I only purchase from home owners and advertise locally Cash Paid for Pinballs. They know I'm coming with cash. Most would not take a check or paypal. I research the seller as much as possible, always leave the sellers contact number, name and address with my wife. Hide the cash in my vehicle. Never paid for a machine until it was loaded in my vehicle and pay the person just before leaving. Always call my wife as soon as I hit the road. Several hundred purchases and never had an issue.