last year, I call BS on this one.
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Me thinks that the Senator should press Mr Guida on this issue some more and ask him exactly WHERE these so-called available forms are coming from.

One reason for the e-file is that OCR is less than perfect and many of us have atrocious handwriting, so not everything scanned is accurate or even readable.

Not my problem, nor any of ours. CJIS wants the forms, let 'em read 'em one by one. I don't have very much sympathy for these half-witted incompetents after last year's flustercluck and now this one. [thinking]
 
I have a backup copy of the PDF. It's legible. They can read it and spend the time putting it into the system.

I'm paying them with my tax dollars anyways, might as well keep them busy.
 
We could all refuse to use FA-10 forms because they infringe our rights...

Does the law say we have to use an FA10, or just that we have to inform them of the particulars in writing? Can we just write a letter with all the information?
 
Does the law say we have to use an FA10, or just that we have to inform them of the particulars in writing? Can we just write a letter with all the information?

My belief is that we have to use their form.

and provided, further, that such resident reports within seven days, in writing to the commissioner of the department of criminal justice information services on forms furnished by said executive director, the names and addresses of the seller and the purchaser of any such large capacity feeding device, firearm, rifle or shotgun, together with a complete description of the firearm, rifle or shotgun, including its designation as a large capacity weapon, if applicable, the calibre, make and serial number and the purchaser's license to carry firearms number, permit to purchase number and identifying number of such documentation as is used to establish exempt person status in the case of a firearm or the purchaser's license to carry number or firearm identification card number or said document identity number, in the case of a rifle or shotgun.

Note the part in bold. Quote taken from here.
 
There is no way I would use an insecure Mass.gov website to safeguard that type of information.

I would insist that anybody who sells to me use the paper form. I'll even pay for postage and an envelope.

Just last month the Mass.gov unemployment website was hacked and hundreds of those people are now open to ID theft.

It would be a treasure trove of data to steal if hackers knew the addresses of gun owners and what guns they have.

What on Earth is the State thinking? Oh, maybe they want that to happen...

The more stolen guns, the more they can push for "gun control" for the law abiding people.
 
The FRB/CHSB, putting the "Criminal and System" in the CHSB...

When individuals !@#4 up on this scale they get fired, fall into debt and some times have to answer to charges.

When corporations do it, they have to issue recalls, lose business, get sued and now and then get called before Congress to testify as to why their cars don't work.

When government does it, repeatedly, we do nothing... why is that?

Not at all true! When government agencies screw up, they get bigger budgets so that they can study their previous problems, plan an entirely new and improved system, and begin to implement it. When that new system falls behind schedule, they get another increase to finish it. Then the process starts all over with the new and improved system, which (surprise!) has a whole set of new and improved problems (plus most of the old ones it was supposed to fix). Then the process starts all over again.

Ken
 
I wonder what would happen if the system was flooded with bogus/made up purchases/transactions?

Just fill in a fake name, address, license number, etc.

There's probably no verification or cross checking to ensure that the names, address', license numbers are legit.

FWIW... I see no mention of perjury or making false statements on the current PDF form.
 
I wonder what would happen if the system was flooded with bogus/made up purchases/transactions?

Just fill in a fake name, address, license number, etc.

There's probably no verification or cross checking to ensure that the names, address', license numbers are legit.

FWIW... I see no mention of perjury or making false statements on the current PDF form.


They are really going to need people to register to use the site.

Otherwise, anonymous people will be able to screw things up.

After you register, with your name, address, birthday, and license number, you will be good to go!

I know my identity will be safe with them. I'll just make sure there is that little icon of a lock thingy on my browser. <sarcasm>
 
Oh, it's plugged in, it was just choked with viruses and porn and busy uploading our vitals to everywhere we'd never want them to go...

While reading your post all I could see is Barney Frank sitting in front of this computer using it while spilling parts of his dinner on it...
 
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