>I am afriad to use paypal because of all I have read of identity theft
>associated with paypal on ebay.  But I cannot prove I have paid for a
>$10 item with a cashiers check.
>
>What do ferrety ebayers out there do that do not use paypal to
>inexpensively verify they have paid, please?
 
First off..if you sent funds with a cashier's check, you can check to see
if it has been cashed and by whom.  You can also request the payment on
the check be stopped if signed by anyone other than the addressee.  Go
back to where you purchased the check...a bank, I hope.
 
Secondly: Identity theft using PayPal is a myth.  PayPal is the safest
way to pay for item.  Period.  You have recourse, if using the service
for an eBay auction.  It costs you, the buyer, nothing to use.  By using
PayPal to pay for services and/or goods, you protect yourself as no
personal information is disclosed, therefore no identity theft is
possible.
 
Where problems arise, when using the internet, is simply in the
non-thinking characteristic of the internet user.  An email comes
through stating that your XXXX bank account is been deactivated for this
or that reason, and the message asks the reader to 'update' their user
information, including login and password.  (I use XXX bank for what
ever bank the spammers and data loggers are using.  This can also be for
credit cards, PayPal, department store credit cards, even DMV) Folks, no
organization will ever ask you to update information via the internet
and internet email.  Period.  And I guarantee they will never ask you to
resubmit a login or password.  Period.  No matter how official these
email look, DO NOT RESPOND to them.  Call your bank or email the company,
purporting to have sent the email you received, and ask them if they sent
out any messages...if possible, forward the suspect email to the company.
(And, please, do not REPLY to that bogus email to ask questions....call
them up and get a legit email address!)
 
Back to PayPal......PayPal is safe to use, no matter what you have heard,
or how many people have told you that they have a close friend who has a
friend that has a bother whose sister was taken.......... etc.
 
Also keep in mind that there are dishonest people selling merchandise on
eBay.  The most successful crooks on eBay are not the big buck sellers,
but the 5 and 10 dollar sellers who will sell 2000 items and then
disappear without sending anything out.
 
Also remember that many eBay sellers are foreigners and if you leave bad
FEEDBACK, they will equally blast you, in your FEEDBACK,and really sully
your eBay reputation.  It is best to go through eBay or PayPal, if you
used them (And you should!) and use them to seek a refund or
satisfaction.  Short of that, chalk it up to experience and say nothing.
 
There are many ferret groups/shelters/individuals that use eBay for fund
raising.  PayPal is the easiest for all to receive funds, even though it
costs them.  It is the easiest and safest way to send money as well, for
buyers.  Identity theft simply does not happen by using PayPal.
 
MC, The Rude One
With Artemus, Rudy, Abraham, and Tumbles.  In Spirit: Bubba, Billy-Bob,
Garret, Snorkle, Tuzigoot, Squeeks, and Bancho.
[Posted in FML issue 4988]