Payment reversed after delivery

• A card payment that's later disputed as unauthorized (often a stolen card).
• A payment app transfer that gets clawed back weeks later.
• A check that cleared, then didn't.
• A buyer who claims the item never arrived, or arrived empty, despite tracking.

Payment systems are built to protect the person paying, and stolen cards get reported after the goods have shipped. Some buyers exploit that on purpose. Fake checks work because banks release funds before the check is truly collected. In both cases, the seller carries the loss unless they can prove delivery and authorization.

• Ship only to the address on the payment record, with tracking and signature for anything valuable.
• For payment apps, don't ship until money is in your balance, and prefer goods-and-services payments where protection exists.
• Respond to the dispute with tracking, photos, and messages before the deadline. Deadlines are short.
• If a check bounced after you sent money back, call your bank now.

More in the tips: Buying, selling, and payment apps.