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PayPal friends and family

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Jun 8, 2013
Messages
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ive been chatting with someone about a knife I’m interested in and we’ve agreed upon a price but he is insisting I send the money through friends and family using the argument that I could scam him if I send it with goods and services. I even agreed to pay the PayPal fees and it’s perplexing.
I don’t feel like there’s ever a good reason to send a large sum of money with no buyer protection. The seller is a member on here and he has positive feedback but it still worries me. Thoughts anyone?
 
ive been chatting with someone about a knife I’m interested in and we’ve agreed upon a price but he is insisting I send the money through friends and family using the argument that I could scam him if I send it with goods and services. I even agreed to pay the PayPal fees and it’s perplexing.
I don’t feel like there’s ever a good reason to send a large sum of money with no buyer protection. The seller is a member on here and he has positive feedback but it still worries me. Thoughts anyone?
Hard pass, not worth giving up the buyer protection...you could send money and he could just say "Thanks, have a nice day". Is it a user on this site?
 
I’ve been searching for this particular knife for over 5 years and the maker isn’t really active anymore. That’s the only reason I’m torn at all. As a matter of fact it is a member on here and he’s got good feedback. But still....
 
I’ve been searching for this particular knife for over 5 years and the maker isn’t really active anymore. That’s the only reason I’m torn at all. As a matter of fact it is a member on here and he’s got good feedback. But still....
If he's a member here, he should know that F&F is highly frowned upon here. Aside from the previous issues raised, it is theft of services from PayPal and strictly against the ToS agreement.
 
I don’t feel like there’s ever a good reason to send a large sum of money with no buyer protection.
There's never a good reason, especially if it's just to buy a knife.
The seller is a member on here and he has positive feedback but it still worries me.
Once the seller requests F&F, their feedback score would mean nothing to me.
 
Inactive maker, I'm assuming it's custom?
Folder or fixed?
If it's a folder it could have issues that can no longer be addressed.
I've been in that spot and still have the folder that needs a serious spa treatment.
I had no recourse, should have listened to my inner skeptic.
 
ive been chatting with someone about a knife I’m interested in and we’ve agreed upon a price but he is insisting I send the money through friends and family using the argument that I could scam him if I send it with goods and services. I even agreed to pay the PayPal fees and it’s perplexing.
I don’t feel like there’s ever a good reason to send a large sum of money with no buyer protection. The seller is a member on here and he has positive feedback but it still worries me. Thoughts anyone?
Funny, because he could just as easily scam you if you sent F&F. If you can’t agree on G&S, walk away.
 
I'll pile on: WALK!

Also this:
Inactive maker, I'm assuming it's custom?
Folder or fixed?
If it's a folder it could have issues that can no longer be addressed.
I've been in that spot and still have the folder that needs a serious spa treatment.
I had no recourse, should have listened to my inner skeptic.
 
Funny, because he could just as easily scam you if you sent F&F. If you can’t agree on G&S, walk away.

My colleague b&w has it exactly right. Goods and Services protects you, the buyer, but puts the seller at a disadvantage if he's going to try to pull something shady. If you agree to Friends and Family you've stuck your own neck out if something goes wrong.

An inactive account could mean any number of things. The feedback score of an active member has some relevance. An inactive account might be perfectly safe in terms of the transaction. It might be in the hands of somebody's shifty brother in law. Who knows?

At this point the seller knows you're anxious. That could make you ripe for picking... You're at a further disadvantage.

As in most things in life, you're better off being patient, and using your tools (PayPal, etc.) correctly. I've got knives that I've been looking for for decades. I'm not going to get all het up and let somebody I don't know scam me.

Remember, if something goes wrong, you're going to have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get your money back, and even then it's not a sure thing. You're probably going to lose whatever shipping costs and insurance both ways. There's no good reason to take on additional risk, especially since you know the score.
 
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