accepting payment overseas

[robr]

With all the Nigerian type scams and fake cashiers checks, I'm wondering if Western Union is the only safe way for someone to send me funds from outside the US.

I'm selling a very expensive piece of home audio gear on ebay that ends in a couple of hours and the current high bidder is listed as being from the Netherlands. I'm a little suspicious though because they have a feedback rating of (8) (which is probably fine) but no feedback since 2003. This person probably won't win (unless it's a scammer, then they'll make sure they win ).

Just got me to thinking, what options do we have? If they send cashiers check drawn on a foreign bank, what can I do to verify the check and funds? I can't imagine they'd be any more comfortable sending me $$ via Western Union than I would be sending $$ to them.

Thanks!

 

[NSXWIND]

Not familiar with this kind of issue, but whatever the payment method you chose, you can simply tell the seller “good will be ship once the fund has been verified” :biggrin: this should take at least couple working days.

HTH

 

[Briank]

I have received payment through Paypal from overseas buyers, other then the fees it works fine.

 

[jgtcnsx]

tell him to send you an international money order.

 

[robr]

ok good to know paypal will do international. as far as international money orders, in the scam im referring to, you are sent a counterfeit cashiers check or money order, the bank will actually deposit the funds to your account. it takes several weeks before the bank figures out it's a fake and pulls the funds back.

 

[jgtcnsx]

i see what your sayin, have you ever seen an international money order? its like forging a dollar.

 

[SNDSOUL]

Not familiar with this kind of issue, but whatever the payment method you chose, you can simply tell the seller “good will be ship once the fund has been verified” :biggrin: this should take at least couple working days.

HTH

this does not work with cashiers checks!!! They will come back no matter if you verify them or not. The banks will not honor them if they are fake and it usually takes several weeks for them to find out. I had two cashier checks verified by two banks(the bank that wrote it and the bank that I deposited it in)they were still fake and I lost the merchandise and the money. Do Paypal, its guaranteed for the most part.

 

[fangtl]

Safest way would be doing a bank/wire transfer, since it's an expensive piece of equipment the wire transfer fees should offset any paypal fees that are associated.

 

[DutchBlackNsx]

Knowing from own expierence, getting money from holland to another country can sometimes be a real PITA.
Maybe things have changed over the last couple of years, i hope so, coz it was about time....

If i can help you in any way let me know.

 

[speed within reach]

Request a wire transfer direct to your account, and provide routing details. If they are inflexible on that payment method than offer a big name escrow site of your choosing or pass entirely. Sometimes losing is still winning.

Regards,

John

 

[robr]

thanks for all the advice, someone sniped the bid in the last 30 seconds in the US so I didn't have to deal with the international issues. i almost wish i did, there's no pleasing the guy who won .

 

[MarkB]

I recently made two purchases from Procar Specials (Detlef). I called my bank and had them send him a bank check for the amount. Not a personal check, not a cashier's check, and not a money order. The check is written by the bank on their paper stock amd mailed to the payee.