posted on December 19, 2000 02:52:50 AM new
I just received this email:
Baypal.com has teamed with VirtualBankCard.com to offer you Auction Payments! Sign up now and get $5 Free. Then Go to baypal.com and put a banner in all your current auctions. You will also get $5 for all referrals who sign up to http://www.VirtualBankCard.com after clicking on your banner! Join the fastest growing auction payment service. Transfer money for free, and money orders are only $1.. Sign up now at http://www.virtualbankcard.com or aol users click on <a href="http://www.virtualbankcard.com">VirtualBankCard.com</a>
Has anyone tried Virtualbankcard.com?
Looks like it works similar to Bidpay to me - except you can't pay with a credit card and it's much cheaper (Only $1) and they send you a money order. As far as I can see, there are no chargebacks allowed since the buyer can only pay with funds they put into their account by Check or Money order.
posted on December 19, 2000 03:03:22 AM new
I looked at the site and found nothing to indicate whether they had any investors with sound financial backing. Anyone can set up a website; if they're not adequately capitalized it can all fall apart very quickly (Remember payme.com?)
Two, unless you signed up to receive that e-mail, they're spammers. That alone is a good reason not to use them.
posted on December 19, 2000 04:19:29 AM newLooks like it works similar to Bidpay to me - except you can't pay with a credit card and it's much cheaper (Only $1) and they send you a money order.
Okay, I pay them with a money order and then they in turn pay the seller with a money order. They are only going to charge me a $1.00. That sounds much easier than just sending a money order to the seller, because... because... hey, why am I sending them a check or money order so they can pay the seller with a money order?
posted on December 19, 2000 04:49:56 AM new
Spammers ...
AND any service that is set up to skim business off a single entity is on shaky grounds. If you want to use a payment service, try moneyzap.com (Western Union). They've been in the business of sending money since well before Gore invented the internet and definitely before Pierre peddled his first Pez dispenser.
posted on December 19, 2000 04:56:06 AM new
Nope - sounds weird, and shake to me too - don't need this. Actually, I prefer a customer send a check as opposed to a MO anyway - to many possibilities of a MO getting lost, hard to trace, etc. AND why pay for a MO if you have a checking account or can charge.
I've never understood the sending a MO mentality - as a seller I'd prefer charges and checks, since they are easy to trace for our buyers if lost AND there is usually a better paper trail record.
Personally, if I buy on line I use a check or credit card - I won't buy from a dealer who only accepts MO's - to me only accepting MO's is highly suspicious.
posted on December 19, 2000 09:26:36 AM new
[jwpc]:I know sellers who have 200+ feedback all positives and no negs and they ONLY accept MO's. I don't think that's anything suspicious at all.
I am a seller with over 3000+ feedbacks and 99% positives, and I do not accept checks at all - no exceptions. I accept about 9 other forms of payment though - basically the only 2 I don't accept right now are checks and Paypal. There are so many reasons not to accept checks - I don't blame any seller that won't send a check. I was hit with 10 bounced checks one month alone. Several never repaid and I had to go to a collections agency, and a couple I STILL have never received re-payment from. Not worth my time or effort. I have not accepted checks in over a year now and it has not hurt my sales at all.
Almost every day it seems I see a thread on here about "bounced checks - what do to?" - and I just think "don't accept checks!".
posted on December 19, 2000 10:13:31 AM new
BayPal (domain registered by Tucows) is a new branch off Paul Hales old AuctionPatrol tree. If you were ever a member of AuctionPatrol, or used any of the AucitonPatrol tools, you are also on the BayPal mailing list so it would not be SPAM - unless you refused to be contacted - and I can't remember if AP members had that option. Other than that, given the "history" I don't think I would touch this venture with a ten foot pole - but that is just my personal opinion. There are lots of folks who have had great service from AP so they may get good service here too.
Domain Name: BAYPAL.COM
Registrar: TUCOWS.COM, INC.
Whois Server: whois.opensrs.net
Referral URL: www.opensrs.org
Name Server: NS1.VIRTUALISYS.COM
Name Server: NS2.VIRTUALISYS.COM
Updated Date: 19-oct-2000
posted on December 19, 2000 01:48:34 PM newAnyone can set up a website; if they're not adequately capitalized it can all fall apart very quickly (Remember payme.com?)
Actually, Payme.com was backed by Idealab, one of the largest internet venture capital/incubator firms.
By the way Idealab is also a major backer of Etoys.com, which appears to be heading the same direct that Payme.com did.
