Questions on payment demand

Not exactly sure where to put this but I have a question.
I found a snake on FB that was a very good deal for an adult female co dom.
I sent the guy a few text and he tells me there is a lot of people interested in her so I jump at the chance to get her. I find out that I am sort of local just a few hours away and tell him I will meet up with him on Friday to pick her up and give him cash. He then tells me no cash but to wire money thru Walmart or something like that thru walmart. I respond with I can just drop off cash when I pick her up. He basically just tells me no to the cash. Cause he doesn't want to get screwed with me not showing up.

Now my question is why would anyone not want to take cash? Yeah ok he doesn't want to get screwed out of someone not showing up but if there is so many people showing interest in her then if I didn't show he could still easily sell her.

Is it just me or does this smell like a scam?

Originally Posted by crazygecko

Not exactly sure where to put this but I have a question.
I found a snake on FB that was a very good deal for an adult female co dom.
I sent the guy a few text and he tells me there is a lot of people interested in her so I jump at the chance to get her. I find out that I am sort of local just a few hours away and tell him I will meet up with him on Friday to pick her up and give him cash. He then tells me no cash but to wire money thru Walmart or something like that thru walmart. I respond with I can just drop off cash when I pick her up. He basically just tells me no to the cash. Cause he doesn't want to get screwed with me not showing up.

Now my question is why would anyone not want to take cash? Yeah ok he doesn't want to get screwed out of someone not showing up but if there is so many people showing interest in her then if I didn't show he could still easily sell her.

Is it just me or does this smell like a scam?

I would not wire money, the risk is too high. But it doesn't sound like a scam, why should he hold this snake until Friday with no money? Now if you had said that you would go pick up the snake and pay cash tonight and he declined, that would be different. Or if you are not asking him to hold it but told him you will pay in cash just in case he still has it Friday, and he declined, that would be different.

Maybe offer to wire a deposit to show good faith and pay the balance in cash once you see there really is a snake?

Yeah I just wasn't sure. I have had breeders in the past hold for me till we meet up and never had a problem. And the whole Wal mart thing seemed kind of odd. I have no clue if there is any kind of claim you could do if someone used wal mart and was screwed out of there money.
Thank you for the responses.

"Very good deals" are most often two things. Someone needs cash quick or scam. Either the deal is good to entice a quick sale or to take impulse buyers. If he/she has good feedback, I would play by their rules, if not, I would move on. It sounds like you've noticed some red flags and that may be intuition.

Just a thought if he has other offers, why not say yes I love to deal with you but don't want to be screwed?? he could easy say, I will wait and update you IF no one else can come sooner?? then cash would be fine?

A seller can choose to decline a sale, choose to take a more recent offer.. or not..
Buyers do back out, sucks.. but that is a risk anytime you agree on a sale.. I be really worried about wiring money before I could examine the animal, or not a "formal purchase" with a invoice..

but that is me, I purchase something on CL, I would never send money before.. animal or not..