This week we would like to draw your attention to different payment options.
It is important to us that all of our members can feel safe when they are participating in online transactions. Since our group is completely online, we don't have the opportunity to meet somewhere in person and exchange goods for cash. However, we can still take steps to help everyone in our group can rest assured that their transactions are made in the safest manner possible.
As a leadership team, we recommend for our members to use PayPal as a safe and fast way to transfer money.
There are two approved ways to send and receive money through Paypal, and here we will explain how these work, and how to keep yourself as safe as possible. For both of the following options the person receiving the item is covered under the PayPal Purchase Protection. That means, if the donor never ships the item, they will be able to file a claim and get their money back. For the donors it is very important to have a tracking number as proof that the item has been shipped.
There are two approved ways to send and receive money through Paypal, and here we will explain how these work, and how to keep yourself as safe as possible. For both of the following options the person receiving the item is covered under the PayPal Purchase Protection. That means, if the donor never ships the item, they will be able to file a claim and get their money back. For the donors it is very important to have a tracking number as proof that the item has been shipped.
- Out of the two approved ways to send money on PayPal, we recommend that the donor acquire the email address from the person receiving the free item and then sends them an invoice. This option will protect both the donor and the receiving person from fraud. The receiving person then pays the requested amount of the invoice. If the donor prints out the shipping label through PayPal, the label will automatically include a tracking bar code and number, which will enable both parties to see where the package is and when it is expected to be delivered. If the donor is not able to print the label directly from PayPal, we recommend that they obtain a tracking number through the post office and manually enter it into their PayPal transaction as an extra protection for both parties involved.
- If the donor does not want to send an invoice, they can provide the receiving person with their email address to transfer money as well. In this case, please use the "goods and services" option.
Never use the "friends and family" option to pay someone for shipping (no matter which group or online forum you meet someone). Even though the fee for the donor is waved that way, it is against PayPal policy to do so and the person paying for shipping automatically looses any protection they have in the other two options. You can read the PayPal user agreement here.
 |
| (click image to see it larger) |
Even though the above two recommended payment options will result in some PayPal fees, the shipping charge guide provided on the blog accounts for those fees and a little extra for packaging.
As a leadership team we also advise against sending cash, personal checks or money orders in the mail, as that again does not provide you with any protection.
Last but not least, if you feel as though you are being asked to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable, do not hesitate to contact an administrator by either asking on the wall for one of us to contact you or by sending a PM directly to one of us.
Last but not least, if you feel as though you are being asked to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable, do not hesitate to contact an administrator by either asking on the wall for one of us to contact you or by sending a PM directly to one of us.
