=======================================================================
In this issue:
	Re: Sending cash overseas?

=======================================================================
From: ross@sympatico.ca
Date: Fri Mar 15 03:32:32 EST 2002
Subject: Re: Sending cash overseas?


 > I'm working out a purchase for goods overseas (in Italy, I'm in the US) 
 > and the buyer requests cash sent via registered mail. Its a trusted 
 > seller (dealt with before), so I'm not worried about that...I'm more 
 > concerned with the actual transit of the cash. What is the best way to 
 > go about this as far as concealment, etc.? 

	I've sent cash overseas (and to places not overseas, too) many
times, and it's always gotten through OK.  I always just make sure to
wrap it up carefully in a couple extra layers of paper, so unscrupulous
postal employees won't spot it.  Probably using thick envelopes, etc.
would help as well.
	Unless it's a very large amount of cash, I don't bother sending
it registered; it's very expensive, and the mail is usually secure 
enough that you don't need to worry about it.  Besides, as somebody 
else has mentioned, "registered" can mean different things to different
people.
 
	Some poeple go as far as so wrap the money in aluminum foil,
supposedly to avoid "magnetic money detectors" or some other nonsense.
I think this is probably a myth, and I always find that extra paper 
does the trick perfectly :)

	For those people who say things like "why not just use Paypal?",
you must be aware that Paypal is not a very useful option in most of 
the world.  In most countries, Paypal won't let you register a bank
account; people can send you money, but you can't actually use it.  Not
good!  Plus the fact that their service charges (already high) are even 
worse for overseas users, and their support staff are pathetically
clueless when it comes to anything outside the US.

	I really like mailing cash, actually - money orders are expensive
enough that by now I've probably saved a couple of hundred dollars by
not using them.

	Matthew



-----------------------------------------------------------------------