Getting paid for something big?

[Marcus R Geiser Sr]

Google Venmo Scams and you will not want to do that type of transaction. I would avoid Paypal as well, if the customer has do use a card to pay ask them to get a cash advance.

I have sold items up to $5000 on ebay accepting paypal without problems. Just take time to research the buyer, by name, email, and username.

[Don Kondra]

If meeting for a cash sale is not possible, have him send an EMT, electronic money transfer from his bank.

If he won't do that, move on to the next buyer

Cheers, Don

[Sam Murdoch]

I agree that there is no reason to use anything but CASH for a pick up or you deliver purchase, but still maintain that if you document properly and accurately with a trail of paper work and photos PayPal can be trouble free and secure for items being shipped.

I would be very leery of a buyer who would not use cash for a had to hand purchase.

[Jamie Buxton]

Cashiers check. The buyer tells his bank to withdraw the $3K from his account, and to write a cashiers check to the seller. The $3K sits in the bank's escrow account until the check is cashed. There's no opportunity for the buyer to play fraudulent games.

[Jim Becker]

Cashiers check. The buyer tells his bank to withdraw the $3K from his account, and to write a cashiers check to the seller. The $3K sits in the bank's escrow account until the check is cashed. There's no opportunity for the buyer to play fraudulent games.

In the past few years, there unfortunately have been many scammer incidents that involved fraudulent cashiers checks...the only way to be totally sure is if it's from a local bank where you can verify with them that the check is good immediately and before turning over the property.

[Wade Lippman]

He said he would only do it for cash and they refused. I guess they wanted it for free. Thanks all.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Three grand is cash makes for an easy robbery target. Cashiers check drawn on buyer's bank in sellers presences is my choice. Or have seller transfer money to buyer's account, while both are at sellers bank.

[jared herbert]

My son is selling his $3,000 rowing shell and wants cash. (it is not on Ebay) The buyer says that is impractical and suggests Venmo.



On their website Venmo says it is intended for transactions among friends. It is not secure for transactions between strangers. So that is out.

How about Paypal? That is obviously for transactions between strangers. Yes?

Once he is paid, does he have the money with complete security, or can the buyer somehow dispute it?
(boat is sold "as is", so once the buyer picks it up, it is supposed to be entirely his problem)

Cash is legal tender where ever you go.
In this day and age, $3000 isn't all that much money. Insist on the cash, if the buyer is afraid he is going to get robbed, have him meet you at your bank or at his bank for the exchange. If he wont supply cash, he isn't really interested in buying it. I am retiring from my farming business and anything that is over $1000 I will insist on cash payment if I don't know the individual involved. No one has questioned me so far and some of the items have been considerably more than 3K. As and aside I have a friend that sold a pontoon boat for $44000, he wanted cash and he got it, no problem.

[Mike Cutler]

I gotta echo everyone else Wade. Cash or some type of verified payment.
It's pretty obvious the shell isn't going to be shipped, so I'm assuming the buyer and he would have had to meet somewhere in person. That would have been the place to effect the transaction.
Being that the buyer backed out, so easily, I think something was amiss from the onset.

[roger wiegand]

Cash or a wire transfer. $3K in cash isn't that much, if they won't do it there's something wrong. If they are really paranoid about carrying cash they can pay the $25 wire fee.

[Wade Lippman]

How about bitcoins? They are secure aren't they? Any big downside to them?

[Barry McFadden]

There is a PayPal scam where they pay you and then pick up the item. Later, you get notified of a dispute for non-receipt. You have no proof they picked it up, and you lose.

Cash is king. If they insist against it offer to go with them to their bank and let the bank write a cashiers check. (Cashiers checks can be faked, but going to the bank with him lets you see the check get cut.)

If I sell anything and someone picks it up I have them sign a receipt saying they picked it up on that day...

[Ronald Blue]

Three grand is cash makes for an easy robbery target. Cashiers check drawn on buyer's bank in sellers presences is my choice. Or have seller transfer money to buyer's account, while both are at sellers bank.

I disagree Bruce. Robbery by whom? The buyer? If you meet at the bank who's going to know what you have in your wallet? My wife worked at a local bank for 25 years and there are many many cash transactions with no issues. While a cashiers check would work I just don't see cash being that high of risk. But maybe where you live it's much more dangerous than where I am.

[Matt Meiser]

Uh, somewhat of a risk for the buyer as the "seller" could be fake and be planning to rob the buyer. Somewhat of a risk for the seller as the "buyer" now knows the seller has the cash and could be setting up to "buy" the item then steal the cash back. Or have a friend steal the cash back then even if someone starts asking questions its difficult to make any connection.

[Marc Jeske]

Very good responses so far.

Cash only, meet in Police Parking lot where the cops park and are milling about, go in w him and have the Desk guy photocopy his ID, scrutinize the Bills, stash in your pocket, THEN go out and put in his truck.

Not knowing where you live, how this prospect learned of the boat, etc... that's what I would do.

If the buyer has ANY problem w ANY of those steps, FORGET him. Marc