One of the best features of bitcoin is that you can control your money, but that same feature at the same time makes BTC very different from traditional money.
Bitcoin transactions are irreversible and most traditional payments can be revoked. This poses a risk to the person selling the coins, as PayPal or a bank can take the money paid to the seller after the seller has sent the bitcoins. This is why traders, in order to protect themselves from this risk, are forced to specify a higher price for certain payment methods.
That’s why we recommend that you find a lower purchase price by using a payment method that’s difficult to revoke.
For example, cash deposits, bank transfers and mobile payments (such as PayPal). When you filter ads wanting to buy bitcoins, choose the “All Online Offers” option as your payment method. You will see offers for all payment methods and be able to choose the one that is convenient for you and offers the best price.
Can seller not send BTC after payment?
In order to avoid such situations, all our online transactions are protected by an escrow system. Once a transaction is opened, the amount of bitcoins for the corresponding transaction is taken from the seller’s wallet and held in LocalBitcoins for the duration of the transaction.
If the seller is trying to cheat you, you can start a dispute over such a transaction. Our support team will contact you and ask for proof of payment and then send you the bitcoins. I.e., if you paid, you will get your BTC anyway