Buying and selling
Wanted payment outside the platform
You found the item on a marketplace, but the seller wants to be paid by Zelle, Venmo friends-and-family, wire, gift card, or crypto, and preferably to move the whole conversation off the site. Reports come from buyers who paid and got nothing, and sellers who 'got paid' and lost the item.
What it looks like
- 'I only take Zelle' or 'send it as friends and family so I don't pay fees'.
- A deposit requested before you've seen the item, especially for rentals, pets, cars, and tickets.
- Pressure to text or email instead of using the site's messages.
- A story about being out of town, deployed, or handling it through a relative.
Why does a seller want Zelle instead of the site's checkout?
Marketplace and payment platforms have buyer protection, dispute processes, and records. Off-platform payments have none of that, and 'friends and family' transfers are specifically not refundable. Fee-avoidance sounds reasonable and even generous. It's the reason people don't notice they're giving up every protection they had.
What to do
- Pay through the platform's own checkout, or in person after you've inspected the item.
- Never send a deposit for something you haven't seen. Rentals and pets are the classic examples.
- If you paid off-platform and got nothing, contact your bank or app now. Report the listing.
- Look the seller's number up here before you pay, and add it after if it went wrong.
More in the tips: Buying, selling, and payment apps.
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