Thread: Question about security of online transactions...

In my life I've only ordered like 2 or 3 items over the internet to get shipped to my home. These were all from actual vendors and companies, so I was pretty sure I wasn't going to get ripped off. Even right now I'm very close to ordering my frist razor+strop from SRD, only because they are an actual reputable vendor.

But when it comes to things like e-bay, or the classifieds on this website, or just some random person you met on the internet and want to buy something from, how do these transactions work?

How can you be sure that this person is actually going to pack up the item and ship it to you once you pay him?

I mean obviously there is something stopping people from just posting things for sale, getting payments for it, and then just not shipping the item at all completely ripping the buyer off.

I want to know what kind of risk this would be because I could definitely see myself buying some razors off the classifieds here.

If you are paying through paypal you have 45 days to put in a claim. Within 10, if you haven't received your item, you can go for a refund. The seller will have a chance to explain his side but paypal , IME, is buyer oriented. On SRP a member needs 6months and 50 posts to place an ad. The posts can't be fluff like, "Nice razor." They have to have substance and we moderators do look out for people trying to build a post count on sand .... IOW, to get to the requisite number to place an ad without really saying anything.

Vendors like SRD are good as gold. As for ebay, you have the feedback system and again, Paypal. You could conceivably get stuck before they made it paypal only but now it is highly unlikely. Not impossible but unlikely. I am embarrassed to admit that I have over 1,500 transactions on the bay for various stuff .... most of which I needed like another hole in my head .... and I've not got beat yet ..... knocking on wood.

I think if you're dealing with SRD, the vendors here, or even members selling items through the classifieds you will get an honest deal and receive what you paid for. The caveat is to do your research before purchasing an item. The gentlemen and ladies of this forum are top notch and Jimmy speaks the truth regarding the mods keeping an eye on suspicious posts just to qualify to sell things here on the classifieds. Way back when, maybe 3 or 4 months ago, the almighty Bruno-admin and forum fixer, gave an example of a classified ad with some POS razors that will not be tolerated here. The mods don't want to see the members here taken advantage of. I've only had one negative experience on the bay, but the seller did refund my money so all's good. At the end of the day and until you gain some experience on what to buy and what to avoid, I recommend staying away from the bay for a while and just deal with the members and vendors here if you're going to buy more razors.

Well, the truth is that there is no 100% certainty about any of these things. Yes, it's possible that the other party scams you, and once you're in a bad situation you find out that it can go either way, because you have delegated some third party to make a judgment on the case. So, the only thing you can do is do your best to minimize your risk.
For example do some basic research on that other party - how reputable they seem. On ebay there is the feedback, so read that, check the items they sell, see if something doesn't add up. On this site you can check the member's post history.
Again that isn't going to offer you any guarantee (we've had one or two cases of long term members scamming others), but you can make a better judgment of the risk you are taking.

As moderators we really try to stay as uninvolved with the classifieds as possible. If an item is grossly misrepresented or the ad very misleading, we may step in (just so that there is some reasonable minimum standard), but we're not babysitters. Almost everybody here is an adult and we expect that they can handle being responsible for their decisions.

BTW if somebody scams you and the item was shipped with usps, they can end up in a serious trouble - the federal laws are quite harsh, and I'm told the postal inspectors mean business.

If the risk of dealing with complete strangers is too high for you, just stick to shopping at brick&mortar stores only - it's worked for many centuries and still does. It'll probably cost you more and offer you limited selection, but that's the trade-off.

Interestingly when the whole online shopping started over a decade ago, especially ebay, most people were highly skeptical that this can work. But it turned out that the vast majority of people are honest, and trusting, and with some relatively mild rules those who are willing to commit fraud can be kept at bay.

If you use Paypal, you have a lot more protection than a seller does.

Originally Posted by gugi

BTW if somebody scams you and the item was shipped with usps, they can end up in a serious trouble - the federal laws are quite harsh, and I'm told the postal inspectors mean business.

The penalties for Mail fraud are extreme but easily proven.

I was recently scammed regarding a snake purchase. I contacted an internet group regarding scams, they contacted the FBI. Inter-state sales are federal business and taken seriously. If you get scammed, I would be more than happy to give you the information via PM.
That being said I did purchase an item from the classifieds here and did not receive it. I chose not to invoke the organization mentioned; I felt it ungentlemanly. The transaction did not go forgotten as I feel that as a purchaser I had a right to the product or a refund, but going to the extent of federal involvement seemed excessive.
This is not the norm here. I have purchased many other items from the classifieds here and would not hesitate to continue and, in fact, have.
I agree about the need to review whom you purchase from, but if a very senior member, mod, mentor, developer, etc should offer an item that I feel would go quickly I jump on it without hesitation.
I would also suggest you avoid sending money as a gift if you use paypal. While it helps with fees, it also eliminates the protection on payment.

An old saying is buy the seller then the item. Look for a track record like a long history on Eboy or long membership here or a vendor who has been around a while. Check the policies from outfits like paypal to see what protections they offer.

A bigger problem is buying from an on-line outfit and an employee processing payments gets your credit card number and uses it. You are protected but it's a hassle. I've had that happen a few times to me however I buy everything on-line and have never had an issue with goods never shipped.