Buying from a stranger online means trusting them with your money or your item before you have the other. Firestarter escrow removes that leap of faith: payment is held until the seller proves possession and you receive the item. Free for buyers, 3% for sellers.
Fake escrow asks you to wire money, buy gift cards, or send crypto to an unknown agent. Firestarter never does that: you pay by card via Stripe, funds are held by Firestarter, the seller is verified and must prove they hold the item, and money never releases without handoff. Rule of thumb: if anyone asks you to wire money or pay a person directly, it is a scam.
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