A warning to those looking at an easy way to pay for online auctions....
Many e-bay auctions feature credit card payment through "Paypal" or other
services. These services will charge against your credit card and deposit
money into an account for the seller. The seller then claims the payment and
can transfer it into their bank acocunt or get a check from Paypal. All at no
cost!
It worked great the first time I used it, but now I am in a dispute with
another seller who claims he did not get payment from Paypal. I called Paypal.
After a long wait to talk to customer service I find there is:
> no way to reverse a payment even if there was an error.
> They will only provide proof of payment to law enforcement not to the
>originator of the transaction.
> If your seller does not acknowlege your payment you are pretty much SOL.
Remember, if you send a check it takes longer, but you have a paper trail. You
are using US Mail, so you have the postal inspector on your side.
I expect that there was some confusion, and that the seller will come around (I
have no indication that he is dishonest). It got me thinking, however, that
much of the new e-economy is not without risk.
Peter van der Pas
(roadster content: the auction was for a golf club which I hope will fit in the
trunk of my '68 2000)
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