I'm selling a machine right now and in Facebook Marketplace I'm being asked if I'll accept a check and allow the buyer to send a mover after the check clears. It sounds low risk, but I have concerns. It just sounds fishy for some reason.
Would you sell like this? I'm inclined to ask for some other form of payment like zelle or something where I can be comfortable that the buyer can't stop payment. Any selling advice is appreciated.
No. If they have a check then they can get the cash, in my opinion.
There are exceptions to this but unless they are Navy Federal (example)and don't have a branch local I don't see how they couldn't just bring the cash or wire funds directly to you through their bank.
my .02.
r/Mike
Zero risk if they are willing to wait until the check clears. Another option would be a cashiers check from their bank. I wouldn’t worry about it.
Added 23 months ago:Answers to questions for advise and experience are not acceptable on pinside. I will not publicly add my experience and opinions to pinside any longer.
Quoted from mikepmcs:No. If they have a check then they can get the cash, in my opinion.
There are exceptions to this but unless they are Navy Federal (example)and don't have a branch local I don't see how they couldn't just bring the cash or wire funds directly to you through their bank.
my .02.
r/Mike
The issue I think is that the guy isn't local and he'd be asking someone to move the game for him. Otherwise I'd insist on him bringing cash.
Quoted from Bud:Zero risk if they are willing to wait until the check clears. Another option would be a cashiers check from their bank. I wouldn’t worry about it.
Not even close to zero.
The problem is you don’t really know when the check clears. Your bank may give you access to the funds sooner, but checks can be returned weeks later.
Fake cashiers checks or stolen personal checks sometimes takes a while to sort out.
Never take a check of any type from someone you don’t know.
Quoted from Black_Knight:Not even close to zero.
The problem is you don’t really know when the check clears. Your bank may give you access to the funds sooner, but checks can be returned weeks later.
Fake cashiers checks or stolen personal checks sometimes takes a while to sort out.
Never take a check of any type from someone you don’t know.
This was the first thing that came to mind. I've seen where the recipient bank allows the funds to be used and then later the sender's bank stops payment.
I’d be fine with a cashiers or regular check, copy of drivers license, wait a week after clearing, ship with a known, reputable company. He’s getting it shipped so the extra week shouldn’t be an issue. If it is, that’s when the red flags shoot up.
Postal money orders are also an option. They are just as good as cash and cannot be reversed. Have buyer send the receipt with them. You are limited to buying ten $1000 orders per day.
Another option is Zelle or wire transfer.
I took a partial check once and never again as it was to stupid and stressful.
-Mike
No checks of any kind. No PayPal. A wire transfer and cash are the safest, the former could have tax implications. Zelle is safe, but has daily limits.
Even after the check clears, the buyer can submit a fraud or payment dispute. If the bank accepts the dispute, the funds can get withdrawn from the receiving account. There's just too many "what ifs".
I sold a 4MBC to CA and a family guy to CO.
I took checks and let them clear, although I recall both were reputable hobbyists.
With todays climate I’m strictly cash now. There’s enough demand I can sell anything locally if I need to. But I rarely sell.
As others have said, checks can "clear" but stopped weeks later. Same with cashier's checks. The only way I would ever take a personal check (and I have) was if it was drawn on a local bank to me where I could take it in, cash it, and walk out with cash. If you don't have an account with that bank, they may charge you around $10 to cash it, but you got the cash and that bank can't come back to you after the fact.
Only ever had one potential buyer freak the f out because I said cash only when they wanted to pay via check/PayPal. Pretty easy to spot the scammer when they self identify.
Everyone is only taking the point of view of the seller (understandable since that’s the question). I spent part of my career leading a Treasury Department for a very large corp. Sending wires was by far the riskiest thing we ever did…there is no recovering once sent. Phishing attempts happened on a routine basis. Typos can even be an issue. I am extremely cautious about sending a wire in my personal life. Hesitancy to send a wire shouldn’t automatically be viewed as a red flag. I personally would accept a cleared check from someone I was able to validate their identity and was comfortable with.
Quoted from medeski7:I'm inclined to ask for some other form of payment like zelle
In my opinion Zelle - which is the banking industry's answer to the cash app and venmo/paypal - is a very good solution but still poorly marketed. Many folks don't know zelle is "built in" to their existing bank account (meaning there is no new app to get or account to create), so the individual with a checkbook very likely can use zelle from that same account but simply isn't aware. Talk them through it - both you and the buyer will be happier than with 'check in the mail' timeframes/risks.
-Rob
-visit https://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my replacement type 1 sound board for Williams system 3-6
It probably sounds mean, but I have 0 concerns regarding how the buyer feels about sending funds via wire.
This is a private sale so the seller has none of the “safeguards” a disto would have in place to protect them if this was a scam attempt.
If the buyer is that motivated to purchase a Mondo pro (assuming that's the game in question). I know for a fact there are some currently available nib which they can purchase via credit card or probably even check
Too many scams out there people.
Quoted from McDoom:It probably sounds mean, but I have 0 concerns regarding how the buyer feels about sending funds via wire.
This is a private sale so the seller has none of the “safeguards” a disto would have in place to protect them if this was a scam attempt.
If the buyer is that motivated to purchase a Mondo pro (assuming that's the game in question). I know for a fact there are some currently available nib which they can purchase via credit card or probably even check
Too many scams out there people.
What about the buyer though? Scams can work both ways. What safeguards do they have sending that kind of money across the country before the machine is shipped. I totally get where your coming from, but I don’t think it’s crazy for a buyer to want some protection as well. The safest way for both sides is to use a third party like PayPal, but I know people want to avoid the fees and tax consequences that come along with that. I also don’t think cash on the glass completely insulates your from future issues either…if you selling a 10k machine and the buyer thinks something was misrepresented down the road you could have a different kind of headache. To me you buy the seller/buyer first before entering into this kind of high cost deal.
Quoted from JSC:What about the buyer though? Scams can work both ways. What safeguards do they have sending that kind of money across the country before the machine is shipped. I totally get where your coming from, but I don’t think it’s crazy for a buyer to want some protection as well. The safest way for both sides is to use a third party like PayPal, but I know people want to avoid the fees and tax consequences that come along with that. I also don’t think cash on the glass completely insulates your from future issues either…if you selling a 10k machine and the buyer thinks something was misrepresented down the road you could have a different kind of headache. To me you buy the seller/buyer first before entering into this kind of high cost deal.
I believe the buyer should be protected as well.
If I can’t physically play the game first, I'm not buying it.
No shipping for me and no purchased shipped games unless it’s from a distro with a good rep.
Cash on the glass is the way, (Mondo voice).
Quoted from McDoom:I believe the buyer should be protected as well.
If I can’t physically play the game first, I'm not buying it.
No shipping for me and no purchased shipped games unless it’s from a distro with a good rep.
Cash on the glass is the way, (Mondo voice).
This is my logic. I've only bought either cash on the glass or through a credible distributor. Even the distributor allowed me to make the final payment on delivery.
This dude just seems too shady to do anything else. Very spotty communication so far and his Facebook profile gives very little information to give me any comfort.
Quoted from medeski7:This is my logic. I've only bought either cash on the glass or through a credible distributor. Even the distributor allowed me to make the final payment on delivery.
This dude just seems too shady to do anything else. Very spotty communication so far and his Facebook profile gives very little information to give me any comfort.
You should buy the buyer before selling to anyone. If that’s the vibe you are getting there is now way you should do the deal regardless how they pay IMO. Shipping a game is risky for both sides even if you have the money. He could say the pictures didn’t show some kind of issue when received. I’d only ship to someone I am really comfortable with.
I've accepted a check twice on pins. Once from the man who signs my paycheck, and once from a pinsider I've sold to before AFTER he offered to pay with cash.
Quoted from medeski7:This is my logic. I've only bought either cash on the glass or through a credible distributor. Even the distributor allowed me to make the final payment on delivery.
This dude just seems too shady to do anything else. Very spotty communication so far and his Facebook profile gives very little information to give me any comfort.
Always go with your gut instinct my friend, it's saved my ass many of times.
If the game is priced even close to fairly Im sure a cash buyer will turn up real quick, maybe local, why bother with even taking the chance on getting burned. Not like its hard to sell a pinball machine these days. A non local buyer with a check sending someone else to get the game? Shit, thats all three strikes right there.
In the Navy, when a Sailor would ask me something sketchy on aircraft maintenence/risky life decision (that they most likely already knew the answer to) my reply would always be "When there is doubt, there is no doubt"
It will keep you out of trouble 100% of the time.
Best wishes
r/
Mike
It's getting to where it won't be possible to buy or sell anything before long......let's not forget, for all the cash-on-glass crowd, that if a drug dealer were to sell a lot of marijuana pills and receive in return a wad of counterfeit $100 bills...he might be the guy buying your machine. This is where the term 'funny money' comes from.
I'd have no problem with a personal check; if I had spoken with the buyer on the phone and he sounded OK. Additionally, if the check arrived from the Bank of Nigeria and the buyer's name was Hugh J. McLovin' I'd be far more concerned than if it arrived from a normal bank and the buyer's name was Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Lubinsky and had puppy dogs or flowers on the background.
I find that as Planet Earth accelerates through time there seems to be an entire breed of people developing who are distinguished by their belief that they will go through life first and foremost avoiding all risks at all costs.
I have bought a pin with a check before…just depends upon how well you know the buyer… I wouldn’t do it for someone I’ve never met.
One cannot possible give any advise or experience even when asked on pinside, somebody else always knows better, another downvotes, another comes up with a speculation outcome, so on and so on.
The same stupid saying is always tossed around. That’s is “cash on the glass”
Cash on the glass often is a massive amount, as in murder for hire happens for a lot less money than the cash on the glass.
How many people actually check every single bill to ensure it’s not counterfeit. Hold it up, look for the security ribbon, check all the proof marking, take a counterfeit marker etc. I bet none, or very few, in that case there is just as much risk for losing out.
Here’s the reality, any transaction is risky for both parties, what if one gets robbed? What if a buyer receives stolen property? What if a buyer is casing out the sellers place for a later date? What if a check is fake, what if money is fake? What if your “cash on the glass” gets lost after a serious car accident on the way to the bank? The answer to all of it is you never know, you have to be willing to accept some risk with obvious reasoning or just never sell anything.
Quoted from Bud:One cannot possible give any advise or experience even when asked on pinside, somebody else always knows better, another downvotes, another comes up with a speculation outcome, so on and so on.
The same stupid saying is always tossed around. That’s is “cash on the glass”
Cash on the glass often is a massive amount, as in murder for hire happens for a lot less money than the cash on the glass.
How many people actually check every single bill to ensure it’s not counterfeit. Hold it up, look for the security ribbon, check all the proof marking, take a counterfeit marker etc. I bet none, or very few, in that case there is just as much risk for losing out.
Here’s the reality, any transaction is risky for both parties, what if one gets robbed? What if a buyer receives stolen property? What if a buyer is casing out the sellers place for a later date? What if a check is fake, what if money is fake? What if your “cash on the glass” gets lost after a serious car accident on the way to the bank? The answer to all of it is you never know, you have to be willing to accept some risk with obvious reasoning or just never sell anything.
You've got me convinced.
I'm never selling again 
Quoted from Daditude:You've got me convinced.
I'm never selling again
Lol, it’s all doom and gloom, everyone is out to get ya!
Quoted from Bud:How many people actually check every single bill to ensure it’s not counterfeit.
The desk manager at my hotel in Rhiyad Saudi Arabia. Leaving to go shopping I give him a crisp 100 US. He gives me the equivalent in riyals. Off I go. Upon returning I hear a loud Arab voice saying something in gibberish to me but realized he's looking directly at me with a 100 bill in his hand. He said it's fake. He rubs it on a piece of paper. Ink comes off. Fake. I give him another hundred and take "The fake" back. (Those 100's came directly from a bank in the US) Anyway, I assumed I was scammed as he gave me the fake and kept the real, obviously I spent the "fake" somewhere else without being unknowingly caught or possibly ink on US bills do rub off? I never tried, but I doubt it.
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