Hi all, I just sent an email question about a part on the classified and received this automatic response info email from air forums, saying the email has been sent, watch for scams... I've had the auto response to other inquiries over the months as well. My question is, as I will be selling a trailer soon and I have never seen anyone mention the escrow company that the air classified mentions below in all my time stumbling the forums...Has anyone ever used them... from what I can gather from the escrow.com site they act as the money middle man. If you have something to sell the buyer sends them the cash for the item, then you ship said item and they hold the cash until the buyer signs that the received the item from the shipping company.
It looks like it would cost approximately $250 to do this and to me that sounds like an amazingly low price to pay for piece of mind to not be scammed. So what are your experiences?
Here is the auto response email....
Scammers have been targeting all online classified systems, here are the most common scams:*
1) The item for sale is priced lower than market value. They are trying to manipulate buyers who think it's an amazing deal into acting with haste or they will miss out on the opportunity. If it's too good to be true, then it probably is.
2) The item for sale is located in a different city then the seller (they always have a good reason why). They often go so far as saying they will meet you there in a few days if the item is still for sale. Once again they are trying to manipulate buyers to act in haste.*
3) Scammers often want to conduct the transaction through a trusted 3rd party escrow service (which is usually part of their scam). We recomend ONLY USING*ESCROW.COM*as the escrow service. If the seller is unwilling to useEscrow.com, then do not use another service! Here is a link
http://www.airstreamclassifieds.com/escrow.com*
--------------------------------------------
TIPS FOR BUYERS
1) The best way to avoid fraud and make sure you know the condition of the item you are going to buy is to shop locally. Make sure to take a look at the item for sale. It's very common for sellers to post the pretty pictures. Often they conveniently overlook the negative issues which can come as a surprise to many buyers. A nicely polished trailer might have a rotten floor. There could be a dent on one corner that you can't see in the photos. Going to look at the item for sale is the best way to mitigate this risk.
2) If you cannot go inspect the item for sale try to find a volunteer inspector to go take a look for you. Keep in mind these are kind folks who have volunteered their time and don't expect a detailed report from them. It's also suggest to reimburse the inspectors for their gas and time if you feel compelled. You can make arrangements with them individually. You can search for inspectors by State at the following link:
Airstream Inspectors - Airstream Trailer Classifieds - Airstream Trailers For Sale
3) Another important aspect to ensuring a smooth transaction is to verify the seller. Chat with them on the phone, find out who they are, how long have they owned the Airstream, who did they buy it from? Get their full name, connect with them on facebook, search for their name and phone number on Google, ask for a copy of their drivers license and make sure all the data matches. You can also click the link in the ad on their username and look to see when they registered, how many posts they have on AIR Forums, etc.*
4) MAKE SURE TO TALK WITH THEM BY PHONE. If you feel confident that this is a person you can trust, then ONLY use*Escrow.com*as the escrow service to protect your transaction. Here is a link to setup a new escrow transaction:
http://www.airstreamclassifieds.com/escrow.com*
5) Lastly, BUYER BEWARE, don't get sucked into having to close on a deal so quickly that you act in haste. On all classifieds sites there are sellers who are bad people and would like to steal your money. Be careful, do your research and protect yourself by only using*Escrow.com*as the escrow company for your transaction. NEVER use a trusted 3rd party escrow service besidesEscrow.com.*
). My reasoning is the same as yours, $250 for peace of mind? Done deal. Process was easy, and honestly the buyer appreciated the peace of mind just as much as I did, they obviously were nervous about buying something in CA when they were in Arizona. It shipped, they inspected, and the funds came through. 
Linear Mode
