7 Tips to Get Paid Safely When Selling Online

Selling items online should be simple. List it, find a buyer, get paid. But too many sellers lose money because they didn’t take basic precautions. Here are seven tips to protect yourself.

1. Never ship before payment clears. This sounds obvious, but it’s the number one way sellers get scammed. Pending payments are not confirmed payments. Wait for full clearance before handing over anything.
2. Use a verified payment platform. Cash apps, Venmo, and e-transfers can all be reversed or faked. Use a platform with escrow protection – like LockNDeal – that holds funds until you confirm the handoff.
3. Meet in public, well-lit places. Mall entrances, coffee shops, and police safe exchange zones are your best bet. Never invite strangers to your home or meet in isolated areas.
4. Document everything. Take photos of the item before the meetup. Screenshot all conversations. If a dispute arises, documentation is your best friend.
5. Trust your gut. If something feels off about a buyer – overly eager, asking strange questions, wanting to change the meetup location last minute – trust your instincts and walk away.
6. Use escrow for high-value items. Anything over $200 warrants the added protection. The small service fee is nothing compared to the risk of losing hundreds or thousands to a scam.
7. Keep communication on-platform. Scammers often try to move conversations to WhatsApp or text to avoid platform monitoring. Keep your chat where it’s trackable.

The bottom line – A few minutes of precaution can save you hours of headaches and potentially thousands of dollars. Sell smart, sell safe.

Selling something big? Read how to sell a car privately in Ontario safely, and see how escrow for marketplace deals works.