Escrow.com Is Now Asking For Photos of Personal Docs

[Cdomains]

Escrow/com Is Now Asking For Photos of Personal Documents.

I just logged in to Escrow/com and they are now asking for extensive verification including Photos or scans of ID's and other personal and business documents to be stored on their servers.

I have used them for years for all my transactions.

With all the hacks of servers happening around the world and security breaches exposing us to identity theft I have refused to give photos of my ID's and other documents to companies who request it.

I will not do business with Flippa for this reason.

I recently had my account frozen at a registrar that asked me for this and I refused.

Will you give photos of your personal ID's, bank records, etc to Escrow/com or will you use another service?

Personally, I think I am going to take my business somewhere else.

I am really disappointed about this after all these years.

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Related:

• New Escrow.com Account Verification Process

 

[wwwweb]

Chinese DN.com have the same requirement - and their popularity is minimal...

That is a whole different game, having your documents stored over in China, I stopped using them after that, then again the China hype machine ended around that time also.

 

[frostify]

Any good alternatives to escrow.com?

 

[creataweb]

Any good alternatives to escrow.com?

Epik escrow is one. @alcy has used it more than I have. Also you have your standard marketplaces for options to sell thru.

 

[tonyk2000]

It is now a start of a business day in Australia, from which country the escrow.com operations are de-facto managed I think, so mr. Jackson Elsegood will likely soon join this thread and promptly let us know that they simply follow the law (or how they now understand it). The question is how previous escrow.com owners managed to do business in the same legal environment.

In any case, if the law or its interpretation is not practical - then a reasonable business should adopt their model to still be able to serve the customers. If we read all the terms of (majority) competing services - they do not provide escrow services in classical mode (they do not have escrow license, and do not claim to have one). They provide "transaction assurance", assistance, whatever. Some are even reselling our domains as their own - which is close to 2checkout "merchant accounts" business model (while one can setup a common merchant account under some terms somewhere, there is also an easier option to accept credit cards through 2checkout without a classical merchant account - 2checkout will still accept credit card payments and pay the seller John Doe, but from legal point of view they will act as a reseller of John Doe). The last but not the least, if California - or where in U.S. is escrow.com formally licensed now - is no more a good option, just go elsewhere. To New Zealand for example. Or to Australia where all the management actually is. Why kill a good business (which is happening now)?

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

Any good alternatives to escrow.com?

Epik escrow + classical Sedo escrow.

 

[wwwweb]

Any good alternatives to escrow.com?

Payoneer is another

 

[SuperBrander]

I just chatted with a rep at escrow.com. I wanted to know if it's their initiative or if it was enforced on them. I was told that it's their policy and that security is important to them etc. I'm going to seek out other alternatives as well. All the negative feedback about them recently made me consider leaving. This new procedure makes the decision much easier.

 

[Ayodeji]

Time for payoneer to up its game.

 

[4better]

Not a good step.

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

Regarding Payoneer...
From my experience in the past - they also require docs on regular accounts...
How about escrow only - I don't know.

 

[Jurgen Wolf]

And this Payoneer is a pseudoescrow - because the domains are moving between sellers and buyers directly...
With Sedo - in most cases you can push the domain into their escrow-account and that's all, transaction is finished for you.

 

[BostonDomainer]

Essentially it will kill a large majority of the business.

I remember before it was just the back, and front of the CC used to be a big issue, but DL, and Passports are very personal to people.

Is anyone in the closing statement process today, are they holding funds back until completion, or are we still in a grace period, I have a few on the go, will know more by end of week.

I'm in the middle of a transaction right now. Buyer has paid and waiting for Escrow to approve payment to move things along.

I'll let you know if their is any coercion towards providing documents before my funds are released. I was not given a choice before the transaction. The notice appeared in the middle of the transaction. If I knew this was going to spring up, I would have used an alternate service.

But will update.

 

[iAchilles]

A very big hurdle that might cause buyers to backout of a deal entirely. I'll be using alternative services moving forward. In some niches there are regulations for this but I'm curious what law they are citing for this change?

 

[creataweb]

I just chatted with a rep at escrow.com. I wanted to know if it's their initiative or if it was enforced on them. I was told that it's their policy and that security is important to them etc. I'm going to seek out other alternatives as well. All the negative feedback about them recently made me consider leaving. This new procedure makes the decision much easier.

Ok so it's not a legal thing then. If that is true they are killing themselves.

 

[RevolutionaryDomains]

Perhaps reach out to NP member Mauli Fry, who is an Escrow.com staff member.

 

[Dominic Belley]

I don't see this as a problem.

If I remember well, you have to provide these documents to be a seller on Namejet. Also if you want to be able to withdraw money on most online casinos, you have to provide these documents as well.

It is pretty common.

 

[forge]

With all the hacks of servers happening around the world and security breaches exposing us to identity theft I have refused to give photos of my ID's and other documents to companies who request it.

I can certainly relate, and I think everyone can (those who have any sense). Recently Dynadot essentially "hijacked" my account while demanding I provide a photo ID in order to regain access to my domains. Reluctantly, I caved in.

I was able to at least block out my license number as well as address, and it was suitable. I felt at least a little reassurance that no critical personal information was at risk. I'm offering this suggestion in case someone else might feel some desperation in "complying" with similar policies, e.g. at Escrow.com.

For Escrow to pull this in the middle of a transaction is really unconscionable.

 

[hookbox]

I wonder if it's only for customers outside of the U.S. Yesterday I just got paid for a completed deal and they didn't ask for any of this. I logged into Escrow a few minutes ago and there is no mention of this anywhere on the site or in my account.

 

[forge]

Also if you want to be able to withdraw money on most online casinos, you have to provide these documents as well.

Oh yeah, no worries there!

When people start comparing online escrow services to online gambling outfits, we're REALLY in trouble!!!

 

[Vito]

I have had many sales at Escrow myself. The copy of license/ID for me to give them to use them as a seller isn't a problem. They already have all of my info as I have registered there years ago. The real problem is the buyers who I have sold to, that have only purchased one domain in their lifetime. If Escrow is making the buyer send a photocopy of their ID to complete the purchase, I can see that killing a sale or 2 if the buyer gets a little worried about sending them too much info. All they want to do is pay, get their domain and be done. I do see this as a potential problem,

 

[Cdomains]

And, by the way, I can hardly imagine a corporate buyer - who just wants to purchase something (domain name) online - scanning and uploading their corporate documents in order to pay

I didn't think of that.

Wow, great point!!

 

[Cdomains]

The real problem is the buyers who I have sold to, that have only purchased one domain in their lifetime. If Escrow is making the buyer send a photocopy of their ID to complete the purchase, I can see that killing a sale or 2 if the buyer gets a little worried about sending them too much info. All they want to do is pay, get their domain and be done. I do see this as a potential problem,

Yes, I guess now we will have to find a different service to use.

 

[ben pedri]

Escrow killed a deal I had with an Iranian company ,I had to contact them and ask them why ,because of an embargo ,funny godaddy has no problem executing the transaction for 20%

 

[ben pedri]

if this is true about escrow ,let boycott them ,I actually showed them scenarios of which people can steal domains ,there system is not foolproof especially if your not right on the ball with your transaction

 

[creataweb]

if this is true about escrow ,let boycott them ,I actually showed them scenarios of which people can steal domains ,there system is not foolproof especially if your not right on the ball with your transaction

Yep, unless you use the concierge service and pay more it's not a safe bet if the other party wants to pull shenanigans.