Police are warning Calgarians about a new scam being used to obtain Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) information from would-be gun buyers.

Investigators became aware of two separate cases last week in which victims looking to buy guns via online ads unwittingly gave up their licence information to apparent scammers who never delivered the firearms.

In both cases, police said the sellers spoke to the buyers over the phone and arranged for payment by e-transfer.

The buyers then gave the sellers their PAL numbers, as per regulations.

But, police said, as the e-transfers took place, the involved banks noticed the sellers' accounts were fraudulent and the transactions were halted before any money was lost.

Police believe the fraudsters plan to use the PAL numbers gathered from would-be buyers to illegally purchase firearms, themselves.

Anyone who believes their PAL number has been compromised is asked to call the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team at 403-428-8042 or 403-428-8043.

Police also advise that, if you are selling a firearm, to check first with the Canadian Firearms Centre to determine if a PAL number is flagged by calling 1-800-731-4000.

And, if you are buying a firearm, police say you should ensure to have verified the seller before you provide any personal information.

Specific advice includes: