EBay scam or not? (question)

[Lifted]

In the USA, somehow, someone would figure out a scam to rip people off if they had your bank account number. I'd feel VERY nervous giving someone my bank account number.

When I lived and ran a business in Asia, most b2b transactions were via direct transfer between bank accounts. Hell, most businesses have their account number right on their website for just such a purpose. People transferred money to friends and relatives all the time, paid for mail/internet order items, paid bills (electric, phone, rent, etc) right at the ATM or over the internet.

Many ATM's accept cash, and you don't even need an ATM card to deposit/send money to someone. You just enter the account number, deposit the cash, and your done.

The US banking system caters to businesses and nickel and dimming consumers with a fee for damn near everything that should come as a free service (incentive) for keeping your money with them.

The idea that anyone would even be afraid of sharing their account number only shows how behind the times the US banking system is.

 

[Mike Gayner]

The idea that anyone would even be afraid of sharing their account number only shows how behind the times the US banking system is.

Pretty much this.

 

[yhelothar]

People have been freely giving away their bank account number for decades. They are on all personal checks.

 

[MotionMan]

In the USA, somehow, someone would figure out a scam to rip people off if they had your bank account number. I'd feel VERY nervous giving someone my bank account number.

You could have a "deposit only" account number to give out to the public, a "checking only" number for your checks and an "all access" account number for the account holder to use for all other purposes.

I closed my PayPal and Ebay accounts a few years ago. I now only deal with Craig's List and cash and am very happy with the situation.

MotionMan

 

[dud]

I stopped selling on eBay years ago ... mainly because of Paypal and eBay constantly "revising" their rules. When I did sell I almost always tried to avoid PP. A postal MO is one of the better methods of payment IMHO.

Paypal is the scam. Postal lMOs are the way to go if you can get around eBay's rules/regulations.

 

[Double Trouble]

Person B never receives goods, calls police and has scammer arrested.

And that's where your logic falls apart. I have no idea how these things are in NZ, but lets say I (living in Ohio) buy a $100 item from someone in California (lets say, LA) and send then $100. Then they don't ship anything. Do you really think in a country the size of the US with 300 million people that the FBI or LAPD would have the resources (or even the desire) to go track down and sort out what happened with that purchase? Really? You don't think law enforcement has other more pressing matters to attend to? You're nuts.

With just a bank account number in theory you can't do anything (after all, it's printed on personal checks). There are still a myriad of ways to rip people off though, so people are hesitant to give out the number.

I've lived in Europe and the US, and the banking systems is very similar, this "primitive banking system" stuff is bullshit, unless NZ has this great panacea of a banking system that nobody else in the world has figured out.

 

[MotionMan]

People have been freely giving away their bank account number for decades. They are on all personal checks.

My car license plate number is also available for all to see, but I hesitate to ever post it online.

Like a bank account number, it is another piece of the ID theft pie.

MotionMan (<---- victim and spouse of victim of ID theft)

 

[zinfamous]

How the hell could that happen through an online auction site? I've dome literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of money transfers and have never encountered any sort of issue like this.

It doesn't matter what method of exchanging money is used there's always some risk. The convenience trumps this risk in most circumstances, and it beats pissing about with faux bank services like Paypal.

I suppose it's nice to live in a crimeless utopia like NZ, but the penalty you pay for that is underestimating the ingenuity of even the most petty of criminals.

 

[zinfamous]

People have been freely giving away their bank account number for decades. They are on all personal checks.

haha, good point.

 

[Spikesoldier]

How the hell could that happen through an online auction site? I've dome literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of money transfers and have never encountered any sort of issue like this.

It doesn't matter what method of exchanging money is used there's always some risk. The convenience trumps this risk in most circumstances, and it beats pissing about with faux bank services like Paypal.

because you havent sold anything online to a the average american, an obese individual who is morally bankrupt.

 

[Paperdoc]

I live in Canada and deal with one of its major national banks. To send money instantly to someone they offer two options. IF the recipient is a customer of the same bank, and IF that person will give me their account number, I can deposit from my account to theirs by computer instantly. Second option is for anyone with an e-mail address - does NOT matter what bank they deal with. I tell my bank (via their website) to pay the person a certain amount and provide the e-mail address of the recipient. The bank e-mails the recipient a note that they have this money for them and requests a reply with the recipient's bank account number. When they receive it, the deposit is made by the bank. I never see the recipient's bank info. Only my bank does. The recipient should be able easily to satisfy themselves that the e-mail they get is legit, so it is safe to respond. I have used this to pay for eBay purchases.

 

[Mike Gayner]

I suppose it's nice to live in a crimeless utopia like NZ, but the penalty you pay for that is underestimating the ingenuity of even the most petty of criminals.

Sucks for you.

 

[God Mode]

Money orders and checks = I have to make a physical trip to a busy as hell bank or post office. Shipping a package is simply printing a label and dropping it in a package bin. If I had my way, I'd charge more for accepting paper payment.

 

[dud]

Sucks for you.

Great comeback ...


Wait, weren't you like perma-banned? How did the mods let you back in?

 

[Lithium381]

Money orders and checks = I have to make a physical trip to a busy as hell bank or post office. Shipping a package is simply printing a label and dropping it in a package bin. If I had my way, I'd charge more for accepting paper payment.

take a picture with your smart phone.. done!

 

[Tristicus]

I had a guy offer me one once for a paintball gun he apparently really wanted with overnight shipping. Gave me well over asking price and good amount for shipping, paid with MO. Worked fine.

 

[MichaelD]

Well, the money order person bid on my item (and is the only bid so far 🙁 ) so if he wins, we'll find out how the MO thing goes.

Someone mentioned "Another piece of the ID theft pie" and I agree. I am super-paranoid about ID theft and have been for along time. I have a crosscut shredder at home and shred almost everything. CC/bank statements, of course. I also rip off all mailing labels from magazines and packages and shred those. I also shred grocery and retail store receipts. You would be amazed what you can learn about someone simply by going through their garbage.

 

[MotionMan]

Someone mentioned "Another piece of the ID theft pie" and I agree.

That was me. 😉

I am super-paranoid about ID theft and have been for along time. I have a crosscut shredder at home and shred almost everything. CC/bank statements, of course. I also rip off all mailing labels from magazines and packages and shred those. I also shred grocery and retail store receipts. You would be amazed what you can learn about someone simply by going through their garbage.

I shred anything that has our name or any kind of account number on it (I shred a lot of damn junk mail).

MotionMan