When I started buying on darknet, I came across terms like FE and Escrow.
Sometimes I even asked myself what’s the fuss about FE. Why some darknet marketplaces only allow trusted vendors to have FE as a payment option?
Do similar thoughts running through your mind as well? In that case, let’s see what’s the difference between Escrow and FE.
Escrow Overview
When it comes to Escrow transactions, the darknet marketplace holds your funds and it’s not released to the vendor unless you confirm you actually received the product.
In case you don’t receive the product, you can make a dispute and the money will be refunded back to your account.
Pros and Cons of Escrow
Pros:
1. Security: An escrow protects both the buyer and the seller from fraud and ensures that no one is being ripped off.
2. Peace of mind: Vendors and buyers are certain that they will receive their funds/items upon completion of the transaction.
3. Efficiency: An escrow can speed up the transaction process and eliminate lengthy delays, so you won’t have to wait for your order endlessly.
Cons:
1. Cost: Escrow services can be costly, with fees that can add up quickly for both sellers as well as vendors.
2. Limited flexibility: Once the terms of the transaction are agreed upon and the escrow is established, it can be difficult to change the terms without starting the process over.
3. Additional steps involved: An escrow can add an extra layer of complexity to the transaction process, which can be inconvenient for vendors as well as sellers.
FE (Finalized Early) Overview
When it comes to FE (Finalized Early) transactions, you send money to your darknet vendor and wait for the product.
Usually, marketplaces allow only trusted vendors to have FE as their payment option. If new vendors opt for FE, they’re banned by most of the marketplaces.
Pros and Cons of Finalized Early Transaction
Pros:
1. Convenience: An early finalized transaction can be completed quickly, without the need for additional steps or processing time.
2. Flexibility: An early finalized transaction makes it easy for vendors and buyers to have more control and flexibility over the terms of the transaction.
3. Cost savings: Without the need for an escrow service, you can save money on fees.
Cons:
1. Risk: A finalized early transaction can carry a higher risk of fraud or default, as there is no third-party involved to guarantee the exchange.
2. Dispute resolution: It can be more difficult to resolve any disputes or disagreements that may arise during the transaction process.
3. Pressure: Finalizing a transaction too early can put pressure on you as well as your vendor, which can lead to mistakes or misunderstandings.
Escrow vs FE: What Should You Opt for?
As long as you don’t want to get scammed, I don’t want you to rely on the Finalized Early payment method.
Now you must be wondering what’s the point of FE if it’s that bad? Well, some vendors think so highly of themselves because they have something that most vendors don’t, so they ask for an advance. In such cases, you have to do an FE transaction if you really want what the vendor has.
If there’s no such reason on your end, I’d recommend Escrow over FE.
And don’t ever think that popularity makes a vendor absolutely legit. There have been stories of vendors that are quite popular yet they still scammed customers.
Hey there, I’m a dark web geek who’s been around for the last 8 years. More precisely, I’m livedarknet’s senior content writer who’s been writing about darknet marketplaces, tutorials, and cybersecurity stuff for educational purposes.