PayPal eCheck. Is it Safe?

PayPal is something that is not a very new concept for me. I've been using it for a couple of years now. However, PayPal eCheck is. I've never used eCheck and don't have any trust in something that I don't know everything about. I've read up on it a little bit, and I understand that it is essentially writing a check online, but is it safe? If i'm a buyer, how safe is it to send money via eCheck? Does it work the same as using a credit card on paypal? Are there any fees? I want to learn about it before I use it, so any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Richard

I just got one of these on my Pentax 67 camera I sold on Craigslist. I was extremely paranoid and did lots of research. In the end, nothing on PayPal is really secure since credit card chargebacks are your worst enemy and can happen anytime anywhere for any reason. The eCheck removes the possibility of a CC chargeback. As long as you have a tracking number you should win a PayPal dispute, but there is no winning a CC chargeback.

The final thing that made me feel OK was I found the guys myspace through his email and he seemed like a genuine guy who really was into photography. I suggest you research your buyer if you have doubts.

You have to be careful even Paypal non echeck is not safe. Paypal only cares that the good is delivered whether the good received is crap they don't give a damn. So I rather only deals with people with good reputation and not using blood sucking Paypal.

It's OK to receive them as payment, but do NOT ship the item until it clears your account. It's not as convenient, as it takes a few days to clear, sometimes a week.

I would NOT want to pay with an Echeck however, as you do NOT have the protection of a credit card charge back. If the seller turns out to be a scumbag Paypal will NOT come to your rescue even though they swear up and down they will.

Your best insurance is to deal with a trusted member of the forum. That lowers the stress level considerably.