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Buying domain! Need help!

by caronthegerman
26 replies
Hi,

I am in the process of purchasing a domain name from somebody. I have spoken to her on Facebook. She seems real, has many pictures of her and friends. I know where she lives, etc. She needs the money tomorrow to purchase concert tickets as soon as they come out, though, and therefore does not want to use Escrow. She wants to use paypal. I have told he I could maybe send her half ($300), then she hands over the domain, and then I send the other half. She agreed to this, but I am still not convinced that I am not being scammed, seeing as paypal does not cover fraudulent virtual sales in their protection. How can I still purchase it?

Could I get her to make a listing on Ebay and purchase it from there using paypal?

Since paypal protects buyers that purchase real, tangible goods from fraudulent sellers, could I get her to make an Ebay listing for a "Rock from Peru and a facebook page"? Would that protect me and allow me to get the money back if I find it "unsufficient"?

Thanks for your help!
#buying #domain
  • Profile picture of the author AnniePot
    I would exercise caution. For me, declining to use Escrow.com for payment would immediately raise a red flag.

    BTW, neither a website nor a domain name are "real, tangible goods." I don't believe you will have any protection against fraud if you receive payment via PayPal.
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    • Profile picture of the author caronthegerman
      Originally Posted by AnniePot View Post

      BTW, neither a website nor a domain name are "real, tangible goods." I don't believe you will have any protection against fraud if you receive payment via PayPal.
      Thanks for your reply. What if the Ebay listing included a tangible item like a simple rock from Peru (where she lives)? That way the ebay listing would be a facebook page and a non-virtual good that should be protected, right? If I report that the rock never got there, then would I be able to get my money back?
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      • Profile picture of the author caronthegerman
        Anybody? I need to either accept and finish this today or decline it.
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  • Profile picture of the author seanster
    I'd give her $100 to cover the concert tickets and then use Escrow.com for the rest. And agree to pay 1/2 the escrow fees. No other way to get it fast, unless you use Escrow.com and she has it wired into her account. Make sure you pick 0-1 day for inspection time. Shameless plugin, when in doubt, I got some good domains maybe for you.
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    • Profile picture of the author caronthegerman
      Originally Posted by seanster View Post

      I'd give her $100 to cover the concert tickets and then use Escrow.com for the rest. And agree to pay 1/2 the escrow fees. No other way to get it fast, unless you use Escrow.com and she has it wired into her account. Make sure you pick 0-1 day for inspection time. Shameless plugin, when in doubt, I got some good domains maybe for you.
      Thanks for your suggestion. I ended up getting her to make an ebay listing for a wii, which I will buy for $100. I will pay her the $500 remaining after I get the domain name. If she does not hand it over, ebay buyer protection will protect me since a Wii is not virtual.
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      • Profile picture of the author seanster
        Originally Posted by caronthegerman View Post

        Thanks for your suggestion. I ended up getting her to make an ebay listing for a wii, which I will buy for $100. I will pay her the $500 remaining after I get the domain name. If she does not hand it over, ebay buyer protection will protect me since a Wii is not virtual.
        Sure. Clever girl. lol . Sure the breaks Ebay Terms of Service. Hope you don't have to produce a Tracking receipt, if you do your shipping an empty package.
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        • Profile picture of the author Gambino
          Originally Posted by seanster View Post

          Sure. Clever girl. lol . Sure the breaks Ebay Terms of Service. Hope you don't have to produce a Tracking receipt, if you do your shipping an empty package.
          Agreed. You probably won't have any protection if she fleeces you out of $100. Especially if you sent her an email, IM, text instructing her to set up a fake eBay listing. Hopefully she's honest because PayPal will require tracking info to prove it was sent and not received.
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          • Profile picture of the author caronthegerman
            Originally Posted by HeadToHeadFantasy View Post

            Agreed. You probably won't have any protection if she fleeces you out of $100. Especially if you sent her an email, IM, text instructing her to set up a fake eBay listing. Hopefully she's honest because PayPal will require tracking info to prove it was sent and not received.
            I have only conversed with her on facebook. Why would I not have any protection?
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            • Profile picture of the author Gambino
              Originally Posted by caronthegerman View Post

              I have only conversed with her on facebook. Why would I not have any protection?
              What is this woman shipping you?
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              • Profile picture of the author caronthegerman
                Originally Posted by HeadToHeadFantasy View Post

                What is this woman shipping you?
                Nothing. We agreed that I would pay for the item and she would say that she has shipped the item, but then she would just give me the domain. Afterwards, I would send her the rest of the money.
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                • Profile picture of the author Gambino
                  Originally Posted by caronthegerman View Post

                  Nothing. We agreed that I would pay for the item and she would say that she has shipped the item, but then she would just give me the domain. Afterwards, I would send her the rest of the money.
                  Exactly. If you dispute, you will have to provide tracking information which would show that the sender sent the item (which she didn't) and you did not receive the item and did not decline the item (which you won't be able to).

                  Secondly, if this woman decides to steal $100 from you she won't help you during the dispute process. She will probably end up showing proof that you instructed her to set up a fake eBay listing and commit fraud.

                  Best case, she's honest and you have nothing to worry about. Worst case, you're out $100 and your PayPal an eBay accounts are closed/suspended.
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                  • Profile picture of the author Obosh
                    Just list your domain name at Sedo or Gaddy auction or buy now section and ask her to buy your domain name for that site....hope that will solve all your problem....and you can do it within 24 hours...
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  • Profile picture of the author tentimes
    What was her answer for declining escrow?
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    • Profile picture of the author MatroidX
      How do you know for sure that she even owns the domain? Facebook, Paypal, and Ebay are not secure ways of buying a domain name. i doubt she has another buyer lined up, worst case scenario, she cannot buy the tickets. And will have to wait to securely sell you the domain (if she even owns it). I would wait, the concert tickets are not your responsibility.

      is she only selling it because she wants the tickets?
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      • Profile picture of the author caronthegerman
        Originally Posted by MATx View Post

        How do you know for sure that she even owns the domain? Facebook, Paypal, and Ebay are not secure ways of buying a domain name. i doubt she has another buyer lined up, worst case scenario, she cannot buy the tickets. And will have to wait to securely sell you the domain (if she even owns it). I would wait, the concert tickets are not your responsibility.

        is she only selling it because she wants the tickets?
        Yea she says she's broke right now, but it's her favorite band and it may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see them live. That's the reason why she's selling it. It's not really a domain, it's a facebook fan page.
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        • Profile picture of the author MatroidX
          Originally Posted by caronthegerman View Post

          Yea she says she's broke right now, but it's her favorite band and it may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see them live. That's the reason why she's selling it. It's not really a domain, it's a facebook fan page.
          Yeah, Facebook page selling is not even allowed. So there is not much you can do to secure it. It's going to be a risk.

          I don't think Escrow can even secure the digital goods (account info) side of it anyways. I think they can only secure and affirm the payment side of the deal. So regardless your going to be vulnerable.
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          "Teachers can open the door, but you must enter by yourself." ~Chinese Proverb
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        • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
          Banned
          Originally Posted by caronthegerman View Post

          Yea she says she's broke right now, but it's her favorite band and it may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see them live. That's the reason why she's selling it. It's not really a domain, it's a facebook fan page.
          I don't believe you can even use Escrow.com for a Facebook page. If you pay her and she doesn't deliver, you're pretty much screwed.
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          • Profile picture of the author caronthegerman
            <-- is now the proud owner of a page with more than 4 million fans.

            Just letting you guys know how it turned out.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jonathan Branson
    One of the most interesting Threads i ever read please update us what happen, it's like a movie
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  • Profile picture of the author mosthost
    Kiss your money goodbye. Deep down you know you're being scammed but your greed pushes you forward.
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  • Profile picture of the author RexMapes
    Oh, what a tangled web we weave.......
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    I'm so happy it turned out that way for you.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gambino
    Congrats with the fanpage. I assume it's useless.
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  • Profile picture of the author WebDomain
    funpage it's not domain - don't sure that it's real
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    Where to buy PR domains - WebDomain.biz!!!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author therichb
    Pretty Shocking, a fanpage sold for $600

    Interested to see the page if possible which is actually not allowed to sell.... How people do it on such a big risky factor !!!

    There are more than a chances of getting scammed in such cases & people run away without any reasons, but still good luck with your page
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  • Profile picture of the author Chrisbroholm
    So what's the over/under on number of actual real users? 5%?
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    Check out my blog GenuineOnlineMarketing.com where I talk about building Amazon and Adsense Niche Websites.

    Over 800 Amazon Reviews for $1 - No way?

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