Safest way to collect money

[mkelly1128]

If you're selling a firearm to someone out of the area what is your preferred way to collect money prior to shipping to an FFL? Paypal? Venmo? Zelle? Something else?

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[gmerkt]

Paypal? Venmo? Zelle?

No, No, and No.

Something else?

US Postal Service money order. Only. No drugstore money orders, they have been faked. I've taken cashier's checks from major banks before after checking up on the buyer. I've even taken personal checks from geezers who weren't close to a post office but those were exceptions based on special circumstances.

If you are a first time seller, you may run into resistance from a buyer since you don't have a history they can look at. US Postal Service money order is basically a cash instrument. In that case, there may be some way to have funds placed in escrow. This is an option on Gunbroker, for example. I think it's called Guntab.

Since you have these questions about funding, maybe you have other pertinent questions about the sale of a firearm at a distance.

 

[nammac]

Postal Money Orders work well too.

 

[GWS]

I've always stated up front that I won't ship till the payment clears. Buyers can take it or leave it but those are my terms. I haven't had anyone bail on the few non face to face sales I've had.

 

[Yarome]

I agree that cash instruments are the safest, and may be practical in large cities at the main post office branches, but something to be aware of with USPS money order... for larger ticket items their cashability depends on where you live and how much traffic your post office gets. Cash is used less and less at the post office these days and if they haven't taken enough cash into their till to cover the amount of your money order (which is typically emptied often throughout the day) they won't cash it and may require several attempts over multiple days. You would think they would keep larger amounts of cash available in a safe somewhere for that, but nope!

I only accept money orders on small items. Large ticket items I'll do electronic or personal check, but won't ship until funds clear and are deposited into my bank account. IE., I don't leave electronic funds on balance with the electronic payment service. I immediately transfer them into my bank account and it may take 2-5 days to appear. Small ticket items or dealing with a trusted buyer, I'll ship upon receipt of payment.

That said, with the risk involved with electronic or personal checks, on top of the risk with shipping loss or damage, on top of the risk that a buyer may refuse receipt or fail a BGC... and all the potential extra hassles/risks that may create... I stopped doing long distance on bigger ticket items.

F2F cash on the barrel head.

 

[Alexx1401]

Ditto the Postal Money order. Really the only way to go if the buyer can't hand you cash. Take the M/O and cash it, NOT deposit it. After you have cash in hand you are safe. This puts a HUGE risk on the buyer but, if they are willing to do so? Great. Last few times I had a gun for sale this is why I gave up. No one wanted to do this and there was no way in hell I was going to let go of the gun first.

 

[Sharkey]

Purchased something 2 months ago off GB. Seller was a FFL in PA and stated he accepts personal check and ships it once it clears. I did have to remind him to ship. I accept zelle for stuff on marketplace sometimes. No issues yet. If they is way to steal money, scammers will find a way.

 

[The Heretic]

I use Zelle - it cannot be reversed or taken back and is almost immediate. I use Zelle for when I ship stuff or it is being shipped to me. My CU limits each transaction to $250 and $500 per day limit - so sometimes I need to work around that. You need to trust a seller with Zelle/Venmo because once they have the $ they can disappear - so I only trust sellers with a good history/feedback (that said, also check that their account has not been hacked).

Zenmo can be technically reversed (in certain exceptional circumstances and can take days to clear) but it is rare.

USPS money orders can be forged/faked/washed and have been.

 

[Alexx1401]

USPS money orders can be forged/faked/washed and have been.

This is why if anyone is going to take a check of ANY kind, you do not deposit it in your account. Sometimes even after your bank tells you "all is well", they suddenly find out it was not. Then they take the money back from you. If you are going to take a check take it to where it can be cashed.

 

[The Heretic]

This is why if anyone is going to take a check of ANY kind, you do not deposit it in your account. Sometimes even after your bank tells you "all is well", they suddenly find out it was not. Then they take the money back from you. If you are going to take a check take it to where it can be cashed.

Yes - I once got a cashier's check for a rifle from an FFL and I took it to a branch of the bank it was issued from. Took them half an hour to cash it, but it was for $3K so I was not going to ship the rifle until I had the cash in my grubby little hands.

 

[Stomper]

Yes - I once got a cashier's check for a rifle from an FFL and I took it to a branch of the bank it was issued from. Took them half an hour to cash it, but it was for $3K so I was not going to ship the rifle until I had the cash in my grubby little hands.

At least you admit your hands are small…. and grubby.

 

[The Heretic]

At least you admit your hands are small…. and grubby.

Actually, they are kind of large(ish) - I need/order XL gloves because anything smaller is too small.

I was tempted to say "large(ish) grubby hands" but I stuck with the old colloquial version of the saying.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Don't do Venmo. Zero protection.
Got scammed, nothing they would do to help me.

 

[Mikej]

No one wanted to do this and there was no way in hell I was going to let go of the gun first.

Oh Well.

 

[TTSX]

Send greenbacks via certified mail with signature required and delivery receipt notification to sender. You get your cash, they know you got your cash, you send the item.

 

[gmerkt]

Send greenbacks via certified mail with signature required and delivery receipt notification to sender. You get your cash, they know you got your cash, you send the item.

No, not Certified Mail. That just goes in the regular mail and isn't insured. Maybe you are thinking of Registered Mail. Registered Mail is an unbroken chain of receipts and you may buy insurance for the contents.

Certified Mail is just to get a signature, and it doesn't convey any security or insurance enhancement.

The cost of Registered Mail has gotten up there. The US Postal Service money order accomplishes the same thing for a lot lower transactional cost. If you are a real worrier, you might have the USPS MO sent Certified to get a signature, or by Priority Mail with delivery confirmation. Both of those services cost less than Registered.

 

[TTSX]

No, not Certified Mail. That just goes in the regular mail and isn't insured. Maybe you are thinking of Registered Mail. Registered Mail is an unbroken chain of receipts and you may buy insurance for the contents.

Certified Mail is just to get a signature, and it doesn't convey any security or insurance enhancement.

The cost of Registered Mail has gotten up there. The US Postal Service money order accomplishes the same thing for a lot lower transactional cost. If you are a real worrier, you might have the USPS MO sent Certified to get a signature, or by Priority Mail with delivery confirmation. Both of those services cost less than Registered.

Yep, that's the one.