bad experience with this service... received email notification from them that buyer had initiated escrow. I took this as the payment was now in escrow, after sending the GC I learned that it fact wasn't and I got ripped off $75
It should not email the seller when the money is in fact NOT in Escrow.
Pretty sure "intiated escrow" does not mean "escrow is funded NOW". There are a lot of steps to go through on BTCrow, and it doesn't sound like you made it far enough into them.
TheButterZone, have you had positive experience(s) using that service? Someone I was planning to purchase a BTC off of mentioned using that service and I didn't feel comfortable enough to go through with it.
Yes.
Here are the emails I received for the successful escrow completed on 2-4-13.
Confirm btcrow transaction #redacted
Please click here to confirm your email address and start the escrow process.
Your email was entered as the seller for btcrow.com transaction #redacted.
Description: selling to tbz1
Escrow Amount: 3.50000000
Buyer Email: redacted
Seller Email: mine
Escrow Fee: 0.03500000
Fee Payable by Buyer: 0.03500000
Fee Payable by Seller: 0.00000000
Total Payable by Buyer: 3.535
Seller will Receive: 3.5
Tracking: Not Required
Maximum Shipping Time: 0 day
Inspection Period: 1 day
Regards,
btcrow.com
The Buyer was the person with 3.5 BTC, the Seller (me) was the person paying for their BTC. I confirmed my email, and the Buyer was notified, and told to fund BTCrow's escrow BTC address generated for this transaction.
Bitcoins received for transaction #redacted
We have received a confirmed payment for btcrow.com transaction #redacted.
You are now required to ship the item(s) to the buyer. When this is complete please click here to mark the item(s) as sent.
Regards,
btcrow.com
This means the Buyer funded BTCrow's escrow BTC address generated for this transaction. I then clicked to mark the item (my payment for their BTC) as sent after sending payment.
Item(s) sent for transaction #redacted
You have confirmed that item(s) for transaction #redacted have been sent.
What Happens Next?
The buyer has been emailed a link to mark these items as received. This will start the inspection period.
To view the status of this transaction please use this link:
https://btcrow.com/view_transaction.php?id=redactedRegards,
btcrow.com
Refer to previous caption.
Item(s) received for transaction #redacted
The buyer has marked item(s) as received for transaction #redacted. They now have 1 day to inspect the item(s).
To view the status of this transaction please use this link:
https://btcrow.com/view_transaction.php?id=redactedRegards,
btcrow.com
Waiting...
Funds for transaction #redacted
The buyer has agreed to release 3.50000000 bitcoin(s) for btcrow.com transaction #redacted
You should receive these bitcoins within the next 24 hours. When you receive them the transaction will be closed.
To view the status of this transaction please use this link:
https://btcrow.com/view_transaction.php?id=redactedRegards,
btcrow.com
More waiting, then I received their BTC within 24 hours.