How to Buy and Sell Safely Online
1. Never
pay by bank transfer or instant wire transfer services like Western Union
or MoneyGram. Avoid sellers who demand those payment methods. Always use a safe payment
method which offers a measure of security (a chargeback facility, for example). See 3, below.
2. Farmstock is
an Australian website, for Australian advertisers only. Do not buy from or sell to people who are not currently located in Australia. Before proceeding with a purchase or sale, ask the seller or buyer for their Australian landline telephone number, call him/her and speak to him/her on the telephone. We have received complaints from Australians who have received E-mails from scammers who are based overseas, or who claim to be Australians temporarily located overseas. If you suspect a buyer or seller is not currently in Australia, you should not proceed with a transaction. Only by trading within Australia can you be certain that the person you are dealing with is subject to Australian law.
3. Make payments using a method which provides a degree of security:
A credit card with chargeback facilities,
PayPal, or
Australia Post's Cash on Delivery Service.
4. Examine animal(s) or goods in person before any money changes hands. Do not buy from interstate sellers unless you have examined the animals or goods for sale in person, or have established that the seller is legitimate:
Ask the seller for their name, address and Australian landline telephone number
Call the seller and speak to them on the telephone
Check the seller's name, address and telephone number in the White Pages
Ask the seller if they are a member of an Australian club or business organisation. Contact the club or organisation and make sure the seller is a member.
Ask the seller for references from satisfied customers based in Australia
5. Cheques from foreign (usually African) countries are regularly posted to Australians as part of a Cheque Overpayment Scam. If you have received such a cheque, usually for an amount greater than your selling price, you are almost certainly the target of a scam. Ignore the buyer's story. Very few Australians buy animals from Australia while they're visiting Africa.
Recommended Further Reading:
The ACCC's Scamwatch Website