Online escrow services Escrow.Com is the most convenient way to buy goods using Internet as it acts as a secure third party to protect the Buyer and Seller. Escrow.Com is well-suited for items purchased on auction sites, automobiles, motorcycles, domain names, jewelry, specialized computer equipment, and other high-ticket items.

All escrow services offered on website Escrow.Com are provided independently and exclusively by Internet Escrow Services, Inc. (IES), one of the operating subsidiaries of Escrow.Com. IES is fully licensed and accredited as an escrow company and is subject to compliance with all applicable escrow regulations, including the California Financial and Business Code.


The process of buying with Escrow.Com consists of 5 steps:

1) Buyer and Seller Agree to Terms
Both parties agree to terms of the transaction, which includes a description of the merchandise, sale price, number of days for the Buyer's inspection, and any shipping information

2) Buyer Pays Escrow.Com
The Buyer submits a payment, selecting check, money order, wire transfer, or credit card online. Escrow.Com verifies the payment. Processing time varies by payment method

3) Seller Ships Merchandise
Upon payment verification, the Seller is authorized to ship merchandise and submit tracking information. Escrow.Com verifies that the Buyer receives the shipment

4) Buyer Accepts the Merchandise
The Buyer has a set number of days for an inspection and the option to accept or reject the merchandise. For more information, FAQs - Return Questions

5) Escrow.Com Pays the Seller
Escrow.Com pays the Seller by check or wire transfer. The transaction is complete


How Buyers are protected:

- Escrow.Com tracks the shipped merchandise and verifies its proper delivery.
- The Seller isn't paid until the Buyer accepts the merchandise, or the inspection period expires.

How Sellers are protected:

- Escrow.Com confirms when the Buyer receives merchandise.
- The Seller is authorized to ship only after Escrow.Com verifies good funds.






The Escrow Process:
Do the services offered through Escrow.Com favor either the Buyer or the Seller?
How long does the escrow process take?
How is Escrow.Com different than PayPal?
Can I use the services offered though Escrow.Com if I am not a member?
If I have any questions about the product, do I contact Escrow.Com?

Payment:
How much does using the services of Escrow.Com cost?
Who is responsible for paying the escrow fees to Escrow.Com?
Who is responsible for taxes, customs, and import fees?
What forms of payment does Escrow.Com accept?
Can I use my credit card as payment for a transaction?
What is the verification of "good funds" or "secured funds"?
Are credit card transactions treated as cash advances or purchases?
When is my credit card charged?
How quickly are all payments processed?
As the Buyer, what happens to my money when I send it to Escrow.Com?
How does Escrow.Com protect against fraud?
What is Internet Escrow Services (IES)?
If I live outside of the United States, are there any forms of payment that you do not accept?
What currencies does Escrow.com support?
Who do I make the check or money order out to?
Are there any limits to how much I can charge on a credit card?

Transaction and Terms:
What is an inspection period, when does it start, and how long does it last?
How do I change transaction details and terms?
How do Buyers or Sellers cancel transactions?
What if the Seller does not ship the items?

Shipment:
Who pays for shipping?
How do I have to ship items?
What if the items are damaged during shipping?
When does the Seller ship the items?
What if the Buyer refuses to receive the shipped items?
If the Buyer returns an item, who pays for shipping?

Returns:
How long does the Buyer have to inspect the items?
How does the Buyer decline or reject items sent by the Seller?
How does the Buyer decline only some of the items sent by the Seller?
What if the Buyer forgets to accept or decline the items online at Escrow.Com?
What if the Buyer does not like the items?
What if there is a disagreement during the transaction? What is dispute resolution?

Security and Privacy:
Are services offered through Escrow.Com safe?



Do the services offered through Escrow.Com favor either the Buyer or the Seller?   Top
No. Escrow.Com is a neutral, third party intermediary that assures a secure and smooth transaction process for both Buyers and Sellers.


How long does the escrow process take?   Top
It depends upon three factors: 1) the inspection period agreed upon by both parties; 2) method of shipment; 3) the method of payment selected. For instance, credit card payments are secured fastest, whereas a paper check from the Buyer can take several days in order to allow time for the mail and fund verification by the Buyer's bank. Generally, most escrow purchases can take from 5 to 14 days.


How is Escrow.Com different than PayPal?   Top
PayPal is a person-to-person payment service: it does not offer any formal protections for fraud against either the buyer or seller, so there is no guarantee for recourse if the merchandise isn't as advertised, or the payment wasn’t made with good funds. Escrow.Com is accredited to offer protections as prescribed by the law to both the buyer and seller.


Can I use the services offered though Escrow.Com if I am not a member?   Top
No, however registering yourself as a user is safe, fast, and free. We guarantee that your private contact information will never be shared with any person or organization, for marketing or any other purposes, without your permission.


If I have any questions about the product, do I contact Escrow.Com?   Top
No. Escrow.Com is a neutral third-party that protects both the Buyer and Seller to ensure the transaction is processed. We have no knowledge about what is actually being sold. In most cases, Escrow.Com has a very limited relationship with either party. If the Buyer has any questions, they should contact the Seller directly.


How much does using the services of Escrow.Com cost?   Top
To secure your transaction, the fee is calculated on the purchase price and the method of payment (for this purpose use escrow fee calculator).


Who is responsible for paying the escrow fees to Escrow.Com?   Top
During the Agreement Phase of the transaction, the Buyer and Seller would normally negotiate who will pay the escrow fees. Either the Buyer can pay the fees, the Seller pays, or the Buyer and Seller each pay half of the escrow fee. In the event of a rejection of the merchandise or cancellation of the transaction, the Buyer is responsible for escrow fees, return shipping fees, and original shipping fee if the Buyer agreed to pay. The escrow fee and any original shipping fees will be taken out of the original payment made to Escrow.Com.


Who is responsible for taxes, customs, and import fees?   Top
Taxes, customs and import fees are typically the responsibility of the Seller, but the Seller is free to negotiate any additional fees as part of the purchase price.


What forms of payment does Escrow.Com accept?   Top
Escrow.com accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, wire transfers, money orders, personal or company checks, or cashier?s checks. Credit cards are accepted only for Premier Service level and only for transactions up to $5000.
Remember that each form of payment takes a different length of time to process. Checks include 7 to 10 business days, while payments with a credit card are processed within five business days. Note that certain payment types are limited to transactions in specific countries and currencies, and international buyers are advised that the fastest method of payment is wire transfer. International checks, international money orders, or any currency other than that specified for a transaction is not accepted. Escrow.com, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to refuse a payment type (such as a credit card) for any transaction.


Can I use my credit card as payment for a transaction?   Top
Escrow.com only accepts credit card payments for Premier Service transactions. Please note that Premier Service transactions are limited to $5000 USD. In addition, Escrow.com has strict policies governing the acceptance of credit card payments. Below are the some of the more common reasons a credit card payment may not accepted for your transaction:
- The transaction involves time sensitive goods (i.e. tickets).
- The transaction is for certain types of merchandise, including software and services.
- The transaction does not involve shipping.
- The buyer or seller is located in certain countries.
- The name and address on the card do not match the name and address used when registering with Escrow.com.
- Information provided to Escrow.com is determined to be incorrect, or, in certain situations, when we can not reach you at the phone number you provided.
- A card security code is not present on a card or is not provided to Escrow.com correctly.
- Our transaction security team detects certain fraud indicators for a transaction.
- The card has been reported as stolen or missing, or the card fails a screening process set up with our merchant processor.
- You, or the other party to a transaction, have been involved in a previous dispute or chargeback in connection with an Escrow.com transaction.
- The transaction is in a currency other than United States Dollars.
By special arrangement with certain sellers, the use of credit cards for purchases may be further limited. Escrow.com may refuse to allow a credit card as payment for any reason in our sole discretion. Any rejection of credit card as a form of payment is not necessarilly determined by information provided by the cardholder. We apologize if we are unable to accept a credit card for your transaction.
In addition, when paying by credit card, you will generally be included to sign a credit card authorization form and FAX it to Escrow.com


What is the verification of "good funds" or "secured funds"?   Top
When you buy an item at a store with a check or credit card, you are promising that the money is available in your account. The store doesn't receive the money for another 3 to 7 days. Sending a check to Escrow.Com works exactly the same way. To ensure payment, Escrow.Com waits until the money is deposited into our trust account, which is then considered "good funds." This takes longer, but gives Buyers and Sellers an extra level of security.


Are credit card transactions treated as cash advances or purchases?   Top
Your credit card transactions are treated as purchases, thereby avoiding the typical cash advance fees assessed by most credit cards.


When is my credit card charged?   Top
Before the Seller sends the Buyer any item, Escrow.Com must have the purchase funds in its escrow trust account. Therefore, your credit card is charged the purchase amount plus any escrow fees you have agreed to pay immediately after you and the Seller conclude the agreement phase of the transaction. Note that this charge is a payment to IES's escrow trust account, not to the Seller.


How quickly are all payments processed?   Top
Wire Transfers: It depends upon your financial institution; some include a few hours or even a few days before they can wire funds. We process wire transfers each business day.
Credit Cards: Payments with credit cards are processed within 5 business days.


As the Buyer, what happens to my money when I send it to Escrow.Com?   Top
Your funds remain in our secured escrow non-interest bearing trust account until the transaction concludes. All of our escrow trust accounts are maintained by Internet Escrow Services, a licensed and accredited operating subsidiary of Escrow.Com.


How does Escrow.Com protect against fraud?   Top
Escrow.Com takes several steps to protect both the Buyer and Seller against fraud: 1) all payments by the Buyer are verified as "good funds" before the Seller is instructed to ship, 2) all shipments are tracked to ensure the Seller shipped and the Buyer received the merchandise, and 3) if the merchandise is fraudulent, it gives the Buyer the chance to return the merchandise before payment is released to the Seller.


What is Internet Escrow Services (IES)?   Top
Online escrow services provided by Escrow.Com are provided independently and exclusively by Internet Escrow Services, (IES), one of its operating subsidiaries. IES is fully licensed and accredited as an escrow company and is subject to compliance with all applicable escrow regulations, including the California Financial and Business Code.


If I live outside of the United States, are there any forms of payment that you do not accept?   Top
Escrow.Com accepts most forms of payment from international parties, but we only accept amounts in US Dollars. Also certain countries may be prohibited from using certain forms of payment.
Credit Cards - Credit Cards as a form of payment are not available in Indonesia and Romania.
Checks - Checks and money orders are only accepted when drawn on U.S. Banks.
International wire transfers - Wire transfers from non-U.S. Banks are sent through an international clearinghouse, and include a separate transaction fee. This fee should be added to the Buyer's payment.


What currencies does Escrow.com support?   Top
Escrow.com supports the following currencies:
USD - United States dollars
GBP - Great Britain pounds


Who do I make the check or money order out to?   Top
All payments for online payment services need to be made out to Internet Escrow Services.


Are there any limits to how much I can charge on a credit card?   Top
The limit on any transaction paid by credit card is $5,000, plus resulting escrow and transaction fees.


What is an inspection period, when does it start, and how long does it last?   Top
The inspection period is the amount of time agreed to by both parties in which the Buyer may examine the items. The amount of time selected can be from 1 to 30 days. The inspection period begins when Escrow.Com confirms the shipment has been received, and the Buyer must accept or reject the goods within this period. When the Buyer rejects the items, the Seller has 5 days to examine the merchandise after it is returned.
Buyers and Sellers should make sure the inspection period provides adequate time for any authentication and/or appraisal process that may be necessary to complete the transaction.


How do I change transaction details and terms?   Top
During the Agreement Phase only, either the Buyer or Seller may change transaction details by logging into Escrow.Com and making changes in the Online Agreement Form. Once both parties have agreed to the details, they must email their change requests to ies@escrow.com. Changes after the terms have been agreed to must have the consent of both the Buyer and the Seller.


How do Buyers or Sellers cancel transactions?   Top
Prior to agreement of terms by both parties, the Buyer or Seller can cancel the transaction. Once both parties have confirmed transaction details in the Agreement phase, either party may cancel the transaction only if Buyer has not delivered payment.
The Buyer may reject the transaction during the inspection period after receiving the items, but the Buyer is still responsible for shipping the merchandise back to the Seller, and for paying any escrow fees.


What if the Seller does not ship the items?   Top
Your funds will not be released to the Seller until you have received and approved the items you are purchasing. This eliminates the concern for non-shipment of goods.


Who pays for shipping?   Top
During the agreement of terms, the Buyer and Seller agree who's paying for shipping, but the Seller will initially pay at the time of shipment.
If the Buyer is responsible for the shipping charges, the shipping amount is specified by the Seller and added to the total purchase price. In this case, the Buyer is responsible for the shipping costs even if they reject the merchandise.


How do I have to ship items?   Top
For most major shipping companies, Escrow.Com provides the tracking of merchandise from the Seller to the Buyer as a service. This facilitates the escrow process. In the case where the Seller or Buyer uses a shipping company outside of our list, the receiving party will have to notify Escrow.Com if the merchandise has arrived. For a complete list of our approved carriers, click here.


What if the items are damaged during shipping?   Top
If the shipment was insured, the shipping company is responsible for damages. If the shipment was not insured and the Buyer and Seller cannot come to a resolution, the transaction will likely enter into dispute resolution. In most cases, whoever shipped the items will be responsible for any damages to the merchandise.


When does the Seller ship the items?   Top
The Seller is notified by Escrow.Com to ship the items once IES verifies the payment from the Buyer is secured in the escrow account.


What if the Buyer refuses to receive the shipped items?   Top
Buyers who refuse to receive the shipment will be responsible for paying both the initial and return shipping fees. The Buyer's funds will be returned after the Seller's shipping costs and the escrow fees have been deducted. The Seller will then be reimbursed for their shipping costs.


If the Buyer returns an item, who pays for shipping?   Top
As specified in the escrow terms, if the Buyer rejects the merchandise, they pay for return shipping fees.


How long does the Buyer have to inspect the items?   Top
When the Buyer and Seller agree to terms, the inspection period is the time the Buyer has to inspect the merchandise. If the inspection period has expired, Escrow.Com assumes that the Buyer has approved the merchandise, and the Seller is paid.


How does the Buyer decline or reject items sent by the Seller?   Top
In the online inspection period, the Buyer would click on "Reject". At that point, the Buyer is responsible for arranging return shipment with an approved shipper. The Buyer receives returned funds only after the Seller confirms receipt of the returned items in the same condition it was sent.


How does the Buyer decline only some of the items sent by the Seller?   Top
If the Seller allows partial rejection, upon declining the merchandise the Buyer can reject certain items. In that case, the Buyer is still responsible for return shipping and the escrow fees.


What if the Buyer forgets to accept or decline the items online at Escrow.Com?   Top
Escrow.Com will release funds automatically to the Seller at the end of the inspection period, as long as the Buyer has not declined the items.


What if the Buyer does not like the items?   Top
The Buyer has the inspection period (a length of time agreed to by both parties) to approve the items. If dissatisfied, the Buyer must return the items to the Seller. Once the Seller has received the items and confirmed that they are in satisfactory condition, Escrow.Com will release the funds back to the Buyer. In any case, on return, the Buyer is responsible for escrow fees, return shipping fees, and original shipping fee if the Buyer agreed to pay. The escrow fee and any original shipping fees will be taken out of the original payment made to Escrow.Com.


What if there is a disagreement during the transaction? What is dispute resolution?   Top
If the Buyer and Seller haven't resolved the dispute within 60 days, the matter is sent to dispute resolution - an arbitration process administered by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with the provisions of its Commercial Arbitration Rules.


Are services offered through Escrow.Com safe?   Top
Definitely. You and your transaction are protected every step of the process, thanks to our stringent logging, tracking and verification procedures.






Government agencies perform regular audits of its independently licensed escrow companies. The audit examinations serve to protect public funds, determine safety and soundness of operations and determine compliance with escrow statutes and regulations.

The following is a list of these agencies, with our license numbers:

California Department of Corporations
License #963-1867

Arizona State Banking Department
License #EA-0903361

Regulation and Licensing Department State of New Mexico
License #86

Utah Department of Financial Institutions
License #00-024

The California Department of Corporations conducts the most stringent examination of all government agencies. Learn more about their escrow laws.

Escrow.Com is also licensed as a business in all 50 states.