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Looking for advice on face to face sales.


Keenstacker

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Hello all (it's me again :-p)

 

So I have been made an offer on some silver i put up for sale for over £500! I and the buyer live in the same area so we've agreed to meet at a very safe location (Edinburgh student union) This is my first time ever doing a face to face sale and I just wanted to know what sort of things I should be saying before the meet, i.e. .... do you have your own methods of testing silver, requesting bank transfer instead of cash.... etc. I am just looking for any advice you think might help, thanks in advance guys I really appreciate it.

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Firstly, is the buyer a forum member?

Technically, alcohol is a solution..

'It [socialism] poses a growing threat, however unintentional, to the freedom of this country, for there is no freedom where the State totally controls the economy. Personal freedom and economic freedom are indivisible. You can’t have one without the other. You can’t lose one without losing the other.'

"There is no such thing as public money, there is only taxpayers' money"

Let not England forget her precedence of teaching nations how to live.

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I did a face to face buy about 6 months ago. 

I asked the seller to provide some ID ahead of time so that I knew who I was meeting. 

Then I said on the day that I would take the silver away and test it (magnets, weights and measures and specific gravity test if necessary). The seller was fine with this - but maybe that is because I have a big online presence and the loss of reputation for me walking off with his silver was too big. 

Anyway, I took that silver home, tested it and came back to meet him an hour later with the cash. 

Job done. 

Visit my website for all my Hand Poured Silver: http://backyardbullion.com

And check out my YouTube channel 

https://www.youtube.com/backyardbullion

 

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Why not find a nearby jewellers, let the fella pop a few quid down and pick a piece at random, go get it checked by pretending to want to sell it, come back and do the deal ? (assuming you have a pieces and it isnt a lump). Even then, you could both go together if it was a lump perhaps ? Just thinking out loud.

Call this shop maybe ?

https://www.macintyres.co.uk/

https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=cowgate+jewellers&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&dcr=0&ei=PIlsWsmvMYS_0gTluJbIDQ#gws_rd=cr&istate=lrl:mlt

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I'd say meet in public, maybe bring a friend just in case. I'd guess burden of proof should be on the buyer, but I wouldn't object to them performing reasonable scrutiny, scales, measures, loupe, magnet... I'd draw the line at acid test, or letting it out of my sight. Also bank transfer is less susceptible to scam than cash 

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5 minutes ago, Xander said:

Why not go to the seller's house if in the same area?

Not wishing to offend anyone here, but it genuinely puzzles me sometimes the level of open-ness some on this forum have. A forum community between like-minded people is all very good. But i value distance and anonymity. Revealing your name or address to anyone in your locality along with any idea you usually keep precious metals at that address is not to be taken lightly. I am super paranoid about who knows i have. It's not so much because i choose not to trust them individually, but because of what might be mentioned in innocent conversation to others. Loose lips sink ships, and all that.

It's true i might be extra paranoid though. Hmmmm. come to think, i did after all, when i bought a safe, insist the company not deliver it in their regular truck. Plastered as it was with gigantic slogans and pictures of "safes! - safes!- safes! - you need them, we got them!" or some such. I found it absurd a company providing this item would turn up and announce it to the whole flipping street. So a non-descript white van it was, as requested. :ph34r:

 

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5 minutes ago, swAgger said:

I found it absurd a company providing this item would turn up and announce it to the whole flipping street. So a non-descript white van it was, as requested.

When I got mine ordered, I had it delivered to a storage facility. A day later got a couple of trusted friends to help me move it from there to its final resting place. I didnt even trust the delivery guys. 

All my metal gets delivered to the office, and I rarely keep any at home, except for some junk. 

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Personally I'd have a buddy incognito nearby and/or covert filming (the first one most important, but both ideal).

If I were the seller I wouldn't let the buyer take them away under any circumstances, an online reputation at stake or not. They can do all the (non acid) testing they like at the location, or we can meet near a  shop that can verify.

Very much agreed with @swAgger - there is nothing finer than a strong and trusted community, but you always get new folk coming in that you might very unwisely assume to be of the same ilk imo. No doubt in my mind that certain 'types' are watching not only this forum but Youtube vids. That's why I use a variety of addresses and no-one actually knows where I live, whatever deals I've done. And I worry about a few folk here - basic common sense (yes, I know it's been drummed out of us for decades, but there should be a residue at least) means they should know better.

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16 minutes ago, ilovesilverireallydo said:

When I got mine ordered, I had it delivered to a storage facility. A day later got a couple of trusted friends to help me move it from there to its final resting place. I didnt even trust the delivery guys. 

All my metal gets delivered to the office, and I rarely keep any at home, except for some junk. 

You arranged it better than i did. I was uneasy afterward about the delivery guys when i thought about it. But they did grunt that they were delivering a dozen a day. In retrospect i regret now having to do what i had to do to make sure they wouldn't talk. Kidding! I'm kidding! :D:D

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Thanks, guys, and girls.

 

I am feeling a lot more confident about it all now, so the buyer isn't a forum member and I am just not comfortable with someone that I don't know come to my address with the knowledge that there will be PM'S. I also wouldn't be comfortable going to his address either as I don't live in the safest of areas.

BYB, that sounds like the perfect situation but I am not willing to let the silver leave my sight as I don't know or trust the person. Saying that I don't know you personally but I would trust you with my silver because of your reputation in this community and if you were a crook I am sure we would know by now. 

Oldun, That's a very good option that I'll look into, I am hoping he has his own methods though to save the risk of leaving the safe location. 

Mick B, I am meeting him at my work (I am the Security supervisor at Edinburgh University) and will have 4 other doormen on shift lumping around if needed. Although if we have to go off-site might be an issue I'll sort that when it comes.

Pans purse this is the route I'll be taking.

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9 minutes ago, HelpingHands said:

If they are the buyer why do you need to test the silver?

Just check the cash isn't counterfeit.  If you can't tell by eye then get a note checker pen   (only suitable to check paper notes not the new plastic ones).

 
 
 

I am just trying to think of all possible options to make this as smooth as possible and avoid any situations that involve me leaving the safe location as i am carrying all the risk., If I were buying over £500 of silver I'd want to know it was real.

It's a good idea with the note checker pen, but then I am at risk when leaving the safe location with the cash. 

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2 hours ago, metallica73 said:

Do you really want the buyer to know your address? :blink:

2 hours ago, metallica73 said:

Do you really want the buyer to know your address? :blink:

 

If you post PMs special delivery you need to supply a return address.

 

 

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@Keenstacker assuming your job is your real one you have already posted enough information for me to find out who you are and your home address etc simply by an internet search and if that doesn't suffice I just turn up where you work and ask a few 'innocent' questions about who you are. However, I hope like me you throw enough 'red herrings' in there to mean that info is actually meaningless. If not, best edit that post!

There's no need to class it as paranoid, it's simply common sense surely? There is a big poster on here who has been so laid back about things, despite likely hundreds of thousands of pounds of PMs within their reach at any one time being common knowledge all over the internet. With a 30 second google you can bring up their home address (you can then get a copy of their house deeds online), date of birth (with that you can order a copy of their birth certificate) and the same details for their spouse. Need I go on or really spell out what that might mean?

It depends to some extent on the value of the trade. A few silver proofs or a BUNC set, for a meet in public? Probably OK. But if a link is made to the fact you have far bigger stashes e.g. through here it's not worth the risk imho.

Keep online identities separate.

34 minutes ago, PansPurse said:

For what it's worth I get everything delivered to my office so anyone trying to track where my stack is would be miles away

Doesn't matter - if I have your office address with a little effort I can find you and if I were a bad person (there are plenty about) you would have no choice but to give the rest of your stack up, wherever it's held.

Stand and deliver - your money or your life? No choice really is it?

Folk really are at the crossroads of wising up here (on here) I think/hope.

 

 

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2 minutes ago, kimchi said:

@Keenstacker assuming your job is your real one you have already posted enough information for me to find out who you are and your home address etc simply by an internet search and if that doesn't suffice I just turn up where you work and ask a few 'innocent' questions about who you are. However, I hope like me you throw enough 'red herrings' in there to mean that info is actually meaningless. If not, best edit that post!

There's no need to class it as paranoid, it's simply common sense surely? There is a big poster on here who has been so laid back about things, despite likely hundreds of thousands of pounds of PMs within their reach at any one time being common knowledge all over the internet. With a 30 second google you can bring up their home address (you can then get a copy of their house deeds online), date of birth (with that you can order a copy of their birth certificate) and the same details for their spouse. Need I go on or really spell out what that might mean?

It depends to some extent on the value of the trade. A few silver proofs or a BUNC set, for a meet in public? Probably OK. But if a link is made to the fact you have far bigger stashes e.g. through here it's not worth the risk imho.

Keep online identities separate.

Doesn't matter - if I have your office address with a little effort I can find you and if I were a bad person (there are plenty about) you would have no choice but to give the rest of your stack up.

Folk really are at the crossroads of wising up here (on here) I think/hope.

 

 

Send me some gold coins to test it out lol

 

MY TOTAL FORUM TRADE FEEDBACK IS 100 AND IT IS 100%

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Just now, kimchi said:

I know you're just playing around but it's no laughing matter imvho.

I mean only u ;) coz I can prove who I am once you have seen me , come on then Tuesday :D number 6 shepherd street , Mayfair 11:30-12:00

MY TOTAL FORUM TRADE FEEDBACK IS 100 AND IT IS 100%

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17 minutes ago, kimchi said:

Stand and deliver - your money or your life? No choice really is it?

True.

A gallon of petrol over your wife and kids and you will be telling them everything. :(

 I know I'm a tosser but all this for £500?

Tell them you'll post it and that's all.   

Technically, alcohol is a solution..

'It [socialism] poses a growing threat, however unintentional, to the freedom of this country, for there is no freedom where the State totally controls the economy. Personal freedom and economic freedom are indivisible. You can’t have one without the other. You can’t lose one without losing the other.'

"There is no such thing as public money, there is only taxpayers' money"

Let not England forget her precedence of teaching nations how to live.

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3 hours ago, Keenstacker said:
3 hours ago, Keenstacker said:

Hello all (it's me again :-p)

 

So I have been made an offer on some silver i put up for sale for over £500! I and the buyer live in the same area so we've agreed to meet at a very safe location (Edinburgh student union) This is my first time ever doing a face to face sale and I just wanted to know what sort of things I should be saying before the meet, i.e. .... do you have your own methods of testing silver, requesting bank transfer instead of cash.... etc. I am just looking for any advice you think might help, thanks in advance guys I really appreciate it.

What are you selling - bars, coins, scrap, sterling ?

If I was a buyer I would want to be assured that I am not being ripped off with substitute metal or fakes but I would find it difficult to test scrap so would walk away.

As you are the seller all you need is the cash and £500 doesn't merit minders and hardhats.

I have dealt Face to Face with fellow forum members with no issues but I wouldn't be comfortable with an unknown so maybe you ought to reconsider as you clearly have doubts.

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