What are alternatives to Paypal?

[cocusflute]

Is there a safe way to use the net for making and receiving payments? Ed's recent problem with Paypal alarmed me.

[Tom O'Farrell]

I am also having second thoughts about using paypal ever again. We sometimes pass considerable sums for buying/selling instruments and I hear of a lot of fraud and other problems going on with paypal.
My best guess is to be in touch, personally, with the opposite number, preferably by phone, and transfer money by international money orders.

[Bridges-PdP]

I'm not sure what kind of trouble Ed has experienced with PayPal, but Western Union is available as an alternative. You might also be able to walk into your bank and request a wire/bank transfer. And of course there is still the standard money order/envelope/stamp method.

These days, nothing is foolproof or completely secure. We just have to choose the lesser of two weevils.

[Ed Stander]

In all honesty, PAYPAL is probably safe IF you send the money/item to a verified address, If you keep receipts of the exchange, and IF you send items valued at $1000. or less. Barring this, you had better know the receiver very well.
My mistake was not sending to a verified address at the buyers insistence. I didn't realize how easy it would be for a scammer to take both the address and password from a gullible person. I thought I would be able to contact the scammer at the given address if something went wrong. In hindsight, however, I now see how stupid that was, and have therefore accepted my thirty lashes.
Reparation is what voodoo dolls are for.
As for Western Union, forget it. WU is the device of choice for scammers.
Best - Ed

[Wanderer]

for as long as people have been exchanging things of value, there have been scammers. The best you can do is educate yourself on the risks and try to minimize them.

I don't know of an online payment service with the wide acceptance of PayPal. eGold probably runs a close second, but is a pain to use, as you actually have to choose a broker service, buy eGold, transfer it to your recipient, and they sell it back to the broker service of their choice.

[KateG]

I do use PayPal for online purchases when the vendor can't take a credit card directly. However, I only use it as a intermediary that will accept credit cards -- no way am I linking it to my bank account. Credit card companies are pretty good at working with you in the event of a fraud. Advanta just took a $180 charge off my business card - it was an internet purchase for stuff from a pro bicycle shop in Arizona, hardly a business purchase for a middle-aged historian in New Jersey! Needless to say, the card number has been changed and they are investigating. For the same reason, even though my ATM can be used by vendors that only take credit cards, I never use it for online purchases. I want that buffer between the transaction and my bank account. It's all scary, but as Ed says, as long as there have been systems there have been scams.

[RudallRose]

easy
bank wires

safe, efficient, secure and that's that

[doogieman]

I have a separate checking account with only a small amount of money in it linked to my PayPal account. So if the bad guys get it, they won't get too much. I also have a separate credit card that I use only on the internet.
In addition - be on the lookout for those phishing scam that ask you to give your account info - both Paypal and Ebay.

Be aware!

[Jon C.]

I have a separate checking account with only a small amount of money in it linked to my PayPal account.

That is what my bank account looks like also, after using Paypal to buy all those antique flutes... I don't have to worry about them stealing it, as I spend the money too fast!

[m31]

I am also having second thoughts about using paypal ever again. We sometimes pass considerable sums for buying/selling instruments and I hear of a lot of fraud and other problems going on with paypal.
My best guess is to be in touch, personally, with the opposite number, preferably by phone, and transfer money by international money orders.

For risky eBay transactions (e.g., newbie sellers), I'll send an email message and say something like, Welcome to eBay. Because this is your first transaction, I will require your full contact information (name, address, phone) prior to remitting payment. Thank you for your cooperation... Then I'll sign off with my own contact details so the other party feels comfortable disclosing theirs. Once I receive their info, I'll use online directories, google, etc. in an attempt to verify their information. I'll call if I have to. Now that's not fool proof. I've have twice threatened scammers with going to their local police and fortunately it worked.

BTW, do not send Western Union, cash or any other non-traceable or non-refundable payments.

Now if I'm dealing with a new buyer, it's a little different. These are the risk mitigating measures when Paypal is involved:

- get all contact info and if possible verify
- send only to Paypal confirmed and Paypal verified buyers (these are two different things).
- use tracked shipping and preferrably one that has signature confirmation.
- as already mentioned, ship only to the address in Paypal.
- preferrably send only within your own country.

You may still get hit with "chargebacks" but I found out (the hard way) that this is not as easy as some people make it out to be.

Another way to look at this is you're basically rummaging through the ultimate yard sale and while there are great bargains, eventually you'll get screwed, hopefully not in a big way. If anything is going to cost me $3k or more, I'll consider a plane ticket.

[anniemcu]

I have a separate checking account with only a small amount of money in it linked to my PayPal account. So if the bad guys get it, they won't get too much. I also have a separate credit card that I use only on the internet.
In addition - be on the lookout for those phishing scam that ask you to give your account info - both Paypal and Ebay.

Be aware!

That's what I do as well. If I have need of a larger amount for a payment, I transfer it in from another account immediately before making the payment. This is only rarely a real hassle, when the turn-around time can be lengthy at times.

[Chiffed]

Pound of flesh. It's the safest way, apart from the Hep C.

PayPal sucks because it operates as a bank without being constrained by US or international banking laws (for the most part).

Then again, what else is better for small (less than $1000) money transfers? I've used money orders through my bank, and that's pretty good.

[Doc Jones]

I use Paypal a lot. You just need to be careful. Bank transfers cost me about $40 US and give me the willies. I only do them out not in and only to flute makers I know not with customers.

I recently learned I can get bank drafts in various international currencies for $20 from a local bank. That's cheaper than most ways of moving money.

The reason we get into all this trouble is impatience. Take your time and find out who you're really dealing with. Or, use some sort of escrow service or mutually agreeable third party.

Doc

[Tommy]

I use pay pal but it is not linked to my bank.