Paypal: Adult Artwork Advice

[timelapsedecay.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to find some advice about receiving payment for adult work. I *feel* like this has been brought up, but I checked the 'paypal' and 'advice for artists' tags to no avail, so please direct me if this has been covered elsewhere.

It's a pretty known fact that PayPal doesn't allow the exchange of goods it can consider "obscene". Despite this, an overwhelming number of artists use it for these purposes anyway. For the most part(from my perspective), it appears a lot of artists don't get in trouble with paypal over this.

After a recent discussion with my partner about PayPal's terms, I've been feeling a bit dodgy about this rule in regards to taking NSFW commissions. Since this is my primary form of income, I have concerns about the possibility of my account being locked if it were somehow made clear to them I was implicitly creating "obscene" products

So, what I'm here to ask is: what's the best way to go about protecting my account? If it's just not feasible to adequately protect it, should I find another payment service- and if so, which is preferred/recommended?

Comments

MOD POST

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Hey guys, we've put this advice post through but we'd like to place a serious disclaimer here on it.

This post is risky, as the OP has mentioned, NSFW goods are not allowed to be sold. But if you choose to, and wish to share with the OP how you get around their policies; please note you may run the risk of being flagged by them should they do content sweeps of places like Artists Beware.

Comment in this discussion at your own risk.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

I've had positive experience with sending and receiving with Squarecash. It doesn't have the same protections as Paypal, but they do allow adult content.

[timelapsedecay.livejournal.com]

Would my clients need a squarecash account as well?

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

No. I've sent money to others without an account. They just need a debit card and you need a debit card. No credit cards.

[timelapsedecay.livejournal.com]

Oh awesome. I'm gonna look this up immediately
Thank you so much!!

[timelapsedecay.livejournal.com]

Actually looking it up I'm a bit confused, it seems to be some kind of card reader?
Could you link me their main site? :0

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

https://square.com/cash

They actually will send you $1 if you do their tutorial.

[timelapsedecay.livejournal.com]

Oohhhhhhh okay, thank you!!

[slinkslowdown.livejournal.com]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't seem to be able to sign up for it?

I go to the log in page and there's a box that says it'll show me how to sign up, but it just redirects me to the link you posted above.

[timelapsedecay.livejournal.com]

For some reason it keeps giving me the intro video over and over x_x

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

That's so odd.

Well, here's how to send money with it.
https://squareup.com/help/en-us/article/5372-cash-with-email

Once you get the email that someone has sent you money, Squarecash will walk you through getting you debit card entered.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

That's odd. I signed up for my account months ago. It should give you sign up instructions when you have them email you $1.

[alisea.livejournal.com]

do they display your address or personal information when doing invoices? This looks like an interesting service, thanks so much for sharing it with us.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

https://squareup.com/help/en-us/article/5372-cash-with-email

Yes, you need to use your email address.

[alisea.livejournal.com]

Email address is no big, PayPal likes to give your mailing address for everything it seems (as a buyer anyway).
Thanks so much for the info.

[teekchan.livejournal.com]

You can choose to show your address. it 'requires' you pick from the list, but has an option for not using an address.

[snobahr.livejournal.com]

Square Wallet User Agreement (https://squareup.com/legal/pay-ua): Section 6:
By creating a Square Wallet Account, you also confirm that you will not make payments in connection with the following businesses or business activities: (1) any illegal activity, (2) buyers or membership clubs, (3) credit counseling or repair agencies, (4) credit protection or identity theft protection services, (5) direct marketing or subscription offers or services, (6) infomercial sales, (7) internet/mail order/telephone order pharmacies or pharmacy referral services (where fulfillment of medication is performed with an internet or telephone consultation, absent a physical visit with a physician including re-importation of pharmaceuticals from foreign countries), (8) multi-level marketing businesses, (9) inbound or outbound telemarketers, (10) prepaid phone cards or phone services, (11) rebate based businesses, (12) up-sell merchants, (13) bill payment services, (14) betting, including lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, off-track betting, and wagers at races, (15) financial institutions offering manual or automated cash disbursements, (16) financial institutions offering merchandise and services, (17) sales of money-orders or foreign currency by non-financial institutions, (18) wire transfer money orders, (19) high-risk merchants, including telemarketing merchants, (20) service station merchants, (21) automated fuel dispensers, (22) adult entertainment oriented products or services (in any medium, e.g., internet, telephone or printed material), (23) internet/mail order/telephone order firearm or weapon sales, (24) internet/mail order/telephone order cigarette or tobacco sales, (25) drug paraphernalia, (26) occult materials, (27) hate products, (28) escort services, and (29) bankruptcy attorneys.

(Emphasis mine)

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

Oops! The folks who said this place was golden for adult content was quite some time ago. Serves me right for not reading it myself.

[yarbro.livejournal.com]

Ahh, darn. :/

[slinkslowdown.livejournal.com]

I'm not an artist, but have commissioned a lot of adult work and paid through PayPal. In nearly all cases, the artists I deal with ask that nothing be put into the transaction's message field--not my FA/dA username, not anything to do with FA/dA, just leave it absolutely blank so PayPal doesn't go looking at whatever website[s]/username[s] are mentioned there.

[timelapsedecay.livejournal.com]

I've been doing invoices, but if someone implicitly reports to paypal that you do NSFW comms it's the same trouble.

[meeka-meerkat.livejournal.com]

I was under the assumption the artist sends an invoice, to avoid the customer writing anything against the rules.

[timelapsedecay.livejournal.com]

I've been told it helps, but if you're still taking NSFW comms, if it were reported to them it would be the same trouble

[gatekat.livejournal.com]

Even with an invoice there is a box for them to write comments in, though I expect buyers are much less likely to use it.

[ljmydayaway.livejournal.com]

You should be able to go into Paypal and turn off comments on invoicing, under Account or... invoice settings...? The new Paypal UI is really confusing, but it should be in there somewhere.

[nauro-chan.livejournal.com]

I don't have any advice but I've been using Google Wallet for some of my commission things and have had no issues with it. I couldn't find anything in their stuff that says no adult content.

[sleetfury.livejournal.com]

I just ctrl+F'd my way across the ToS too and there doesn't seem to be anything under porn, explicit or obscene headers (or even NSFW and not safe for work).

[thornwolf.livejournal.com]

What about "adult"?

[sleetfury.livejournal.com]

Nope, doesn't turn anything up.

[niimou.livejournal.com]

https://support.google.com/wallet/business/answer/75724

It's on a whole different page that was linked in the ToS. Ctrl+f 'content' to see where.

Eta: should I also comment to the others in this thread? I'm still getting used to ljs notification system :/

[teekchan.livejournal.com]

Google Wallet is, or was last time I checked, US only.

[nauro-chan.livejournal.com]

Right, that didn't even cross my mind. So it does cause some issues for international folks.

[orangemonsterco.livejournal.com]

google wallet does the same thing as square cash if I remember, no fee's and no paypal involved, just debit cards.

[ljmydayaway.livejournal.com]

Looking at Google Wallet's FAQs, there's a small fee for sending money to someone else if you're using a credit card (or if you're adding money to your Google Wallet from a debit/credit card). 2.9%. But apparently sending someone money from a debit card is free.

It's a little weird (normally this fee would/should be charged to the person accepting payment, not the other way around), but I like that they have a little debit card like Paypal does, and it's not Paypal! :D

Edit: Looks like Google Wallet may not be available outside of the US though. :/

[orangemonsterco.livejournal.com]

yeah, google wallet is US only but my boyfriend uses it along side paypal. I figured that the less paypal is used the better. Like if only a few transactions were used through paypal vs the entirety of your income, ect.

[ljmydayaway.livejournal.com]

I definitely agree with that sentiment.

[wolf-nymph.livejournal.com]

I don't do a lot of adult artwork, just an annual auction for an adult commission. But knowing that paypal doesn't allow selling explicit materials through their service, I take money order, cashier's check, or personal check as a payment for this one. Added bonus: no fees! Since I don't take adult work very often, it's worth it for me to take alternative payments.

[ladysnakebite.livejournal.com]

OT, but your icon is adorable.

[wolf-nymph.livejournal.com]

Aw thank you! I adore harvest mice so much. =D

[yarbro.livejournal.com]

I have never done an "adult"* commission because of paypal. I rather not do something that against their terms, even if I can never get caught.

However, I would like to ask, how easy was it to get money order/cashier check, or personal checks from you clients?

*in reality, I rather do tasteful nude than adult artwork. Even then- paypal might flip and close the account.

[wolf-nymph.livejournal.com]

I only accept them a few times per year, and it's not hard for a client to send along thankfully! My only recommendation is to have it sent certified (you have to sign for it when it arrives), so it's less likely to be stolen out of the mail. I had a $450 cashier's check stolen from the mail and fraudulently cashed around this time last year.

I'm with you on staying cautious and following paypal's rules. For me, it's more important to er on the side of caution and follow the rules!

[girlomega.livejournal.com]

I use Amazon online gift cards and GiftRocket online payments for my NSFW stuff. Currently looking into getting a GreenDot card as well as you can do direct deposits with it.

PayPal will get on your case if you're found using them for "obscene or adult services", so it's best to just not use PayPal for anything that would be considered that, even accepting payment for an explicit picture or video or photo set/goods.

[veeveedesu.livejournal.com]

Perhaps you can send the commissioner an invoice rather than them sending you payment? http://www.furaffinity.net/full/6903907/

I'm not an artist, so I don't know how well this has worked, but thought id throw it out there.