How many people buy or sell Bitcoin locally

[Jet Cash]

It  looks as if buying Bitcoin over the net is fraught with risks, and reputable traders seem to have wide spreads. The obvious solution would be to buy Bitcoin through a local face-to-face contact. Have any members of this forum done this?

[btvGainer]

It  looks as if buying Bitcoin over the net is fraught with risks, and reputable traders seem to have wide spreads. The obvious solution would be to buy Bitcoin through a local face-to-face contact. Have any members of this forum done this?

Yes I have done it but it was my brother who sold his bitcoins to me I agree that buying face to face would be safe and instant for both parties

[busybee7]

i was thinking about it though not a lot of people are interested in my town

[The Sceptical Chymist]

I would be scared to actually place an ad on a site like Craigslist wanting to buy or sell btc--there are so many freaks running about in society these days.  But I agree with OP, it does seem like the best way to do it.  Meeting at a Starbucks or something like that would be a great idea and I think is probably the nicest and best way to build trust.  And you'd get to actually meet another human being who uses bitcoin.

[Snorek]

It  looks as if buying Bitcoin over the net is fraught with risks, and reputable traders seem to have wide spreads. The obvious solution would be to buy Bitcoin through a local face-to-face contact. Have any members of this forum done this?

It it still better and safer to buy bitcoin online from reputable exchange  than seeking direct p2p trade imo, my main concern are security reasons.
I know that there are honest traders out there, and reaching out to someone with hundreds of live trades done is probably safe but I still wouldn't do that for large number of coins.
In the future where we will have bitcoin wallet in every smartphone this won't be an issue.

[Etoiliste]

it's hard to do it in my country because there is not many bitcoin users and the bitcoin sellers can be counted bye a hand

[Jet Cash]

I wasn't going to advertise on craig's list. I thought an ad in the local newspaper shop window.

[Duomo]

LocalBitcoin seems like a great exchange if you know the individual but it is illegal in the state I live in. I wouldn't risk it. I just use federally and financially legal Bitcoin Exchanges.

[Amph]

actually face to face is not exempt from risk, see burt story, i prefer to deal with exchange, because they do not put 5% more on their selling value

also it's arguably faster(if you do it in the morning) and more confortable

[Nikinger]

I've done several face2face meetings, even with peoples who revealed itself as nasty afterward.
Summary: Take care but don't fear a meeting if you aren't weak & naive and you don't tend to underestimate peoples. Even most freaks and sociopaths are looking for smooth bitcoin<->cash trades whilst doing their dirty work itself at home stealthy.

[SanCosma]

It  looks as if buying Bitcoin over the net is fraught with risks, and reputable traders seem to have wide spreads. The obvious solution would be to buy Bitcoin through a local face-to-face contact. Have any members of this forum done this?

I have buyed locally two times and I think it's the best option!

[btcdevil]

actually face to face is not exempt from risk, see burt story, i prefer to deal with exchange, because they do not put 5% more on their selling value

also it's arguably faster(if you do it in the morning) and more confortable

what you told is perfectly correct, face to face meeting and selling or buying is not at all safe, it all depends on where you are dealing and how you are dealing, because i also have seen so many storys coming about face to face trading and then got scamed. it is much better to do with exchanges like i have done with localbitcoins.com site where they hold the bitcoins in escrow and after getting payment the seller have to release the bitcoin . so it is more safe.

[Wapinter]

it's hard to do it in my country because there is not many bitcoin users and the bitcoin sellers can be counted bye a hand

Thats is the case with me also.I would prefer to buy it locally to meet the seller in person but unfortunately there are very few people involved in btc trade in my country and that few too are distance apart from me

[bitcoinmar]

it's hard to do it in my country because there is not many bitcoin users and the bitcoin sellers can be counted bye a hand

Thats is the case with me also.I would prefer to buy it locally to meet the seller in person but unfortunately there are very few people involved in btc trade in my country and that few too are distance apart from me

This case with many users here on this forum because in developing countries not many users have these resources that they can sell or buy locally in my city I never met with any bitcoiner just because of this mostly I sell buy on this forum or local bitcoins with escrow service and never cheated

[BurtW]

Buying and selling on localbitcoins.com is a great option as long as you are responding to an ad that someone else placed (you are the "customer").

If you place an ad that is a whole other ball game.  If you live in the US they can charge you with "operating a business without a licence".

See my story (search BurtW here on the forums or click on the links in my signature).  Placing an ad on localbitcoins.com cost me almost $300,000 in legal fees and federal forfeiture, 1 night in Denver county jail and 3 days and 2 nights in solitary confinement in a Federal facility.

The Federal jail had much better food than the County jail.

[gentlemand]

Face to face meetings often seem to attract truly vast premiums. As long as you're using an online service with a very good and lengthy track record it's going to be cheaper, faster and safer.

[Palinanv]

Not me. I heard doing that is extremely dangerous. Sometimes you get undercover cops.

[thirdchance57]

You can buy them face to face as you can over the internet.  You are faces with more of a risk when you do it in person because you do not know who you are dealing with and you could be taken for all you have in your wallet.  Person to person is a physical risk, where internet is a risk to just be scammed.  Again, only my opinion.

[yenxz]

So many people do local bitcoins transaction,they trust each others,and i also do it,local transaction make feel comfort and worry less.and i can get better fee and bitcoin price.

[thirdchance57]

So many people do local bitcoins transaction,they trust each others,and i also do it,local transaction make feel comfort and worry less.and i can get better fee and bitcoin price.

I agree with this if this is something you do locally with people you know.  Where I am from, I can not throw a stone and hit someone with it that knows what Bitcoin is let alone how to use it.  But I do have the question for you as to how you do this locally, Paper wallet, phone app or computer transfer?