Receiving payment safely in a private sale

Katerina Galkina · EN · 07/10/2026

Agree the payment process before advertising

For a remote sale, first read the marketplace's rules: which items and payment methods qualify for protection, how dispatch must be proved and where disputes are handled. Seller protection depends on meeting conditions, rather than simply finding the buyer on a familiar website.

Describe the condition, defects and included accessories honestly. Keep photographs, messages within the service and the agreed price. For a valuable item, record its serial number and condition before packing. For collection, agree the payment method and opportunity to inspect in advance.

Verify funds in your own account

Open your banking app or official marketplace account yourself. A buyer's screenshot, an email saying payment was sent or a link to an alleged courier form does not establish receipt of money. Receiving an ordinary payment does not require sharing your PIN, one-time security code or banking password.

Do not pay courier insurance, a payout activation charge or a limit upgrade fee on a stranger's instructions. If an unexpected overpayment occurs, do not send the difference to a third party: pause the handover and resolve it through the bank or platform support.

Follow the protection rules when dispatching

For example, eBay requires appropriate dispatch and delivery evidence ↗. Use the address shown in the order and upload tracking on time. A request to send to another address after payment should be dealt with through the marketplace's official process. Some high-value orders require additional evidence of receipt.

Keep the posting receipt, parcel weight and packing photographs. For collection, find out which handover confirmation the service requires. If you arrange payment outside the platform, do not assume its protection will continue automatically.

Assess escrow and respond to suspected fraud

Calling an intermediary “escrow” does not prove reliability. Check the legal entity, official domain and conditions for releasing money. For regulated payment services, use the FCA's provider-checking guidance ↗; the trading name may differ from the registered company.

If you have opened a suspicious link or already handed over the item, immediately inform your bank and the marketplace, retain the messages and change compromised passwords. Keep the listing and evidence until the dispute is resolved. Recovering money after fraud is not guaranteed, so finish verifying payment before releasing the goods.