Escrow.com - Run Away !

[Clinton]

Domain Magnate, I've written several posts on this here and elsewhere explaining the hows. I'd be boring people if I repeat all that again. In addition to the ways I've disclosed, there are some that are best not put in the public domain. But I'm not trying to convert anyone to anything and if you're happy with escrow.com, that's fine

[DomainMagnate]

When I last bought a domain using escrow.com, as soon as the domain was in my control I put domain privacy on. Therefore, escrow.com couldn't verify that I owned it and they actually sent me an email to confirm. Because I was honest, I did confirm that I now had control, but I wonder what escrow.com/seller could have done if I denied the fact. If they don't release my funds then I get a nice domain for free.

Yeah that happened to me too and I also wondered about that, but I think in this case the seller could easily prove he transferred the domain by showing screenshots of the buyer providing him the account/username details (via email for example) and it's easy to verify against the registrar that the transfer indeed took place.

Either way I'm probably not the best person to take advice from on security measures, I mostly rely on my "instinct". If the seller seems like an honest person and all the dd checks come up good (and I always do an extensive research and due diligence if I have any reason to doubt), I would just send a $x,xxx payment through paypal, or even wire transfer simply based on a pm or email. I've done it many times and so far no problems. Maybe I was just lucky though, but I like to believe I have a good grasp on people online

[benitez17]

Yeah that happened to me too and I also wondered about that, but I think in this case the seller could easily prove he transferred the domain by showing screenshots of the buyer providing him the account/username details (via email for example) and it's easy to verify against the registrar that the transfer indeed took place.

Either way I'm probably not the best person to take advice from on security measures, I mostly rely on my "instinct". If the seller seems like an honest person and all the dd checks come up good (and I always do an extensive research and due diligence if I have any reason to doubt), I would just send a $x,xxx payment through paypal, or even wire transfer simply based on a pm or email. I've done it many times and so far no problems. Maybe I was just lucky though, but I like to believe I have a good grasp on people online

If Escrow.com accepts screenshots as evidence that a transfer took place, they might as well close up shop. I don't understand why they don't just have the domain transferred to them for holding until the funds are transferred to avoid all of these issues.


That said, the feel that you get for the other party during your discussions is very important. I have insisted on using escrow for purchases around $500 because I didn't like the feelings I got from the seller, and I have sent a few thousand dollars via PayPal because I knew I could trust the seller.