Your money. Your collection. Protect both.
The One Rule: PayPal Goods & Services Only
Every transaction arranged on CFS Community must use PayPal Goods & Services (G&S). This is not a suggestion — it is the single most important rule on this platform.
What G&S Protects (Buyers)
PayPal Goods & Services provides formal buyer protection covering two critical scenarios:
- Item Not Received — you paid, the seller never shipped or tracking shows no delivery. PayPal can refund you.
- Significantly Not as Described — the item arrives damaged, misrepresented, or materially different from the listing. PayPal can refund you after review.
This protection exists because G&S treats your payment as a commercial transaction with enforceable terms. It is your last line of defense when everything else fails.
Why Sellers Should Accept G&S
- It signals that you are a serious, accountable seller. Buyers trust sellers who do not try to avoid protections.
- The G&S fee (currently ~3.49% + fixed fee for US transactions) is a cost of doing business. Factor it into your asking price. Do not ask the buyer to cover it as a separate charge.
- Sellers with consistent G&S transaction history build stronger reputations faster on CFS.
Never Accept or Send Friends & Family (F&F)
Friends & Family payments waive all buyer protection. PayPal itself warns that if a seller pushes F&F, you should refuse because it may not be covered by purchase protection. There is no dispute process, no refund mechanism, no recourse.
- If a seller asks you to pay F&F — refuse immediately.
- If a seller asks you to “add a little extra to cover G&S fees” as a condition of using G&S — report it. The fee is the seller’s responsibility.
- Any member who solicits or pressures others into using F&F faces enforcement action up to suspension.
Red Flags Checklist
Memorize these. Every one of them has cost collectors real money.
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Seller insists on Friends & Family or “gift” payment. This is the single most common scam lever in statue trading because the average order value is high and disputes are difficult to resolve. No legitimate seller with nothing to hide would refuse G&S.
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Pressure to move the conversation off-platform. If someone pushes you to WhatsApp, Line, WeChat, Telegram, or any external channel to “finalize the deal,” they are trying to escape the accountability trail CFS provides. All deal-related communication must stay on CFS.
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Price significantly below market value. A 1/4 scale Jimei Palace piece listed at 40% of going rate is not a deal — it is a trap. If it seems too good to be true, it is. Verify the seller’s history before engaging.
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New account with no post history pushing for fast payment. Scam accounts are created to extract one payment and disappear. CFS requires Trust Level 2 to sell specifically to prevent this. If someone with zero history contacts you off-listing, be suspicious.
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Refuses to provide additional photos on request. Legitimate sellers have the item in hand. If they cannot produce a new photo with a timestamp (username + date) on request, they may not possess the item. Walk away.
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Vague or copied photos. Reverse-image-search any photo that looks too clean or too professional. Stolen listing photos from manufacturer pages or other sellers’ posts are a hallmark of fraud.
Safe Transaction Flow
Follow these steps in order. Skipping steps is how problems start.
Step 1 — Agree on Terms in the Thread
- Negotiate price, shipping method, and who pays shipping directly in the listing thread (WTS or WTB topic).
- Confirm the item’s condition, included parts, and packaging.
- This public record protects both parties. If a dispute arises, staff can review the thread.
Step 2 — Exchange PayPal Details via Private Message
- Once terms are agreed, the seller shares their PayPal email via CFS private message only.
- Never post your PayPal email publicly in the thread. PMs keep your contact information off search engines.
- Never share or accept PayPal details through external channels (WhatsApp, Discord, email). The CFS PM trail is your evidence if anything goes wrong.
Step 3 — Buyer Pays via PayPal G&S
- Send payment using Goods & Services. Not Friends & Family. Not “Send money to a friend.” Goods & Services.
- In the PayPal payment notes, include a brief item description (e.g., “Goku UI 1/4 Jimei Palace — per CFS listing [link]”). This helps PayPal process any future dispute accurately.
- Confirm in the CFS PM that payment has been sent.
Step 4 — Seller Ships with Tracking
- Seller ships the item using the agreed-upon method.
- Tracking number is mandatory. Seller shares the tracking number in the CFS PM immediately after shipping.
- For high-value items (especially international), consider signature confirmation and declared value / insurance. Standard carrier liability is limited, and packaging-related damage claims are frequently denied.
Step 5 — Buyer Confirms Receipt
- Upon delivery, inspect the item thoroughly before confirming.
- If the item matches the listing description, confirm receipt in the CFS PM or thread.
- Leave feedback / a review to build the seller’s reputation — and your own.
Important: If there is damage or a discrepancy, document everything immediately — unboxing video, photos of outer box, inner packaging, and any damage. Do this before contacting the seller. Evidence gathered after the fact is weaker.
If Something Goes Wrong
1. Open a PayPal Dispute
- You have 180 days from the date of payment to open a dispute through PayPal’s Resolution Center.
- Select the appropriate reason: “Item not received” or “Significantly not as described.”
- Upload all evidence: screenshots of CFS listing, PM conversations, tracking information, photos of damage.
- Do not delay. The closer to the transaction date, the stronger your case.
2. Report via the Scam Watch Wizard
- Navigate to the Scam Watch category and use the report wizard to submit your case.
- The wizard guides you through structured fields — reported user, transaction details, evidence uploads.
- No free-form posts are permitted in Scam Watch. All reports go through the wizard and are reviewed by staff before publication.
- False or malicious reports are a bannable offense. Do not weaponize Scam Watch for personal grudges.
3. Contact Staff via DM
- If you need direct assistance, send a private message to a moderator or admin.
- Include: the listing link, PM conversation screenshots, PayPal transaction ID, and any evidence of the issue.
- Staff will review and take appropriate action. Notifications to reported members do not reveal who filed the report.
What CFS Does Not Do
This section is important. Read it carefully.
- CFS does not handle, hold, or transfer funds — not as escrow, not as intermediary, not in any form.
- CFS does not guarantee any transaction. We provide the platform, the structure, the reputation system, and the scam database. The transaction itself is between buyer and seller.
- CFS is not responsible for financial losses resulting from trades, shipping damage, customs seizures, or payment disputes.
- CFS is not a substitute for your own due diligence. Check the seller’s history. Search the Scam Watch database. Verify photos. Use G&S. These tools exist — use them.
We built CFS to make the collector-to-collector market safer, more transparent, and more accountable. But no platform can eliminate all risk. PayPal G&S is your financial safety net. CFS is your informational safety net. Use both.
Quick Reference Card
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Seller asks for F&F | Refuse. Report to staff. |
| Asked to move to WhatsApp/Line | Decline. Keep all communication on CFS. |
| Price seems impossibly low | Verify seller history. Search Scam Watch. |
| Item arrives damaged | Document immediately. Open PayPal dispute. File Scam Watch report. |
| Seller will not provide timestamp photo | Do not proceed with payment. |
| Someone claims to represent CFS and requests payment | It is a scam. Report immediately. |
Trade smart. Protect your money. Protect your collection. If something feels wrong, it probably is — trust your instincts and use the tools this community provides.