Point Transfers how doyou protect yourself?

[michelleiada]

I am looking for a small point transfer for a upcoming visit. I have found a member willing to do the transaction but wants payment sent via Paypal first. How do I know this is legit and the points will in fact be transferred? Is there anything I should be doing? I need advice!

 

[lodge]

I'll be watching your replies. I answered a post and the seller wanted payment, like, NOW, and via check. It felt weird, so I walked.

Tuning in....

 

[Tamar]

Is the member a DISboard regular? If so you can look at past posts to see if they're active othr than renting/transferring points.

When I have done transfers, I ask for 50% before the transfer, then I do the transfer, and once the person I'm transferring to can see the points in their account, I expect the other 50%. That way we both have some skin in the game.

 

[RobDoc]

I am looking for a small point transfer for a upcoming visit. I have found a member willing to do the transaction but wants payment sent via Paypal first. How do I know this is legit and the points will in fact be transferred? Is there anything I should be doing? I need advice!

You might want to put yourself in the position of the member making the transfer - if payment is not received, they have no recourse as DVC will not intervene in any way.

Make sure you review past posts, ask for and check references before sending any $$$. Some do accept 50% before the transfer and the balance afterwards, but many will not allow that - so the advance research becomes even more important.

As with any transaction, make certain you are comfortable with the entire transaction before going forward - and that is true for both sides of a transfer.

The DVC Rent/Trade Board has never had a complaint regarding a transfer, but that is no reason to avoid due diligence.

Good luck!

 

[michelleiada]

You might want to put yourself in the position of the member making the transfer - if payment is not received, they have no recourse as DVC will not intervene in any way.

Make sure you review past posts, ask for and check references before sending any $$$. Some do accept 50% before the transfer and the balance afterwards, but many will not allow that - so the advance research becomes even more important.

As with any transaction, make certain you are comfortable with the entire transaction before going forward - and that is true for both sides of a transfer.

The DVC Rent/Trade Board has never had a complaint regarding a transfer, but that is no reason to avoid due diligence.

Good luck!

Thanks. I totally understand there is risk on both ends of the deal. I like the 50% before and balance after idea. I'd be comfy with that!

 

[MickeyFan612]

I find it best to ask for payment while we are on phone w/ member services and after all points have been verified for a transfer! Payment is instant therefore as soon as I see the payment I proceed w/ the transfer! Done this method several times and it has always worked perfectly. Btw I've never had an issue to where the funds did not come immediately but if this were ever the case I would simply tell member services something has come up and that we would need to call back!

 

[LeslieLou]

PayPal has a pretty good dispute program if it came down to an issue. We've had to make a claim before (not dvc related) and the situation was worked out to our satisfaction.

 

[ssawka]

As a member that has transferred points in the past, I always ask for 100% up front before performing the transfer. As much as this puts the risk on the purchaser, the risk is much greater to the member offering the points. There is never a shortage of people wanting to purchase points, so if a purchaser is not comfortable with this arrangement I move on to the next purchaser.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I've purchased transfer points several times and paid 100% through Pay Pal prior to the transaction. Never had a problem. I look for a member who is active on the Boards and take a look at there posting history.

It is, in the end, a matter of trust... but I imagine that is just as true for the member doing the transfer as the member purchasing the transfer. Guess that's why I don't mind paying first. I've never had any problems and found it to be a very simple and efficient process.

 

[bookwormde]

There is a way to see if the person has the points, but they have to be willing. Have them make a "temporary reservation" in your name and have them send the confirmation (you can also see it though your account if you make a dining reservation and link the dining reservation to it, this works when you are rental also).

In transferring in I have always paid 50% down and 50% after transfer, but most of the time these have been near expiration unbanked points so the sellers are more flexible.

 

[Luv2trav]

I just did this with another owner. You have to be comfortable with who you are transferring. There is always a chance you are taking. I look for number of posts and how open they are about their personal information. Providing phone numbers and speaking to them is key to me. I've done both with 50% and 100% payment first. This past time we called MS together. Perfect transaction. Good luck.

 

[sweetdana]

I have transferred in points about a 1/2 doz times. Bottom line is trust, if you feel something is shady, run. Once you transfer it is done. I think all except 1 time if id 1/2 up front then 1/2 with in 5-10 mins after call was done. I realize it puts the member on a risk, but me too on the front end. I also do the second 1/2 as a gift no pay pal fees, as I already have the points. All I can say is trust, or run .

 

[michelleiada]

I had someone from another board with a large post count willing to sell me 26 points and wanted me to go to PayPal, transfer the funds as a gift and then she would make the reservation. I knew nothing about her other than her first name and she had many posts. I kindly asked her for her last name and a telephone number where she could be reached. She replied that if I'm not comfortable with the customary way of doing this then I should rent points from David's or another site. I thought I was within my rights to do some homework before I send her my money.. She tells me she values her privacy and that she has many happy customers. I think I would have been irresponsible had I not asked for these things. Am I wrong here? Geez...she made me feel like how are you ask...and she decided not to do business with me. Yikes! I have rented DVC points before we became members ourselves and i always did my homework...things turned out wonderful. I'm taken aback by this....very strange.

 

[CarolMN]

I had someone from another board with a large post count willing to sell me 26 points and wanted me to go to PayPal, transfer the funds as a gift and then she would make the reservation. I knew nothing about her other than her first name and she had many posts. I kindly asked her for her last name and a telephone number where she could be reached. She replied that if I'm not comfortable with the customary way of doing this then I should rent points from David's or another site. I thought I was within my rights to do some homework before I send her my money.. She tells me she values her privacy and that she has many happy customers. I think I would have been irresponsible had I not asked for these things. Am I wrong here? Geez...she made me feel like how are you ask...and she decided not to do business with me. Yikes! I have rented DVC points before we became members ourselves and i always did my homework...things turned out wonderful. I'm taken aback by this....very strange.

It may have been OK, but I would not do business with anyone I met on the internet who wouldn't give me their full name and telephone number.

I'm not a paypal user so it's possible I just don't understand all the ins and outs, but asking for a "gift" transfer would also make me wary. Since it's labeled as a gift, would that mean I had no recourse if something went wrong?

My advice is to look elsewhere. Good luck!

 

[michelleiada]

It may have been OK, but I would not do business with anyone I met on the internet who wouldn't give me their full name and telephone number.

I'm not a paypal user so it's possible I just don't understand all the ins and outs, but asking for a "gift" transfer would also make me wary. Since it's labeled as a gift, would that mean I had no recourse if something went wrong?

My advice is to look elsewhere. Good luck!

Exactly my sentiments! Especially labeling it as a "gift". I can't believe she does so much business without having people ask for references or get a last name and phone. Are people really that trusting??? I suppose it may have turned out fine and she may have been trustworthy but I I wasn't comfortable. Thanks for your reply. I really appreciate it!

 

[Breyean]

It may have been OK, but I would not do business with anyone I met on the internet who wouldn't give me their full name and telephone number.

I'm not a paypal user so it's possible I just don't understand all the ins and outs, but asking for a "gift" transfer would also make me wary. Since it's labeled as a gift, would that mean I had no recourse if something went wrong?

My advice is to look elsewhere. Good luck!

The "gift" option is to keep the seller, or in this case, the member transferring the points, from having to pay the Paypal fees. Paypal has an option of marking a payment as Personal, in which case the sender of the funds MAY have to pay a fee, rather than the recipient, who pays the fees normally if the transaction is labelled as a Purchase.

With a Personal transaction, there are various subcategories - Gift, Living Expenses, Other, Cash Advance, Payment Owed. If the sender uses a credit card, they are charged the Paypal fee. If the sender pays using their available Paypal balance or pays with a direct withdrawal from their checking account linked to their Paypal account, then there is no fee charged to either party.

I've only done very small transfers using the Personal option, so I don't know if there's a $$ limit on them, which could come into play with a points transfer.

And of course, if the buyer doesn't use a credit card, that's another level of protection they lose if something goes wrong with the transaction, making him totally dependent on Paypal to resolve any dispute.

 

[ssawka]

It may have been OK, but I would not do business with anyone I met on the internet who wouldn't give me their full name and telephone number.

I'm not a paypal user so it's possible I just don't understand all the ins and outs, but asking for a "gift" transfer would also make me wary. Since it's labeled as a gift, would that mean I had no recourse if something went wrong?

My advice is to look elsewhere. Good luck!

Actually, purchasing of points would not be covered under PayPal's Purchase Protection program because they are an intangible good.

Purchase Protection does not cover certain kinds of purchases. These include: digital goods (intangible items), services, real estate, motorized vehicles (of any kind), custom made items, travel tickets, industrial machinery (for manufacturing), prepaid cards, or items that violate our policies or eBay’s policies (stuff that’s usually prohibited by law anyway). Purchase Protection also does not cover items that you purchase in person, or money you send to friends and family.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I've done it 3 times, maybe 4! I do my homework first! I like to do business with people on the DIS w/ lots of regular activity. Looking at their posts and responses, you can tell a lot about a person and their character! I paid up front the whole amount, I didn't negotiate, the price was the price! Paypal twice and personal check the other, and once the funds were received the transfer was made and 15 minutes after that, my reservation!

Never an issue!

 

[MinnieVanMom]

I agree that the entire transaction is based on trust. I have rented my points out before and I have rented points when I needed a boost.

My favorite rental was when we needed points and I rented from a Dr. His secretary took and ran my credit card, it was simple.

I have rented points in the past and I always ask for a contract spelling out the terms. Once I did a small point transfer to help a fellow member out.

In short, I do look at previous posts, are they relevant, how many and will both parties disclose information.

It comes down to doing what is right and trust.

 

[Splat25]

Draw up a contract with full names, terms, and all details that protects both sides if sometihign doesn't work out. I've done that several times and it works great.