B/S/T without PayPal. What do/would you do?

[marurun]

Alright folks, I pretty much refuse to use PayPal and it's turning into a real problem. Here's why... I don't do many on-line transactions with individuals. In fact, it's pretty rare. And given PayPal's reputation I don't want them to have access to my bank account. The problem, then, is that if you want to get money OUT of your PayPal account and you don't want them to have your bank account info, you have to pay them fees and wait. Further, PayPal has a reputation of jerking people around.

Are there any good alternatives for person-to-person transactions on-line that offer some kind of security, either via a waiting period or something else, that don't rake you over the coals as a result?

[OldSchool_Boy]

Money Orders.

[BoringSupreez]

I don't know of any that anyone outside of die-hard Paypal/Ebay hate groups uses/accepts. You've pretty much gotta play by Paypal's rules, or not play at all.

[o.pwuaioc]

Google checkout works.

[BurningDoom]

I have a Visa Travel Card that I got through my bank, but it's not connected to my checking or savings accounts in any way. I entered it initially as a credit card. Later PayPal also verified it as my bank account when I tried, just to see if I could. I'd do the same. Whenever I buy something, I just transfer money from my checking account onto the Travel Card. I would think that a transfer from your PayPal account could happen the same way.

I did this because I didn't want PayPal to have my bank account information. I had to start a new PayPal account because my last one was hacked and they did get into my bank account info. Luckily only $100 was spent before my bank caught it (not PayPal) and they credited it back to me since we were longtime members.

[marurun]

o.pwuaioc, Google Checkout seems to only be a good option if one is a merchant of some sort. I make a couple or three personal transactions about every other year, so that's no good. I have a fondness for US Postal money orders, but some folks have a thing against money orders of all kinds. I can't blame them. Western Union scams and the like have kinda hurt trust in money orders.

I know you can wait a couple weeks and pay a $1.50 fee to PayPal to get your money as a check... And I may end up going that route. I want the money and I don't want the stuff. It's just frustrating that one company can so lock up this particular method of doing business, and do it so arbitrarily and unfairly to the people who end up using it. Just about everyone knows someone who's had a PayPal account hacked or locked or had money basically taken away from them due to fraudulent claims.

BurningDoom, what are the fees and whatnot on the Visa TravelCard?

[OldSchool_Boy]

Isn't there prepaid Ebay and Amazon cards available at stores?

[BurningDoom]

BurningDoom, what are the fees and whatnot on the Visa TravelCard?

It's completely free through my bank, I'd check with your bank and see what their policy is on it. We might have had to pay $5-$10 for the physical card, I don't remember.

[flex wood]

I kinda wish bitcoins would catch on. They seem to be pretty good idea but there really isn't a way to file a claim or anything I think. I don't really know if they are used for anything other then silk road though.

[jay_red]

What about the PayPal debit card? I use it all the time when I have a balance between and if I need the cash I just go to an atm and pay the couple dollar fee and withdraw what I need instantly.