# Escrow services for online transactions, are any reputable?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/escrow-services-for-online-transactions-are-any-reputable/508823>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 4, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/escrow-services-for-online-transactions-are-any-reputable/508823 "2009-09-04T03:48:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/escrow-services-for-online-transactions-are-any-reputable/508823/1 "2009-09-04T03:48:25Z")

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I am selling a rather expensive item, a camera crane that I have priced at $7000. I have an offer from a guy in New Jersey (I am in California) and he offered to make payment with an escrow service. Are any of these outfits legit? I have a local buyer who is interested, but I would like to have this other buyer as a backup option. I really have to sell this item soon.

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**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/escrow-services-for-online-transactions-are-any-reputable/508823/2 "2009-09-04T14:57:13Z")

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I am sure that there are legit ones, but people have also been scammed by buyers who make an offer stipulating use of a non-legit one. Has the buyer suggested a particular one? Would he be open to you choosing the escrow service, providing you find one you feel comfortable with? I would be wary of using an escrow service that some random buyer off the internet proposed.

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**Author:** ![Dan\_Norder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/escrow-services-for-online-transactions-are-any-reputable/508823/3 "2009-09-04T18:38:17Z")

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I’ve used [escrow.com](http://escrow.com) multiple times for substantial amounts of money and never had any problem with them.

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**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/escrow-services-for-online-transactions-are-any-reputable/508823/4 "2009-09-04T22:40:19Z")

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> [@Dan\_Norder](#):
>
> I’ve used [escrow.com](http://escrow.com) multiple times for substantial amounts of money and never had any problem with them.

same here.

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**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/escrow-services-for-online-transactions-are-any-reputable/508823/5 "2009-09-04T23:01:03Z")

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> [@Dan\_Norder](#):
>
> I’ve used [escrow.com](http://escrow.com) multiple times for substantial amounts of money and never had any problem with them.

Which one?

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**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/escrow-services-for-online-transactions-are-any-reputable/508823/6 "2009-09-05T03:52:04Z")

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> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#):
>
> Which one?

The name of the company is “[escrow.com](http://escrow.com)”.