Selling to minors via internet?

[geckogrl6]

I've been keeping and breeding leopard gex for several years now, and my hobby/business seems to be finally generating some significant business. I am also a law student and concerned with all things legal and liability. I know that a large portion of gecko keepers are males in their teens, and I am finding that most replies to my ads are from this group. I am quite concerned about the prospect of my shipping a leo to a home where the parents are not aware nor supportive or tolerant of a lizard in the home, and about the resultant well-being of my animals. What steps do you all take (if any) to prevent this scenario?

[Clay Davenport]

I don't require proof of age as a condition of purchase, but when I know a potential buyer is a minor my policy is to require the parent to phone me personally to provide their permission for the animal to be bought and then complete the transaction with the parent and not the child.
I don't know about any potential legal liability, especially when dealing with something like leopard geckos, but I mainly just do not want an irate parent wanting to know why I sent their child a live animal.

I usually just use cues taken from their correspondence to determine if they might be underage. Usually you can tell fairly quickly if a potential buyer is 14. I say usually, one person who I sold a ball python too gave every indication he was a well educated adult in his emails and if he hadn't volunteered the information that he was 14 or 15 I would have never suspected. His mother was aware of the purchase and was pleased to hear how impressed I was with his intellect and maturity. That is a rare case though in my experience.

It's been so long since I signed up for a paypal account I don't remember the process exactly, but I bet it wouldn't be all that difficult for a child to set one up and attach a parents credit card number to it for purchases, so this is a valid concern.
As long as you take the steps you can to ensure you are not dealing with a minor, and if you are to require to speak with a parent, then you are doing all you can to be responsible.

[geckogrl6]

Yeah, I don't recall the steps for a paypal account either, but I know you can set it up just with bank account info, it does not require a credit card. Either way, I agree its pretty simple for a determined and reasonably computer savvy teen to in effect "fool" the system. I'll be looking into the legal liability issue more once school is back in session, but I'm making an educated guess that you are right, if I do what I reasonably can, then that's the best I can do. I was thinking about requiring a phone call with an adult in situations where my red flags are up. Its good to know Im not the only one concerned about this scenario.