concerned about Paypal transaction security

[ezalife]

hi, I've always used Paypal as my 'trusted' payment method between unknown parties.

I've just sold a car on eBay for over 1k, the buyer has made payment (not shown up yet) via Paypal.

BUT I've just read a few stories of a seller who got paid with Paypal, delivered the item then the buyer a while later reversed the payment claiming that it was fraudulantly made. The seller then owed Paypal the money because they sided with the buyer, so now he's down the purchase cost AND doesn't have the item.

This seems crazy, so wanted to check if Cash is now the only safe method and if Paypal should be avoided if payments can be reversed so simply just by claiming 'fraud'.

Advise much appreciated.

[kernowlass]

@ezalife

Suggest you actually READ up on paypal seller protection before you go ahead with your transactions.

Paypal seller protection is not a 100% coverall so its up to you to risk assess your transactions.

[ezalife]

thanks, but that didn't really help much. I know it's not 100% from the stories alone.

My question was whether there is any way to make it 100% safe and if not is cash therefore the only safe option?

I also haven't seen anything about timescales in the Paypal documentation, i.e. one of the stories was that the payment was reversed a few months after the transaction which meant because 2 months had passed Paypal washed it's hands of responsibility. I realise these are 'stories' but I'm trying to establish if such situations can occur and therefore how can a seller protect themselves.

By 'safe option' I mean - buyer pays for goods, takes good and can't then reverse the transaction meaning the seller looses out on both money and goods.