[OT] safest method of remote payment?

Looking to take payment from a buyer far away from me within the UK.

What is the safest method to do that? i.e. so that once the money is in my account it cannot be touched again by anyone but myself (so no reverse charges, etc). I intend to send the item using a courier, so I should be able to prove delivery.

Would a simple direct bank transfer be ok? How safe is it to give a stranger my bank details (bank name, account number and sort code)?

Reply to
JoeJoe
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BACS or Faster Payments provided by most banks. Very difficult to get the money back.

If I was the buyer I would prefer PayPal and would never pay money into what might be a black hole or scam, but hey.

Reply to
Fredxx

Neither would I, but the potential buyer is very persistent, so I want to make sure it is not a scam (and hence will not accept PayPal). I will

100% honour my side of the deal.

BTW, the sale is NOT through eBay, but GumTree. I advertised it for local sale, cash on collection, but he is very keen, and is several 00's miles away.

Reply to
JoeJoe

I asked my bank about something similar about a year go. They said that giving out your bank details exposes you to no risk. For example you give out those details every time you write a cheque or set up a direct debit.

Reply to
Chris Hogg

Bear in mind your bank can reverse it without your consent anyway.

Reply to
Jethro_uk

Jeremy Clarkson thought that too.

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Reply to
Reentrant

Buyer arranges courier to deliver cash to you and take object to them.

Reply to
mark.bluemel

;-) Haven't thought about that one...

Reply to
JoeJoe

I think that is the worst option.

Not very safe, as Jermy clarkson found out when he gave out his details a c harity managed to take £500 from his account.

If I was in this situation I'd ask for a cheque or postal order or perhaps cash. if someone wants something bad enough I think they'll do whatever it takes to get it and sending a cheque (recorded or not) isn't that much hassle fo r most.

Reply to
whisky-dave

And (cheque) then they are giving you exactly the same details.

Reply to
Bob Eager

No on a cheque there are names and a signature, and in this case it;s the O P getting paid so the person sending the mo0ney doesn;t have to kn ow the O Ps JoeJoes details such as bank number sort code etc.. The buyer just send s a cheque saing pay JoeJHoe £x

Reply to
whisky-dave

Hmm..alarming. I don't understand how banks can allow an individual or organisation can set up a DD without direct authorisation from the account owner, but obviously they do.

But the point that you give out your bank details every time you write a cheque is still true.

I'm confused...

Reply to
Chris Hogg

Rather disingenuous of you to put it that way .

Someone accessed his account but to appear/be a 'white hat' he gave the money to charity, the charity did not take the money from JC direct.

Reply to
soup

The point is that the buyer (who has no more trust in the seller, than the seller does in the buyer), is sending a cheque that contains bank number, sort code, name...and as a bonus, signature.

Reply to
Bob Eager

On my cheques there are the Bank Branch details, the account number and the name of the account. This means taht anyone you give a cheque to knows your account details.

Reply to
charles

That isn't what the story said.

It said that someone had set up a direct debit from his account to that charity.

And we have no details on how that third party managed this.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Thought one of the principles of direct debit is if you have a query, they are obliged to return the money before sorting things out? Unlike with a standing order, etc.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

If you give a stranger a cheque they have your bank details.

Reply to
Tim Streater

a charity managed to take £500 from his account.

Well he lost £500 which went to charity.

No a 'normal' person took the money from his account and paid it into a cha rity account. I agree that the average nigerain that wants you to take his millions might not put the millions into a charity for you. But I don't think JC would have given £500 to the charity unless a 'n ormal' person had taken the money from his account. I would have thought he could have a charge of theft and got the money back .

Reply to
whisky-dave

The answer is that the Clarkson incident exposed him to no significant financial risk, though a litttle inconvenience. The banks only allow large and reputable organisations to set up direct debits with no paperwork. The money can easily be retrieved if the DD was set up fraudulently and in the unlikely event they go broke the bank will pay.

Reply to
Roger Hayter

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