Has anyone had experience with Numismatic Auctions LLC? Won several items on bid through their recent on-line auction and have to send a check as they do not accept credit or debit cards. There's at least a measure of protection with credit cards, but they do mention small insured priority package in their invoice.
Trying to get my head around the idea of an online auction that doesn't accept online payments. Heck, the Girl Scouts came to our door with cookie boxes and a card reader...
Never heard of them but they need to modernize if they hope to survive. 20% BP is steep for such an obscure outfit. I pay GC and HA by echeck and save 2.5% or whatever, but this company apparently can't do that either.
Sending anybody a check is inherently more risky than any online payment. With a check you give away your bank name, routing number, account number, and your legal bank signature, all at once, and if anyone takes advantage of that, especially in a foreign country, there is really no way to claw back any of your loss. You mioght as well send them your debit card and pin and tell them to take what they want. One way around this, if you aren't doing this frequently, is to open a separate checking account with just enough money in it to cover any bank fees and the checks you write to strangers (plus whatever the minimum balance is to keep the account). You still do not have a credit card's protections against fraud. Having already "won" the auction, it looks like you are committed to sending the check. Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.
If you and the auction house are in the US you could send them a Postal Money Order. They are treated just like a check but they have to cash it at a post office.
