Originally posted by tryingtogetbig
Okay guys, I work for a credit card company and I have recently used PP and WU services and I am familiar with their merchant service agreements they uphold on behalf of the cardmemeber if using a credit card and a dispute arises. You guys are mentioning several different issues all at once here so I'll try to break them down.

1. If you send money WU online (I think the only way is with a credit card), the receiving party will have to show ID. Therefore, you will have to use the real name of the receiving party (and some "friends" do not like to give out their real name). Also, you will leave a paper trail (on your computer and credit card) that YOU actually sent the money.

2. If you go to a WU local office, you have to pay with cash. You can use the option of a "test question & answer" for the receiving party so that they do not have to show id. They can use any name they give you to pick up the money and answer the test question correctly and the money is theirs. Futhermore, when you fill out the form to send money in person, you can use any name you desire and your id will not be checked (also address & phone number). But give the name you used to your "friend" so they use it when they pick up money. This is the safest as far as no paper trail left for any government agency to be able to follow. BUT, it leaves you no course of action if your "product" never arrives in the mail. WU charges I think around 10% for their service.

3. If you use a credit card with PP and your "product" never arrives, it will be very hard to open a claim with your credit card company and get your money back. They (PP) are a third party and have fulfilled their end of the contract (processing your credit card and giving to the party you designated), so to say they didn't do what they were suppose to is hard (& incorrect) and will probably not result in your winning a dispute over the money with your credit card company. And yes, obiously, you have left a pretty good paper trail here connecting you and your friend. If you use a bank account with PP, then you don't even have the benefit of having your credit card company open a dispute resolution file on the transaction. You will be completely at the mercy of PP to give your money back, which will probably only happen if they get the money back from your friend, and your friend might have already closed bank account or withdrew the funds.

4. If your friend has the capability of accepting credit cards directly (which probably would only happen if they are a pharmacy for example-have to be some sort of business to get setup to take credit cards), then you would have the most protection available to you (It would be nice if life was this simple). If your product never arrived, you would call credit card company and open dispute file, credit card company calls friend and says prove you sent the product, and if they don't prove they did credit card company would release money back to your account that they withdraw from your friend's bank account as soon as you opened the dispute file. Obviously this could raise suspicion and leave a definite paper trail.

Summary: Use a source you trust and send cash in the mail with no return address if you want to use the safest possible method from the authorities. Use a credit card with one of these online pharmacies if you don't mind the paper trail (the pharmacy could be undercover) and want the highest odds of getting your money back if your gear doesn't come in. Like someone said, there are no guarantees involving purchase of illegal products (if that might be the case).

If any further questions or comments, feel free.

peace,

ttgb
This is definetely an informative thread here, it's great to have people with various occupations that benefit our own awkward lifestyles Just my opinion, but I feel this post belongs somewhere in the educational thread section, this pretty much saids it all! Thanks for the info ttgb.