Getting paid safely
Most phone-selling horror stories are payment stories, not shipping stories. Here's what to watch for and how our payout actually works.
The scams that target phone sellers
The overpayment
A buyer sends more than the asking price and asks you to refund the difference. The original payment is reversed later; your refund isn't. Classic on marketplace platforms.
The reversed payment
Payment lands, you ship, then it's clawed back — a stolen card, a disputed PayPal Goods & Services transaction, a fraudulent chargeback. You have neither phone nor money.
The fake payment screenshot
A convincing image of a completed transfer. It's a picture. Verify in your own app, never in theirs.
The bait-and-switch inspection
The buyback version: quote high, inspect harshly, offer a fraction, and charge you to get the phone back. Technically legal, thoroughly dishonest.
The rule that covers most of it: never refund, never ship, and never hand over a device based on a payment you haven't confirmed inside your own banking or payment app.
Payment methods, compared
- Cash App, Venmo, Zelle — fast, typically same-day once inspection clears. Effectively irreversible, which is a feature when you're the one being paid.
- PayPal — fast and familiar, with buyer-protection mechanics that matter more to buyers than sellers.
- Mailed check — slowest, but some people prefer paper. A couple of days longer.
We offer all of these. You pick at checkout.
What our payout process looks like
- You get a quote. It's held for 14 days.
- We email a prepaid, insured FedEx label. You ship free.
- We inspect within 1–2 business days of arrival.
- Matches your description? We pay the quoted figure — no renegotiation.
- Doesn't match? You get a revised offer explaining what we found. Accept it, or we ship the phone back free.
That last line is the one to check with any company you're considering. A buyback service that charges you to return your own phone has removed your only leverage, and the incentive that creates is obvious.
Questions worth asking any buyback site
- Is the shipping label insured?
- Do you photograph devices during inspection?
- Is return shipping free if I decline a revised offer?
- How long is my quote held?
- Is there a real business behind this, and how long has it operated?
If any answer is vague, that's your answer.
Common questions
When exactly do I get paid?
What if I don't accept the revised offer?
Do you need my bank details?
Find out what yours is worth — takes about 30 seconds, no account needed.
Get my price →