NSSF and ATF Celebrate 25 Years of Fighting Straw Purchases

The firearms industry and federal law enforcement just marked a milestone. The NSSF and ATF are celebrating 25 years of their “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” campaign.

Launched in 2000, the program fights straw purchases—when someone illegally buys a gun for a person banned from owning one. It’s illegal, it’s dangerous, and it carries serious penalties.

ATF Deputy Director Rob Cekada and NSSF President Joe Bartozzi stood together in D.C. to mark the anniversary. Both made it clear: this partnership works.

A straw purchase isn’t just a bad favor. It’s a felony. Get caught, and you’re looking at 15 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.

That’s not small change. It’s life-changing.

Why the fuss? Because straw purchases put guns in the hands of felons, abusers, and others who can’t pass background checks. Those guns fuel violent crimes.

Think robberies. Think homicides. Think gang activity.

The “Don’t Lie” campaign hammers that message home. Retailers are trained to spot shady buys. Ads warn buyers about the steep consequences. And the results speak loudly.

Bartozzi called firearm retailers the “first line of defense.” He praised their role in keeping guns away from criminals and credited the campaign with saving lives.

Cekada added that the ATF’s mission gets a boost every time a straw buyer thinks twice. Cut off the supply, and you cut off the crime.

This year alone, NSSF delivered over 107 million ad impressions. ATF racked up another 85 million views. That’s a lot of eyes seeing the message.

Don’t buy for someone else. Don’t ruin your life.

After 25 years, the message remains simple and sharp. Straw purchasing isn’t a shortcut. It’s a federal crime with serious consequences.

Want to learn more? Check out NSSF Real Solutions or the ATF’s campaign page.

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