sammy23
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:05:45 PM
I just won an item being sold by an AOL user who has a (1) rating. He only accepts postal money orders and certified checks.
This got my paranoia going and I started thinking "hey, as long as this guy doesn't give a PO box for payment address, I'll be cool".
Guess what? P.O.Box!
I e-mailed him and asked for an actual street address, since, I explained,
"whenever I send a postal m/o I also submit a return receipt request".
Whaddaya think?
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kitsch1
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:13:26 PM
Hi
I think if you bid on it with those terms, you go ahead and pay it in those terms. We were all zero or one or four feedback sellers once. 
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UpInTheHills
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:15:39 PM
I have to agree. How many dollars are you worried about anyway?
If it's a lot of money, you could request an escrow service. Though, I've never done it, I've heard it works.
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sammy23
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:16:20 PM
Of course, HOWEVER, the combination of those terms AND a PO Box is what worries me.
Plus, how strange would it be for me to send a PO money order with a return receipt request? It does have to be signed for and deters nonsense because they HAVE to give an actual address.
I think it's reasonable. It is MY money we're talking about---not his.
[ edited by sammy23 on Oct 19, 2000 09:18 PM ]
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eventer
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:18:04 PM
So what exactly got your paranoia going?
The fact they are AOL? I believe it's now the biggest service in the world & many legitimate sellers on ebay use it.
The fact they are a 1 feedback? Think we ALL started at zero, even Jereth's who is over 20,000 now.
The fact they only accept money orders or certified checks? With all the threads on charges for PayPal & BillPoint, I can surely understand wanting those payment options only.
The fact they have a Post Office Box? Many on AW actually RECOMMEND getting a P. O. Box so buyers DON'T have your home address. There ARE crazies out there.
All in all, I don't see a whole lot to be paranoid about unless you really think they are out to get you.
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sammy23
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:21:56 PM
Are you telling me to throw caution to the wind?
What is the harm in requesting an actual address? What other protection do I have?
I have executed MANY transactions, but MOST sellers DO NOT request this type of payment AND MOST who do, don't give a PO Box address.
That's been MY experience.
I guess I should just throw caution to the wind, it is only my money.
[ edited by sammy23 on Oct 19, 2000 09:22 PM ]
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kitsch1
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:22:37 PM
I would not have bid if I was so worried.
Why not wait until you get a reply to your email before worrying more?
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sammy23
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:25:42 PM
I normally pay using personal check or Paypal.
Sometimes CC.
Sometimes even CASH, but that's for low amounts from established sellers, most of which I may have dealt with before.
Normally when I have to use certified check or PO money order, there will be an actual address for payment to go to.
THIS combo is not as common in straightforward, on the up-and-up transactions.
That has been my experience after 2 years and about 800 transactions.
I am not a new user who is just timid. As a seller I have been burned a couple of times. As a buyer, with the exception of a few "condition" issues, never before.
I do try to be careful. The amount is $135, hard earned.
[ edited by sammy23 on Oct 19, 2000 09:29 PM ]
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kitsch1
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:27:29 PM
You can send it certified to a PO Box I believe.
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eventer
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:29:11 PM
sammy23,
I don't quite understand why you think getting a street address will give you any more guarantees or protection that this is a legitimate auction.
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Libra63
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:29:56 PM
With a post office box the seller still has to sign for your money order. All the post office does is put a slip into the box and then they go to the window and pick it up. There are quite a few people that don't want there address known like telephone numbers. I have listed mine here but it is unlisted when someone tries to get it from 411. I sure wouldn't worry about the PO box. It works the same way with a street address, if seller is not home the postperson leaves a slip and then they have to drive there to get the item.
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sammy23
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:31:08 PM
People laying games are much less likely to use an address where there are people.
Not always true, but if you have to choose one or the other, a P.O.Box is not as immediately ascribable.
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magazine_guy
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:33:40 PM
If it will make you feel better about the deal, pull his contact info from eBay, and give him a call. If the phone is good, he's not likely a fraud. If the phone is bogus, THEN you've got something to start worring about!
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sammy23
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:33:58 PM
If I was going to screw someone over, I certainly wouldn't use my home address, would you?
This is NOT about being paranoid, it's about not being careless.
A lot of users walk right into situations where they get burned and SHOULD have seen it coming.
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sammy23
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:35:43 PM
Actually, I thought about pulling the contact info, but will wait to see how he responds to my address request.
I don't want the guy to think I don't trust him. I just want to be careful.
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Frogleg
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:37:25 PM
"I don't want the guy to think I don't trust him."....HAHAHAHA....Well?
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eventer
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posted on October 19, 2000 09:41:57 PM
If I was going to screw someone over, I certainly wouldn't use my home address, would you?
But HOW do you know the address he gives you IS his actual home address?
edited to add: Folks, I don't want to label this thread, but just a small reminder that jerry12 is back & I can't help but wonder if this could be related.
[ edited by eventer on Oct 19, 2000 09:43 PM ]
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lotsafuzz
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posted on October 19, 2000 10:27:58 PM
Believe it or not, some people don't have mail delivery to thier home. I don't.
Hell, until about a year ago I didn't even have a street address. No, I wasn't homeless but I do live in the boonies. My parents have lived here for 35 years and there wasn't even a street address until 2 years ago.
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kitsch1
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posted on October 19, 2000 10:58:39 PM
If it is this 12 person causing a stir for their own amusement then I say pick a different topic to have fun with. Many new ebayers are using aol, it comes with most computers and is the most available as far as local dial in numbers. I started with aol. My first sale was 175.00 and the buyer never sent me any I'm afraid to pay emails.
I have been burned a few times on description, like not stating chips or scratches but for the most part...I have been thrilled with online trading.
I have not lost my trust in people in general and this kind of topic as a joke would suck.
If you have had so very many transactions and feel fear of this one, why would you have bid on that price of an item with the terms that make you so uncomfortable?
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KateArtist
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posted on October 19, 2000 11:04:13 PM
Nor do all of us live where it is safe to have money orders and checks delivered to our mailboxes.
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graysi
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posted on October 19, 2000 11:08:54 PM
I can't help but think Sammy has a point here.
One of the guidelines for avoiding fraud is to never send cash to a P.O. Box. A money order is the same as cash.
How was Sammy supposed to know that the seller would be giving a P.O. Box until after he won the auction?
Sammy -- did you try pulling the sellers contact information? This one might be worth a phone call.
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sammy23
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posted on October 19, 2000 11:09:03 PM
"I don't want the guy to think I don't trust him. I just want to be careful."
I find it amusing that you cannot understand this simple concept. There is such a thing as being careful, while not wanting to offend someone for no reason. Get a clue.
Eventer:
Why is the validity of this thread being questioned by you???
I have this concern. If you have a problem with that, you are welcome to leave this thread at any time.
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sammy23
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posted on October 19, 2000 11:10:52 PM
Graysi:
I did consider pulling the contact info--but only if the seller refuses an actual street address.
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sammy23
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posted on October 19, 2000 11:13:54 PM
kitsch1:
How am I to know what address the seller will give?
Also, if one is so concerned about the safety of their own mail, they wouldn't be requesting the easiest types of payments to steal and cash!
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lotsafuzz
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posted on October 19, 2000 11:14:38 PM
And if the seller doesn't HAVE an address to give you OR doesn't get mail at their home, then what?
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kellyb1
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posted on October 19, 2000 11:15:25 PM
I sell on ebay and us a PO BOX. I don't want people to have my home address. Don't want anyone knocking at my door at 1 in the morning. Not to mention that my mail at home often gets mixed up with my neighbor's mail.
You can also send a letter to a PO BOX and ask for a return receipt. The post office just puts a slip in the box and the seller takes the slip to pick up the item.
"With a post office box the seller still has to sign for your money order."
This is not true. There is no difference sending a money order to a post office box than sending it to a home address. I have postal money orders sent all the time. I am not sure why someone thinks that a seller have to sign for the money order, unless they are thinking that the seller plans to cash it as the post office or sign it to deposit it in a bank account.
If this is a concern, I would have said that you might want to email the seller before the auction ended. But you knew that the seller had only one feedback point before you bid.
Kelly
I
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Libra63
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posted on October 19, 2000 11:24:36 PM
I myself would think a PO Box is safer than a street address. When they sign up for a PO Box they have to fill out forms. I would not be nervous if a person gave a PO Box #. I don't even ask for a return request when I send money and the only time I had to sign for money was a cash transaction from Spain and it went real smooth. I guess I trust everyone. When I had a feedback of 1 my buyers weren't scared at least I don't think they were. I sure hope not. You have to start somewhere and at least he has one feedback so that you know a seller/buyer trusted him unless it is a negative and I doubt that because you wouldn't have bid.
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kitsch1
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posted on October 19, 2000 11:25:05 PM
Wait for the email reply before you get all like worried n stuff ok?
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Libra63
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posted on October 19, 2000 11:29:14 PM
Kellyb1, This is what the discussion is about. This person wants a signature because he mails his money order and requests a return receipt signed and he is leary of a PO Box.
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sammy23
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posted on October 19, 2000 11:36:39 PM
THIS is what this is about:
This person (ME) does not want to send a postal money order to a PO Box for an AOL user with a (1) rating.
If you examine each element of this by itself, it's easy to dismiss it as "no big deal", BUT if you look at the big picture, you'll come to the conclusion that you could be setting yourself up for problems if you're not careful.
I don't understand why anyone is disagreeing with the fact that users out to defraud often use PO Boxes---for the EXACT same reason people running from overdue bills use PO Boxes. THEY ARE HARD TO TRACE! You can write ANYTHING on the forms you fill out.
Postal money orders are also fairly easy to cash. The many times that I've done it, my ID wasn't even checked.
Use your head.
[ edited by sammy23 on Oct 19, 2000 11:39 PM ]
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