Bitcoin Forum

...from a seller with a reference or two. First go at it. Thanks for any help.

Good luck with that.

WU is actually foolproof, just send the BTC once his money clears at the office and the money is in your hands.

PayPal on the other hand... Total shit due to chargebacks.

WU is not foolproof.

Thanks for the help creighto.

I have already considered paypal to probably not work but as I am obviously new I was "putting it out there" for feedback. Anything else constructive to say?

How might western union not work? I am willing to send funds and wait for them to clear/be collected before receiving BTC.


Thanks,

Mack

I've been scammed with WU before, I said it was not foolproof, not that it couldn't work.  If you can find a seller willing to drop his anonimity in order to sell you bitcoins via WU, you should be suspicious if s/he doesn't charge you at least a small premium.

Thank you for your prompt help!

Can you suggest a method? I am flexible and willing to extend a bit of good faith for someone with a history of good transactions. I too would much prefer to preserve my anonymity.

Cash in person is ideal, if you live in a major urban area.  If you can find a seller near you, arrange a meeting at a coffehouse with a wifi hotspot; and bring your laptop.

Also, the OTC trade bot on bitcoin's IRC channel might be worth a look.  I've never used it myself, but I understand it gets quite a bit of traffic.

How? Sender gives you password, you withdraw dollar or euro bills at your local WU depo.

When money is physically in your hands and you go home, send BTC to the guy who sent you WU.

Nobody can take it away from you and it can't be fake money because it comes from the local Western Union, not the sender himself.

If money doesn't arrive, don't send BTC.

I'd be interested in knowing how you were scammed by WU also. I have done a lot of WU and would like
to know this for future reference, To protect myself.

I would say Lindens if you have a Second Life account, or some other form of in game currency that you can buy.

It was decades ago, and was partly due to my own stupidity.  I don't doubt that they have improved the system since, but I don't know because I don't use them.  I'd rather not discuss the errors of my youth.

I get what your sayin,  ;) If I could only take back my mistakes and errors in judgment as a youth, I'd be rich and happy.  ;D

The only way a Western Union payment can be reversed, is when you do not go to pick it up at the WU agent.
After 60 days unclaimed, the funds are returned to the sender.

WU is the other way around.

I can tell some chump to WU me $1500 for some bitcoins and not send them and he has no recourse at all.

using paypal for the last 5 years, at least you can call them up and let them know what happened.  Show proof that you upheld your end and I'm pretty sure they'd give you your money back.  There's no way paypal just accepts bad press that people can pay for things and then get their money refunded while keeping whatever they bought.

Um, no.  Call them up and complain that your bitcoin trade was charged back and they will cancel your account for violation of their policy rules.

Have you ever tried calling western union?

LOL.. They give absolutely no fuck at all.  They will help somebody steal your money and take their cut happily.

That's bullshit. Payments must not be reversible. Who is more possible end being a scammer ?
An established, well rated, well known seller or trader, or one of his many customers ?

I'm coming from  the angle of having 350 positive ebay feedbacks linked to my probably 400+ transaction paypal account... which I could only get 4btc with while they were $8.50 each.  I get kind of insulted when I'm treated like I'm going to scam somebody.

Nothing personal.

I will gladly sell you all the BTC or MtGox USD you need for Western Union, I will not touch Paypal with a 1000 ft. pole.