payment mode TIPS

More Guidelines

What are the things that potentially fraudulent sellers do?

• Ask you to wire money into on International account. Seller may ask you to send payment overseas and will only accept Western Union or another money transfer service (e-Gold).
• List an address that is different from the address on their item detail page.
• Recommend an unfamiliar escrow or payment service.
• Not be up front about the authenticity of items for sale.
• Will not provide you a verifiable telephone number.
• Try to convince you not to use payment services which offer protection (accepted services are those like Escrow.com & PayPal).
• Will repeatedly not answer phone calls or email.
• Continuously provide excuses about why you haven't received an item.
• Sell suspect copies of software, music, or videos.
• Refuse to give you a working shipment tracking number.
• Sell an expensive popular item at a suspiciously low price.

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What should I do if I suspect a fraudulent seller?
If you feel there is a posting on the site that is false or fraudulent, please contact us at Legal Issues. Back to top

How can I avoid a fraud?
At OLX, we believe that buying items locally - where you can inspect the item, meet the seller and pay at the time of pickup or delivery -- is the surest and safest way to transact. For National or International items, we strongly suggest taking the following measures to protect yourself from fraudulent sellers: Back to top

Use always OLX system

When communicating with sellers on OLX always do it using the "Contact Seller" link on the page that details the item. An email will be sent out to the seller with your email address and all transactions will be conducted between you and the seller directly via our system. This way, if we are notified of a seller's fraudulent activity, we will have your contact information to reach you and provide you with the information. Since our marketplace is always free, there should be little incentive to take communications off line.

Know what you are buying

Before making an offer to a seller, ask questions to learn more about what they are selling. You can send a seller a pre-sale note, and then make your offer when you are comfortable with purchasing the item. We also recommend checking retail prices and other members' prices for comparison purposes. Remember, if the price looks too good to be true, it probably is. In particular, be careful when purchasing high-tech goods, especially when prices are far below retail. Certain high-end items such as flat-panel displays, notebook computers, and cell phones are likely targets for scammers. In many cases, it's appropriate to ask for a serial number before sending payment.

Ask for sellers address and telephone number

Once you have negotiated the price and have decided to buy the item, ask for the seller's phone number and call him/her up at a random time to make sure he/she is receiving the calls. Honest sellers should be able to provide this information. Having a seller who has a registered telephone number at the other end, will make the seller more trackable and hence less likely to be a fraud.

Use a payment method with fraud protection

We highly advise AGAINST sending payment via wire transfer. Many fraudulent sellers only accept money by wire transfer, Money Gram, or bank transfer because buyers cannot get their money back and sellers cannot be tracked. If you are within the US and must pay by money order, we suggest using a postal money order. Postal money orders can be investigated, while other money orders cannot.

There are many forms of payment that provide protection for buyers. Credit cards, escrow services such as Escrow.com, C.O.D. shipping, and online payment services, offer varying degrees of protection.

Track your shipment

Most major shipping companies allow people to track shipments while they are in transit. We recommended getting a tracking number from the seller, so you can monitor your item in transit. Make sure you are familiar with the seller's shipper, and be aware that there are fake shipping companies on the web which pretend to track a false shipment.

If you feel a seller is acting fraudulently, please contact OLX immediately at: Legal Issues. Back to top

What are the things that potentially fraudulent buyers do?

• Ask you to wire money into their account.
• Buyer offers high-value (but fake) cashier's check in exchange for your for sale item. The value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item and the buyer asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service. Banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR . Scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money). We would strongly discourage you from wiring money.
• Recommend an unfamiliar escrow or payment service.
• Place large orders to be sent to a foreign location.
• Say they will pay you half of what's due before they receive the item, and half payment afterwards.
• Will not provide you a verifiable telephone number.
• Pay with an international credit card or cashier's check.

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