I'm like Hevac1, I have a separate account for my PayPal, and only put enough money in it to cover a purchase. I've sold a few things, small stuff, but got the money from PayPal and put it in another account.
As a buyer I have been saved a few times by Ebay's buyer protection, but it's true that anyone's best defense is good feedback. And any time money changes hands there is risk involved. I would never send anyone a dime by certified check for an item to be mailed to me. Anything could happen and there would be zero recourse. No different than sending a suitcase of cash through the mail. So while Paypal's promises might be vague, at least it gives the buyer some comfort that he might see his money someday after a sale goes bad. I had a seller die on me once, and PayPal took the money back from his account, since he hadn't withdrawn it, and I did get a refund. Took two months, but I got it.
But in the end there are crooks out there who know how the system works, and we know the banks are not going to take the fall for anyone, so, in the end feedback is all we really have to go on.
As a buyer I have been saved a few times by Ebay's buyer protection, but it's true that anyone's best defense is good feedback. And any time money changes hands there is risk involved. I would never send anyone a dime by certified check for an item to be mailed to me. Anything could happen and there would be zero recourse. No different than sending a suitcase of cash through the mail. So while Paypal's promises might be vague, at least it gives the buyer some comfort that he might see his money someday after a sale goes bad. I had a seller die on me once, and PayPal took the money back from his account, since he hadn't withdrawn it, and I did get a refund. Took two months, but I got it.
But in the end there are crooks out there who know how the system works, and we know the banks are not going to take the fall for anyone, so, in the end feedback is all we really have to go on.