Not all Paypal transactions are protected.

"Transactions Covered by PayPal Buyer Protection

The PayPal Buyer Protection icon must be displayed in the Seller
Information box on eBay"

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/websc...p-info-outside

"Steve Foley" wrote in message
news:cUiYe.9616$LV5.5352@trndny02...
I don't see postal inspectors hunting down someone on Europe for $500.
I use
paypal. I got stiffed once, and got my money back from Paypal.

"sfb" wrote in message
news:zbiYe.3955$yN1.1645@trnddc03...
The best way to pay on eBay is a USPS money order sent via USPS so
you
can sic the postal inspectors on them. There was a draft letter to
floating around the Internet spelling out chapter and verse of the
mail
fraud Federal laws. The idea was stapling the money order to the
letter
so the seller would be warned.

"Ron Natalie" wrote in message
...
Zulu wrote:
A friend told me he was looking for a handheld GPS on ebay and
found
a guy
selling Garmin 396 handhelds for $500.

Never ever pay for anything via Western Union wire transfer. Both
EBAY
and Western Union warn you about this. Western Union is only for
sending money to people you know.