How To Trust A Person With Buying & Shipping ?

[Patty550]

I live in Nebraska and a person in California that has a few birds for sale. He said the Cockatoo price is $450 (+) $100 shipping with a airline. Much lower in cost than anywhere I've seen, which could be unhonest or some people won't overcharge as a lot of breeders do.
Years ago, my engine builder in a another state too me for $12,800 in products and money.
This guys on Facebook, supplied his drivers license, photos and videos of the bird.

So, how do I trust any breeder or owner of just one bird for sale and prices ?
I asked for a photo of him, the bird and his licence together. What other safeguards can be done ?

 

[clark_conure]

USE SQUARETRADE... I was once scammed. DO NOT USE VENMO, ZELLA, PAYPAL, or any other as they will not protect you if you are scammed. Only use those apps with trusted freinds.

A credit card might also be ok. As they will actually protect you and refund, as these other apps WILL NOT.

Personally it was zella (wells fargo app) that was like "tough shit asshole".....

 

[Patty550]

USE SQUARETRADE... I was once scammed. DO NOT USE VENMO, ZELLA, PAYPAL, or any other as they will not protect you if you are scammed. Only use those apps with trusted freinds.

A credit card might also be ok. As they will actually protect you and refund, as these other apps WILL NOT.

Personally it was zella (wells fargo app) that was like "tough shit asshole".....

That's by Allstate ?
Ok, just found that Allstate bought them out.

Do you know a direct link for covering my/our buys for animals ?

I just called my Bank. A few years ago I bought a car part on a website forum. I got a Bank certified check, so I sent it to the owner. He and I shared around 10 emails. He thought the check was fake, the last email I asked where did you cash it and he said a bank inside Walmart, but the cashier got it wet and ruined it. So, I lost $400. I asked my banker out of all the bossiness above which is safe to use, and he said really, none. They all can get coned with no safety towards getting my money back if we get scammed. There's really just two ways, one, exchanged the check and bird/product in person, or if they have a website, see if their secured by FDIC. I can not drive all the way to California or even south Texas to get the bird in person.

I don't know what to do ?

 

[clark_conure]

Credit cards have fraud protection and at the time this was a year or so ago (at the time) squaretrade was a place where all payments were held in escrow until both parties satisfied. Haven't used it since then. Maybe google epayment with escrow? I dunno.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

USE SQUARETRADE... I was once scammed. DO NOT USE VENMO, ZELLA, PAYPAL, or any other as they will not protect you if you are scammed. Only use those apps with trusted freinds.

A credit card might also be ok. As they will actually protect you and refund, as these other apps WILL NOT.

Personally it was zella (wells fargo app) that was like "tough shit asshole".....

The only advantage of Zelle and PayPal is that you aren't giving your credit card info the the seller. Neither protects you if you don't get the product or it's defective. Zelle is good for sending money to a friend or family member but not much more. Credit card companies protect you but most casual sellers are not set up to take credit cards. Some people are very nervous about giving out their credit card info. I suppose they're worried about things like identity theft but I don't know how someone could "steal someone's identity" with nothing more than the numbers on a credit card.

 

[Navygal]

I agree with the credit card. I once had a breeder promise to refund me if the bird didn't
get along with me or my husband. We discussed, this in several emails. I returned the bird
but she would not return my money. I contacted my bank and they reversed the charges.
That's a happy ending.

 

[clark_conure]

I agree with the credit card. I once had a breeder promise to refund me if the bird didn't
get along with me or my husband. We discussed, this in several emails. I returned the bird
but she would not return my money. I contacted my bank and they reversed the charges.
That's a happy ending.

Thank you Navygal (was also in Navy). Yeah credit cards will overturn charges...they (scammer) get your number sure... BUT....they will actually protect you, eventually all services might because if someone gets scammed and they don't, you will never use their service again. Hence I never use Zella anymore not even for a dollar. And tell people not to trust them.....thats the only thing that will change thier policy to help honest people.