# paypal...please help **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2007, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-please-help/403335 "2007-05-09T01:18:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-please-help/403335/21 "2007-05-10T14:07:31Z")
[QUOTE=JCorre] The probability of this is very remote but it is a risk every online merchant takes when accepting payment regardless of how the payment is processed. If you want zero risk payments stick to money orders/cashiers checks/ cash through the mail or western union. [/QUOTE] **Zero Risk** equates to **Zero Protection**. There is a reason that Ebay and other trading sites tell you NOT to use Postal Orders/Western Union (it’s not just because Ebay owns PayPal). Scammers and Fraudsters insist on using them because once they have their hands on the money, it has gone, the sender has no recourse to anyone, and the Transfer Agents have no records of where the money went or who collected it. If you want to be really safe, use an Escrow agent - it doesn’t cost that much extra, and if the value is high enough, it makes sense. Si ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-please-help/403335/22 "2007-05-10T14:20:09Z")
[QUOTE=si\_blakely] **Zero Risk** equates to **Zero Protection**. There is a reason that Ebay and other trading sites tell you NOT to use Postal Orders/Western Union (it’s not just because Ebay owns PayPal). … [/QUOTE] Nitpick: They don’t advise against Postal Orders do they? ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-please-help/403335/23 "2007-05-10T15:14:01Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Nitpick: They don’t advise against Postal Orders do they? [/QUOTE] Maybe not _Postal Orders_ specifically - they certainly mention Western Union. I’ve never used Postal Orders - are they made out to a specific person, and do they require ID at the far end? I’d still be pretty wary. I like the protection of PayPal, and anything above the PayPal limits, would use an escrow. Si ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-please-help/403335/24 "2007-05-10T15:30:49Z")
[QUOTE=si\_blakely] Maybe not _Postal Orders_ specifically - they certainly mention Western Union. I’ve never used Postal Orders - are they made out to a specific person, and do they require ID at the far end? [/quote] Postal orders may be made out to a specific person or left open. I don’t know if you need ID to cash them as I’ve only ever presented them at the bank, where they are treated exactly the same as cheques. > [@](#): > > I’d still be pretty wary. I like the protection of PayPal… I like the _convenience_ of PayPal, but I’ve heard horror stories about disputes being unfairly resolved generally in the buyer’s favour. But in hundreds and hundreds of transactions, it’s never happened to me and I don’t generally even bother with using a signed-for method of shipping - it’s not worth it for small value items - in the event that I get a claim of non-delivery, the money I’ve already saved on not using recorded delivery will have paid for the loss many times over. I know technically the buyer would bear the extra expense, but that would mean the overall cost of obtaining one of my items would be greater and this might depress sales. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-please-help/403335.md?page=1)