Tips for Staying Safe on Gabsters
Selling anything over the Internet comes with some risks, but with a few simple safety tips you can sell your unwanted items without a hitch.
TIPS FOR SELLING LOCALLY
Tip #1: If you have a potential buyer coming to your house to look at an item, make sure to have a relative or neighbor there with you. Most people are generally good, but there is always a chance that the potential buyer could be up to no good.
Tip #2: Don't accept a personal check for an item and let the person take the item with them. Personal checks pose the potential risk of being fraudulent or not sufficient. It is best to collect cash for your item when possible. Besides, if a person has the funds to write you a check, they can just as easily go to an ATM or their bank to get the cash.
Tip #3: Never accept a personal check for more than the amount you are asking for the item. This is probably the oldest trick in the book. Avoid becoming a victim to this at all costs.
TIPS FOR SELLING NATIONALLY
Tip #1: If you accept a payment over the Internet only use a payment service like PayPal to complete the transaction. The benefit of PayPal is that users have to be verified, which guarantees they are who they say they are. They also offer buyer and seller protection. This means that if you ship an item to someone who is verified and they sign for the package, they can not come back at you and claim none receipt of the item.
Tip #2: When you ship an item to someone, make sure you have a tracking number for the package. People like to be able to see the item has been shipped and when they can expect to receive it. It is also advisable to purchase a "signature service" so the recipient has to sign for the package upon receipt. This eliminates the possibility of the recipient claiming no receipt of goods.
Tip #3: If someone messages you and states they want it shipped outside the U.S. and that they will have a shipping carrier pick up the item, they are just wasting your time. They also could be phishing for any personal information you will provide. Avoid answering these types of inquiries. Gabsters.com has settings in place to keep non-U.S. residents from viewing the site, but it doesn't stop everyone. And unfortunately even people in the U.S. try these scams.
Tip #4: If you choose to accept a personal check for payment, it is strongly advised not to send the item until the check has cleared the bank (usually 10 business days). If a buyer sends you a check for more than the amount of item, DON'T SEND THE DIFFERENCE BACK TO THEM! If the check would happen to bounce you will be out the money you sent them plus bank fees. It is best to avoid accepting checks if possible.
TIPS FOR BUYING LOCALLY
Tip #1: If possible, properly inspect the item you are purchasing before completing any transaction. If you are purchasing any vehicle and you unsure what to look for, have a mechanic check it out for you. It is better to pay a few bucks to have something inspected then to be stuck with something that doesn't work.
Tip #2: Don't be offended if the seller requests cash. This if for their protection. Just make sure you know what you are buying before you hand over the cash.
TIPS FOR BUYING NATIONALLY
Tip #1: NEVER SEND CASH, USE WESTERN UNION, OR TRANSFER MONEY USING ANY OTHER MONEY TRANSFER SYSTEM TO SEND THE SELLER MONEY!!! Once they have your hard earned cash, you may or may not see the item you purchased. Don't risk it!
Tip #2: If you don't have a PayPal account yet, get one. PayPal is one of the best ways to send money because PayPal verifies their users and offers buyer protection against claims like item not received or item not as described. PayPal protects you just as well as that credit card in your wallet, the only difference is most individual sellers don't accept credit cards, but they can except PayPal. Gabsters suggests that unless the sell accepts credit cards, always pay with PayPal.
Tip #3: Gabsters.com "Buy Now" auctions are meant for sellers to sell smaller items that can ship nationally. Don't purchase anything nationally on Gabsters.com that can't be shipped via UPS, FedEx, the United States Postal Service, or a common carrier (truck freight). If you can't track it, don't buy it. Gabsters.com doesn't allow sellers to post real estate, used cars, trucks or any other automobile as an auction, so if you see one listed that way, don't buy it!
Tip #4: Gabsters.com does not offer arbitration services, so buyer protection comes from you payment provider.
If you follow these tips and use a little common sense, you should enjoy your time on Gabsters. HAPPY LISTING!