Besides cash in hand, what is the safest form of payment long distance?

T

tmickley

Joined
Apr 4, 2001
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Besides getting cash, what is the safest form of payment?
Paypal can suck money right back out of your account based on damn near anything for any reason. Credit cards same thing. Money orders and cashiers checks are usually from a local bank I couldn't tell a fake from a real one until long after a knife is shipped.

Can wire transfers between banks be reversed?
Can Western Union transfers be faked?
???
 
I used WU to wire money to Australia once, Tracy. Cost a bunch (10%). However, I paid them transfer plus fee. They gave me a number. I emailed that number. They went to WU with that number there and WU gave them cash. They sent my stuff.

In other words, given the world today, I wouldn't send squat until I'd been to WU to get the green.
 
Fitzo is right.If you are uneasy about sending the merchandise before payment,then cash the money order before sending the knife.A money order is hard to beat.They can reverse a charge or Paypal,but it is hard to take the cash back once it is in your pocket.
 
WU has worked very well so long as there is not a language barrier. The area you live in has to be correct and it is up to the sending WU to get that right. As Fitzo says, be sure the WU transfer comes through. You may end up having to travel across country to get to the correct zip code the sending WU specified. In one of my cases it would have been about 1800 miles. Not really worth a $200 deposit. Paypal has worked well for me too, so far, except that they charge about 4% and that does not seem like a bunch until you figure 4% can cost as much as over seas shipping. It is hard for me to ask that I pass the 4% along but you gotta do it.

RL
 
I have typically avoided the overseas market because of the potential difficulties in collecting payment. However, I must point out that I have had one customer from central Europe, with whom I have dealt twice, that sent me Ben Franklin's, in both cases! :D That is a serious buyer who will always get the benefit of the doubt. He was an absolute pleasure to deal with. There are some great people out there, but you have to be careful.
 
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