Receiving Western Union from Romania

ManchesterMoneySaver

This is my first post! I've read a lot of good advice on this site, and especially these forums, and have been having a clearout and selling stuff on Ebay and Amazon Marketplace feeling confident with all the great help here! Good work everyone, keep it up!

Anyway, I've sold some unopened software on Ebay for just under £70. The winner is in Bucharest, Romania. In my listing I offered PayPal/personal cheque/postal order and said that only UK winners may pay by cheque/postal order, but I don't think PayPal is an option in Romania (there are lots of petitions on the web to ask for the PayPal service there). The winner first asked if a UK friend could send me the money by postal order. I said that's ok, as I'd get the cash in my hand before even sending it (and no PayPal fees!). But he said he couldn't get in touch with that friend and asked to use Western Union instead.

I've never used WU, and have read that offering WU is banned on ebay.com, but not ebay.co.uk. Also, the advice seems to be that it's unsafe for a buyer to pay by WU and you should certainly avoid sellers insisting on WU. But this is the other way around: the buyer is offering to pay by WU, and I think it's quite safe for a seller to receive, as like a postal order, I'd get the cash in my hand before sending it. Is that right? Are there any fees for receiving WU payments? He offered to pay the equivalent of the final price in US dollars, as I think you can only send in USD or Euros from Romania. If GBP is not an option, are there WU fess in receving a USD or EUR amount? Will WU pay me in GBP or USD/EUR? I wouldn't actually mind Euro notes too much, but don't want Dollar notes.

I don't think this is a scam… The winner registered on Ebay a few days before the auction ended (so has a feedback rating of 0) and asked me a question about it (has it been used, is it an academic or developer licence etc), and then won it. He's been very communicative and polite and has only emailed through Ebay, I have his actual email address and it’s a Yahoo one (containing his initials then _ebay@). I've Googled the his name, and he checks out as a university computing lecturer in Bucharest which makes sense for this item. He seems honest, and has asked about the optional postal insurance saying he was planning on using it, which sounds good.

I know I could just say "sorry, PayPal only for international orders" and make a second chance offer to the next lowest bidder who is a "Power Seller" in the US with a feedback rating of 2900! His bid was only £2 lower so I wouldn't lose much, but then the PayPal fee may well be a bit higher. I'm not greedy though, just want to clear out some junk!

Some people to stay away from Western Union as scammers use it, but then they also use PayPal and can get claim their money back. At least if I've got the cash in my hand from a WU office then it's safer.

What's you advice? Does anyone know of any other options?

Oh, one more question, there's no problems sending software to the EU or US is there?

Blimey! What a long first post! Thanks!

oliveoyl

you could ask him to do a bank transfer (in sterling).

wigan_rl_till_i_die

It is a scam dont send goods untill you get the money in your hand western union all the scammers use that dont send anything

martindow

Surely Western Union is fine for you to accept. The buyer is taking all the risk; there is no risk at all for you as you will end up with cash that you collect from the local WU office. I would never use WU as a buyer unless I actually knew and trusted the person I was sending it to.

frivolous_fay

ManchesterMoneySaver wrote:

I've never used WU, and have read that offering WU is banned on ebay.com, but not ebay.co.uk.

It's banned on both actually.

ManchesterMoneySaver wrote:

Also, the advice seems to be that it's unsafe for a buyer to pay by WU and you should certainly avoid sellers insisting on WU. But this is the other way around: the buyer is offering to pay by WU, and I think it's quite safe for a seller to receive, as like a postal order, I'd get the cash in my hand before sending it. Is that right?

You're correct. As long as you have the cash in your mitt before sending, you're laughing.

ManchesterMoneySaver wrote:

Are there any fees for receiving WU payments? He offered to pay the equivalent of the final price in US dollars, as I think you can only send in USD or Euros from Romania. If GBP is not an option, are there WU fess in receving a USD or EUR amount? Will WU pay me in GBP or USD/EUR? I wouldn't actually mind Euro notes too much, but don't want Dollar notes.

Hm, I think the only fees are at the buyer's end, but you should probably check with WU about any possible exchange complications.

Personally once I'd covered the possible fees question, I'd happily accept it. You could ask for a bank transfer, but there are some complicating factors to make sure the buyer gets right, and I think WU would be far simpler.

Baby_J_2

Do Not Use Western Union!

ormus

sounds iffy to me too.

WU is just a can of worms.

C_Ronaldo

i personnally id use paypal and paypal only

Hintza

There is nothing wrong in using Western Union to accept money. They send money you collect and the post the item out absolutely no problem.

The only problem is if you were buying and seller wanted you to pay by Western Union before they posted...that is where the scammers lurk.

So i would be happy to accept the payment by Western Union.

To many ill informed opinions on here!!!

ormus

thats your opinion.

rsykes2000

ormus wrote:

thats your opinion.

No, it's the truth - Hintza is correct. WU is an excellent option to receive as a seller. You get the money cash in hand from a WU office then you send the goods. No chance of chargebacks, dodgy credit cards, bounced cheques. I'd very happily have a buyer pay by WU. Now if I was a buyer and the seller insisted on it, I would walk away as they *will* be a scammer.