Selling Ethics

[verbster]

Long story cut short:

A week ago I received an offer on a domain from a guy overseas. We negotiated a price. Afterwards, he e-mailed saying he had to set up a PayPal account to pay me.

During that time, I receive another offer on the same domain. The offer was about the same.

Then I got another e-mail saying PayPal wasn't allowed in his country, and he wanted my bank account for a direct transfer.The buyer asked only for

bank name
bank country
routing #
Account #
Account Name (my name)

In the meantime, I got yet another offer for substantially more. (Don't know why so much interest on a domain I've owned for years with no offers.)

Anyway, I'm wondering if the bank stuff sounds legit. I thought a direct transfer from another country to the USA reqired a Fed #, a swift code, and the bank's address along with the other info.

With so many scams going around, I'm a little uneasy. However, I did agree on an amount and feel obligated, despite the other offers.

If it sounds like a scam, I have no problem selling it to another offer, but if it's not, I'll try to honor the first offer.

I welcome your advice and suggestions.

 

[bmugford]

Then I got another e-mail saying PayPal wasn't allowed in his country, and he wanted my bank account for a direct transfer.The buyer asked only for

bank name
bank country
routing #
Account #
Account Name (my name)

I would not be willing to provide that information to someone I do not know.

If they want the domain they can figure out a way to pay. Why can't they go through Escrow.com or SEDO?

With Escrow.com they can pay via CC or Wire.

Escrow.com takes checks for payment as well. I just had a transaction complete that was funded via check.

Brad

 

[Bannen]

I would not be willing to provide that information to someone I do not know.

I second that, most strongly. Would never give this info out to a buyer myself. It's getting 'way too close to home' info to a stranger.

If they are unwilling or unable to go a less invasive and more secure route like Sedo etc, I would give my apologies to them and then move on to another buyer.

My 2 centavos

I'm a little uneasy. However, I did agree on an amount and feel obligated

In this case it's not about the money amount or obligation to honor the deal; it's about your uneasy feeling regarding the security of the transaction and the security of your personal info. Listen to your inner verbster.

 

[GeoFan]

... he wanted my bank account for a direct transfer.The buyer asked only for

bank name
bank country
routing #
Account #
Account Name (my name)

. . .

I welcome your advice and suggestions.

All that information is printed on every check you have ever written, and that is the info needed to wire transfer into your bank account.

Ask your bank for advice if you are unsure about the security, and get a signed agreement from the buyer.

 

[lothos]

All that information is printed on every check you have ever written, and that is the info needed to wire transfer into your bank account.

Ask your bank for advice if you are unsure about the security, and get a signed agreement from the buyer.

it's also all the information you need to pull money out of an account.

 

[alien51]

Transact through escrow. You put a middle man between the transaction, so you'll never have to reveal your bank details to a stranger. That's the only quick solution to this.

 

[NetOctave]

Make sure that the other offers are legit. Sometimes scammers will try to put pressure on you by providing multiple offers and then everything turn out to be dud...

 

[verbster]

Thanks for the advice. For some reason, I hadn't even thought about Escrow. I'll give it a shot. If he won't go for that, I'll move on.

 

[baseballworld]

Wire transfers through many different sources are done daily and supported throughout many countries. Even if a person does a money gram it provides confirmation numbers and what not so you can both check the status of it. Neither you nor anyone for that matter should have to give personal information about bank accounts and what not. Leave the depositing of the funds to you to put it in your account not him. Personal information is called personal for a reason and if I was you I would keep it that way. Unless of course you wanted to go the route of setting up an account at another bank that you will just use one time for this transaction. Then really once you take the funds out you could close the account being that you wont have any funds in it for him to steal to begin with. Ball is in your court on your gut feeling with this one my friend. You do have many options such as an escrow payment even. In some cases the fees are worth the protection of both parties. Good luck on your sale and transaction. Remember common sense goes along way in protecting yourself.

 

[verbster]

After reading baseballworld's post about it, my curiosity got the best of me. I have an old bank account I only keep a few bucks in, so I decided to give fed #, n/a swift code and account # info to the guy and see what happened. To my surprise, the money was in my account the same day.

I realize escrow is probably the best way to go in these situations, but I just had to see what would happen.

 

[FPForum]

After reading baseballworld's post about it, my curiosity got the best of me. I have an old bank account I only keep a few bucks in, so I decided to give fed #, n/a swift code and account # info to the guy and see what happened. To my surprise, the money was in my account the same day.

I realize escrow is probably the best way to go in these situations, but I just had to see what would happen.

I'm glad to hear it worked out for you. Escrow would be the safer route to go in the future (especially since that same account has more than a few bucks in it now, lol)..The owner can do the same type of wire transfer to them as well. But, you saved the fee costs this time around. Congrats on the sale and smooth transaction!