Refund Policy

Once Escrowed Funds have been deposited, if Seller fails to ship the Merchandise within the required 10-day period or within any longer time period upon which the Underlying Parties have agreed, except to the extent an earlier refund is required by Applicable Law, Buyer may request a refund of the Escrowed Funds through the support form (https://www.EscrowUnion.com/contact-us). Upon such request, EscrowUnion.com shall be entitled to retain the Escrow Fees regardless of any other previous arrangement for allocation of the fees between the Underlying Parties. Seller may request the Escrow Transaction be cancelled and the Buyer refunded, less Escrow Fees and any additional charges for currency exchange, at any time until shipment. Seller may not cancel a domain name Escrow Transaction after the domain name has been secured in EscrowUnion.com’s holding account. In the event of a cancellation after Escrowed Funds are received, or rejection of the Merchandise, Broker will not receive the commission unless otherwise stipulated in the Transaction Escrow Terms.
 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, for Escrow Transactions involving IPv4 Numbers, the 10-day period for Seller to ship the Merchandise after escrow has been funded shall not apply. Buyer or Seller may cancel the Escrow Transaction, and each shall promptly notify EscrowUnion.com of the cancellation. If either of the Underlying Parties requests cancellation of an Escrow Transaction pursuant to this paragraph, and the request for cancellation is alleged to be in violation of the underlying agreement, Buyer or Seller may pursue any right or remedy against each other (but not EscrowUnion.com) available. Any claim against EscrowUnion.com or involving the Escrow Services, Escrowed Funds, or Escrowed Property must be made pursuant to the Dispute Resolution process set forth below.

General Escrow Union Instructions

Internet Escrow Services, Inc., a California corporation ("IES") is the direct provider of escrow services, and is licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, State of California, License Number 963 1867, the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions EA 0908016, and the Idaho Department of Finance, License Number ESC-1050.

The following provisions shall be referred to as the "General Escrow Instructions." The parties hereto employ, authorize and instruct IES to act as Escrow Holder and Escrow Agent in connection with the Transaction under the terms and conditions on the Transaction Detail Screens, these General Escrow Instructions, Terms of Using the Escrow Platform and any supplemental Escrow Instructions as hereinafter defined and all collectively referred to as the "Transaction Escrow Instructions." EscrowUnion.com and IES are hereinafter collectively referred to as "EscrowUnion.com" and intermittently referred to as "we" or "us."

General Provisions

Transactions performed by a Buyer, Seller and Broker on the EscrowUnion.com site, shall be governed by the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (Cal. Civil Code Section 1633.1 et. seq.) and the California Financial Code governing Escrow Regulations.

A person or entity offering personal property for sale, and desiring to use the EscrowUnion.com site in order to close such a sale, shall hereinafter be referred to as "Seller".

A person or entity desiring to purchase personal property from a Seller, by use of the EscrowUnion.com site for completing the purchase shall be referred to as "Buyer".

A person or entity offering to broker personal property for sale, and desiring to use the EscrowUnion.com site in order to close such a sale, shall hereinafter be referred to as "Broker". A Buyer and Seller may complete a Transaction with or without a Broker. When a Broker is party to this agreement, additional instructions as set forth of Section 9 of these General Instructions shall also apply. To the extent that any Broker may be involved in a Transaction, the Broker shall become a party to the Transaction and have rights under and/or through the escrow Transaction only if the Broker is an identified Broker on the particular EscrowUnion.com Transaction. If either Buyer or Seller has any independent relationship, obligation or duty of any kind with any other broker or a third party broker, such other or third party broker has no rights under and/or through the Transaction or from EscrowUnion.com. It is the sole and independent obligation and duty of the Buyer or Seller who has any independent relationship with any other or third party broker to satisfy any and all obligations to such other or third party broker.

The use of the EscrowUnion.com site (by the Buyer, Seller and Broker) for purposes of effectuating a single escrowed transfer of ownership of personal property shall be referred to as a "Transaction". The completion of the Transaction by Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) is referred to herein as the "Close of Escrow". A Buyer, Seller and Broker may enter into a Transaction for the sale and purchase of many different types of personal property. This Instruction refers to the personal property which is the subject of a Transaction interchangeably as "merchandise" "goods" "item(s)" or "Escrowed Property". Funds deposited into Escrow by the parties shall be referred to as "Escrow Funds".

Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) should each log onto the EscrowUnion.com website daily and regularly to confirm the status of the Transaction, the shipping and tracking and/or the Closing.

The time of day and calendar day for all matters and events referred to in these Instructions will be determined by Pacific Time. All communications of any kind, for any purpose shall be made in the English language. It is the responsibility of Buyer and or Seller (and Broker when applicable) to each know and understand the English language. Any party who requires interpretation to or from the English language for the purpose of making or receiving any communication, relating to these Instructions or the Terms of Using the Escrow Platform, shall be responsible for any of his, her or its own respective costs in that regard.

The term “Business Day” shall refer to the working days Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time, which are not legal holidays in Orange County, California observed by EscrowUnion.com.

Payments made by check shall be subject to a ten (10) Business Day hold.

Due to potential processing delays, payments made by credit card, debit card, PayPal or ACH Debit may not instantaneously be reflected in EscrowUnion.com. It is the responsibility of users to check their EscrowUnion.com accounts and ensure that any payments made have been processed and visible in EscrowUnion.com.

1. Instructions and Deposit of Funds into Escrow

Once the Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) have agreed to identical Transaction Detail Screens for a specific underlying Transaction, and both (and Broker when applicable) have agreed to these General Escrow Instructions by selecting the "Agree" button at the bottom of the Transaction Detail Screens, these instructions shall constitute a binding agreement between all parties. No blank spaces shall exist on the Transaction Detail Screens as of the time the Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) select the "Agree" button. After Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) both select the "Agree" button, the Transaction Detail Screens, General Escrow Instructions and Terms of Using the Escrow Platform constitute the Transaction Escrow Instructions to govern the Transaction between the Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) (the "Transaction Escrow Instructions"). Should it become necessary to add a supplemental instruction(s), or to make any addition to, deletion from, or alteration to the Transaction Detail Screens, all parties (Buyer, Seller, EscrowUnion.com and Broker when applicable) must execute (by digital signature or by a method mutually agreed upon by both parties) any supplemental instruction, addition, deletion or alteration thereto (collectively the "Supplemental Escrow Instruction(s)). EscrowUnion.com reserves the right to reject any Supplemental Escrow Instructions and to terminate the Transaction as provided herein. In accordance with California Civil Code 1633.8, EscrowUnion.com may accept instructions that are created, generated, sent, communicated, received or stored by electronic means and by attaching their Digital Identification. The parties to the Transaction hereby agree to conduct the Transaction electronically. The parties acknowledge that by entering into the Transaction Escrow Instructions, they are able to electronically receive the Transaction Escrow Instructions, download the Transaction Escrow Instructions and print the Transaction Escrow Instructions.

2. Domain Name(s)

In the event the personal property being transferred in this Transaction qualifies as a "Domain Name", EscrowUnion.com is instructed to close only when the transfer of the Domain Name has been confirmed by EscrowUnion.com (at its option) or the Buyer has notified EscrowUnion.com that Buyer has received the transfer and allowed the Inspection Period named in the Transaction Detail Screen to expire or the Buyer has accepted the transfer. Seller shall transfer a Domain Name(s) to Buyer based upon information provided in Buyer's profile. Seller agrees to provide the username and password and/or authorization code, if any, necessary to access the Domain Name to Buyer prior to the release of funds. Should Seller agree to accept payments from a Buyer for a Domain Name, and request that EscrowUnion.com hold the Domain Name while these payments are being made, then Buyer and Seller shall execute a separate agreement to govern the holding of a Domain Name by EscrowUnion.com.

To the extent that a Transaction involves an escrow which shall result in EscrowUnion.com holding the domain name for a designated period of time, the parties shall agree to be bound by the Domain Name Holding Instructions and other such Transaction documents as the parties may submit to Escrow to govern the Transaction. In a Domain Name Holding Transaction the duties of the Buyer and Seller may not be assigned by the Buyer and Seller without prior written consent by the other party and EscrowUnion.com. Instructions, by the Seller to EscrowUnion.com, to have escrowed funds paid or delivered to a third party or entity (who is not party to the Transaction) is not considered to be an assignment.

2A. IPv4 Numbers

The provisions of this paragraph 2A shall amend and supplement the General Escrow Instructions for Transactions involving IPv4 Numbers. “IPv4 Numbers” means the IPv4 address range in the Transaction Detail page. IPv4 Numbers shall be deemed “personal property.” In escrow instructions from both Buyer and Seller at the commencement of the transaction, Buyer and Seller (or Broker, on behalf of Buyer and Seller) shall identify the applicable regional Internet registry(ies) (“RIR”) that will be initiating (the source RIR) and finalizing (the recipient RIR) the transfer of the registration of the IPv4 Numbers. The source RIR of the Seller and the recipient RIR of the Buyer may either be the same RIR or different RIRs. “Ship” or “Shipped” means Seller has either (i) submitted a request to the source RIR to transfer the registration of the IPv4 Numbers to the Buyer and satisfied the source organization transfer policy requirements imposed on Seller by the applicable RIR, which may include payment of a transfer fee to the source RIR and has provided notice of shipment to EscrowUnion.com via login to the transaction website, or (ii) delivered the IPv4 Numbers to Buyer in accordance with an alternative transfer or delivery process set forth in the underlying agreement between Buyer and Seller. Buyer shall be deemed to have received the IPv4 Numbers and the Inspection Period named in the Transaction Detail Screen shall commence the earlier of when (i) the transfer of IPv4 Numbers has been confirmed by EscrowUnion.com by presentation of whois records of the recipient RIR that reflect Buyer as the registrant of the IPv4 Numbers, or (ii) Buyer has confirmed its receipt of the IPv4 Numbers and has provided notice of receipt to EscrowUnion.com via login to the transaction website. Subject to Section 5, EscrowUnion.com shall close the Transaction and release the escrowed funds to Seller (and Broker, where applicable) the earlier of when Buyer has either allowed the Inspection Period named in the Transaction Detail Screen to expire or accepted the IPv4 Numbers. Section 3 (Shipping and Tracking of Item) and Section 6 (Shipping and Tracking of Returned Item) shall not apply to Transactions involving IPv4 Numbers.

3. Shipping and Tracking of Item

Upon receipt of Buyer's funds, and clearance of same, Escrow Holder will notify Seller to ship the merchandise. This notice to Seller shall be accomplished via email which will require the Seller to log on to the EscrowUnion.com website to confirm secured funds, unless all parties lawfully agree to a different method of notification. Upon Seller's verification, Seller agrees to ship the merchandise, insured for full value to Buyer. Buyer and Seller agree to choose a shipping method that utilizes online tracking information. Seller shall ship merchandise to Buyer based upon information provided in Buyer's profile. Seller will be responsible for shipping damage if insurance is not purchased. Seller agrees to complete and submit the shipping information to the EscrowUnion.com website, on the same day on which the merchandise is placed in the possession of the company responsible for shipping. Confirmation of same will be sent via email to all parties, unless all parties lawfully agree to a different method of notification.

The Buyer Inspection Period (as defined in Buyer and Seller's Transaction Escrow Instructions, as agreed to on the Transaction Detail Screens of EscrowUnion.com) shall commence upon the first to occur of either: (1) Buyer's acknowledgment of receipt of merchandise or domain(s); or (2) the EscrowUnion.com website receipt of verification of delivery to the Buyer's profile information via the shipper's or registrar's tracking services. The Buyer Inspection Period shall be calculated in full calendar days, the number of days to be agreed upon by the Seller and Buyer in the Transaction Escrow Instructions.

In the event the Seller has not shipped the goods within ten days of notification by EscrowUnion.com (through its email or posting on the EscrowUnion.com website) of Buyer's deposit of immediately available funds, Buyer may request a return of funds, less the escrow fee, and EscrowUnion.com will do so after notifying both parties.

Unless the parties agree otherwise, Buyer is responsible for any duties, customs fees or other charges resulting from an international Transaction, which shall be included in the purchase price. It is the responsibility of the shipping party to properly declare the merchandise and its value for customs procedures.

4. Buyer's Acceptance, Disbursement of Funds

During the Buyer Inspection Period, Buyer shall either: (1) select the "Accept" button on the EscrowUnion.com website, and follow all further instructions accordingly to complete acceptance of the goods; or (2) select the "Reject" button and follow any further instructions to complete the rejection of the goods. Should the Buyer fail to select either the "Accept" or "Reject" buttons, and/or follow all further instructions, then Buyer shall be deemed to be satisfied with the quality of the goods/domain(s), and to have accepted the goods/domain(s).

Notwithstanding the foregoing, for Transactions involving IPv4 Numbers, Buyer shall not be permitted to reject the IPv4 Numbers if the recipient RIR’s whois records reflect Buyer or its designee as the registrant of such IPv4 Numbers, and Buyer’s selection of the “Reject” button shall have no effect on EscrowUnion.com’s authority to close the transaction or Seller’s (and Broker’s) right to receive the escrow funds as set forth in Section 2A (IPv4 Numbers).

EscrowUnion.com will then begin the process of disbursing the funds as follows:

• If, in the Transaction Escrow Instructions, the Buyer agreed to pay for shipping, and/or any portion of the escrow fee, then those costs shall be collected as Buyer's funds, and remitted with the purchase price. At Close of Escrow, EscrowUnion.com will pay the Seller the purchase price and shipping fee itemized in the transaction, less any payment for expedite fees and disburse the escrow fee to EscrowUnion.com.
• If, in the Transaction Escrow Instructions, the Seller agreed to pay for shipping, and/or any portion of the escrow fee, then at Close of Escrow EscrowUnion.com will pay to Seller the purchase amount, less any disbursement expedite fees, and any portion of the escrow fee. Shipping fees will be deemed paid outside of escrow.

EscrowUnion.com reserves the right to provide the Buyer a written 48-hour notice if an Inspection Period has ended without the Buyer's involvement.

5. Buyer Rejection Process

The buyer is responsible for 100% of the escrow fee in the event the transaction is cancelled or the merchandise is returned. During the Buyer Inspection Period, Buyer may reject for any reason by selecting the "Reject" button on the EscrowUnion.com site and following all other instructions to properly reject the merchandise. Upon such rejection, EscrowUnion.com will send Seller an email stating Buyer's decision to reject and return the goods; and Buyer agrees to promptly ship goods to Seller within ten (10) calendar days of formal rejection and insure, at Buyer's expense, the item(s) to the place designated by the Seller in the Seller's profile. Buyer will be responsible for shipping damage if insurance is not purchased. Buyer is aware that merchandise must be rejected in the manner described in order to obtain a refund of the purchase price.

In the event that Buyer rejects the goods in violation of other terms of acceptance and rejection, applicable to Buyer and Seller in connection with the underlying Transaction (including but not limited to the Transaction Escrow Instructions and EscrowUnion.com guidelines) the Seller shall not be prohibited from pursuing any available right or remedy available under the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law against Buyer for breach of the Transaction.

Buyer is aware that regardless of the reason for rejection, Escrowed Property must be returned to the Seller in order for funds to be returned to the Buyer. Shipping costs for returned Escrowed Property must be arranged and completed within ten (10) days of Buyer's rejection. Failure of Buyer to return the Escrowed Property within the specified time period will cause EscrowUnion.com to automatically pay the Seller the purchase price.

In Transactions where the Escrowed Property is a domain name, if a Buyer rejects a domain name (which is not being held by EscrowUnion.com pursuant to a separate holding agreement) within the Inspection Period, return of the domain name from Buyer to Seller must be initiated within ten (10) days of Buyer's rejection. Failure of Buyer to reject or initiate return of the domain name within the specified time periods will cause the Escrow Holder to automatically pay the Seller the purchase price. Seller agrees to cooperate in the return process of the domain. In the event the domain transfer to the Buyer has caused a ICANN imposed registrar lock, the Buyer and Seller agree that the Seller will open an account at the receiving registrar to take possession of the domain or that the funds will be held in escrow until this period expires and the domain can be returned to the Seller’s registrar.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, for Transactions that involve IPv4 Numbers, Buyer may reject the IPv4 Numbers only where the whois records of the recipient RIR do not reflect Buyer or its designee as the registrant of the IPv4 Numbers (as confirmed by EscrowUnion.com), in which case Buyer’s rejection shall be deemed Buyer’s automatic return of the IPv4 Numbers to Seller. If, in such event, Seller accepts the return of the IPv4 Numbers (as further described in Section 7 with respect to IPv4 Numbers), EscrowUnion.com shall refund the escrowed funds to Buyer, less the escrow fee.

The following additional terms apply to Escrow transactions that are referred to EscrowUnion.com from an external online marketplace, including but not limited to eBay, where that marketplace applies an authentication service to merchandise that is subject of an Escrow Transaction:

(i) Where merchandise subject to an EscrowUnion.com Transaction is purchased through an external marketplace, and where EscrowUnion.com is used as a method of payment, the Underlying Parties will be bound by the merchandise authentication rules and procedures of that external marketplace, when completing the EscrowUnion.com Transaction.

(ii) The relationship between the Underlying Parties and the referring external marketplace and merchandise authentication service, is independent of the relationship between the Underlying Parties and EscrowUnion.com where it concerns the EscrowUnion.com Transaction. In no circumstances will EscrowUnion.com be liable for any loss suffered by the Underlying Parties resulting from the Underlying Parties’ engagement with an external marketplace or merchandise authentication service.

(iii) Where an external marketplace has a merchandise authentication service and where the Underlying Parties engage with that authentication service, the progress of the EscrowUnion.com Transaction may be determined in part by the outcome of that authentication service. Where the Underlying Parties engage with an external merchandise authentication service, the following will generally apply:

a. Where the authentication service and external marketplace determine that the merchandise that is the subject of the Escrow Transaction is unauthentic or where authentication is unsuccessful, it is the responsibility of the Underlying Parties to engage with the authentication service and external marketplace to ensure the merchandise is returned to the Seller.

b. Where the authentication service and external marketplace determine that the merchandise subject of the EscrowUnion.com Transaction is authentic or where authentication is successful, it is the responsibility of the Underlying Parties to engage with the authentication service and external marketplace to ensure the merchandise is received by the Buyer. A determination made that the merchandise is authentic or where authentication is successful will not affect the Buyer Inspection Period and Buyer may reject the merchandise for any reason by clicking the “Reject” button and following all other instructions on the Site for rejecting the merchandise following Section 5 of these Terms.

c. Where Buyer rejects the merchandise and where the external marketplace and authentication service require re-authentication of the merchandise before it can be returned to the Seller, the Buyer must follow all instructions from the external marketplace and authentication service as to where to return the merchandise for re-authentication. The Buyer must not return the merchandise directly to the Seller where the external marketplace and authentication service require the merchandise to be re-authenticated prior to the merchandise being returned to the Seller. When EscrowUnion.com receives confirmation from the external marketplace that the merchandise has been successfully re-authenticated and returned to the Seller, EscrowUnion.com may return funds to the Buyer at its discretion.

d. In any event, the maximum amount of times the authentication process can occur will be determined by the external marketplace and merchandise authentication service, and which operate independently of EscrowUnion.com.

e. The Underlying Parties authorize EscrowUnion.com to rely on information it receives from the external marketplace and authentication service regarding the authenticity and location of the merchandise, in deciding when to release funds to the Seller or return funds to the Buyer.

f. The Underlying Parties agree that where merchandise is transacted through an external marketplace using EscrowUnion.com as the payment method, EscrowUnion.com will rely on information it receives directly from that external marketplace when deciding the status of an EscrowUnion.com transaction and whether to disburse Escrowed funds.

g. Where the Underlying Parties use EscrowUnion.com in connection with a transaction on an external marketplace and use its authentication service, EscrowUnion.com shall in no circumstance be liable for goods that are not returned or in any way damaged or altered in connection with the authentication service or involvement of external marketplace in the Escrow Transaction.

(iv) Where merchandise that is subject of an Escrow Transaction is transacted using an external marketplace, and an authentication service is used in connection with that external marketplace, this authentication service is managed and operated exclusively by that external marketplace and not by EscrowUnion.com. It is the sole and independent obligation and duty of the Underlying Parties to satisfy any and all obligations to the external internet marketplace and authentication service in connection with the EscrowUnion.com Transaction.

6. Shipping and Tracking of Returned Item

By rejecting the item in the manner described above, Buyer agrees to return the item(s) promptly to Seller at the address designated by Seller in the Seller's profile. Buyer is responsible for all related shipping and insurance costs; and agrees to return the item to the Seller by use of a shipping method that utilizes online tracking information. It is the responsibility of the shipping party to properly declare the merchandise and its value for customs procedures.

Immediately upon shipping the goods back to Seller, Buyer shall complete and submit, through the EscrowUnion.com website, the requested shipping information. Upon receipt of such information, Seller will be notified by an email from EscrowUnion.com which includes the name of the shipping company and the relevant tracking number as supplied by Buyer. If Buyer sends the goods to Seller without following the guidelines set forth in this paragraph, then in addition to any other remedies which EscrowUnion.com or Seller may have, EscrowUnion.com will not return to Buyer any of the escrowed funds unless and until; (1) the Seller confirms that the rejected item has arrived in the same condition in which it was originally sent; or (2) there is a final Dispute Resolution, as set forth in the Dispute Resolution section below. Should no shipping be necessary in order to effectuate the return of the merchandise, then Seller and Buyer shall be free of the shipping and tracking obligations as defined in this section.

The Seller Inspection Period shall commence upon the first to occur of either: (1) Seller's acknowledgment of receipt of merchandise or domain(s); or (2) the EscrowUnion.com website receipt of verification of delivery to the Seller's profile information via the shipper's or registrar's tracking services; or (3) the Seller's failure to accept Buyer's delivery of returned goods; or (4) the Seller's failure to retrieve returned goods upon notification from the shipping company and/or any governmental office of the returned goods' availability for pick up. The Seller shall have five (5) calendar days following the date on which the Seller Inspection Period begins to inspect the "returned" merchandise/domain(s).

7. Seller Acceptance or Rejection of Return, Disbursement of Funds

The Seller shall have five (5) calendar days following the date on which the Seller inspection period begins to: (1) select the "Accept" button on the EscrowUnion.com website, and follow all further instructions to properly accept returned goods; or (2) select the "Reject" button on the EscrowUnion.com website, and follow all further instructions to properly reject returned goods.

During the Seller Inspection Period, should Seller: (1) fail to select either the "Accept" or "Reject" buttons on the EscrowUnion.com website; or (2) fail to follow all instructions in order to effectuate the acceptance or rejection of a returned item, then at the end of the Seller Inspection Period, Seller shall be deemed to be satisfied with the quality of the returned goods, and shall be deemed to have accepted the returned goods.

The Seller may reject the timely return of Escrowed Property only if the property is returned in a condition other than the condition it was in when first sent from Seller to Buyer. Should Seller reject the item during the Seller Inspection Period, the Seller and Buyer shall negotiate for the Negotiation Period, as defined below. Should the Buyer and Seller fail to reach an agreement during the Negotiation Period and provide a joint instruction evidencing same to EscrowUnion.com, either Buyer or Seller may file for arbitration (in accordance with the Dispute Resolution section below) at any time in the fourteen (14) calendar days following the Negotiation Period. If, as of the fifteenth (15th) calendar day following the end of the Negotiation Period, neither Buyer nor Seller has filed for and given notice of the commencement of arbitration in accordance with the Dispute Resolution section of these Instructions, and given acceptable proof of the commencement of arbitration to the non-filing party and EscrowUnion.com, then Seller shall be deemed to have waived any rights Seller may have to a return of all or any portion of the purchase price, the Transaction shall terminate, and EscrowUnion.com shall return Buyer's funds as provided herein.

Upon the first to occur of either: (1) Seller's acceptance of the returned goods; (2) the end of the Seller Inspection Period; or (3) on the 15th calendar day following the Negotiation Period the failure of Buyer or Seller to commence arbitration (in accordance with the Dispute Resolution provisions of these Instructions and notify all parties as provided therein) EscrowUnion.com will begin the process of disbursing the Escrow Funds as follows:

• If, in the Transaction Escrow Instructions, Buyer agreed to pay for shipping, and/or any portion of the escrow fee, EscrowUnion.com will pay Buyer the purchase price, less these costs, and EscrowUnion.com will pay Seller for the Shipping Fee in the amount set forth in the Transaction Escrow Instruction, disburse the escrow fee to EscrowUnion.com, and disburse the balance to Buyer.
• If, in the Transaction Escrow Instructions, the Seller agreed to pay for shipping, and/or any portion of the escrow fee, then EscrowUnion.com shall pay Buyer the amount deposited less EscrowUnion.com's fee.
• If Buyer and Seller agreed that the Item will not be shipped from Seller to Buyer prior to the Close of Escrow, then EscrowUnion.com will not deduct shipping fees from the Buyer's Required Payment.

Once all costs are paid, and funds are disbursed, the escrow shall be deemed cancelled, with no further obligation due by Buyer, Seller, or EscrowUnion.com (or Broker when applicable) under this Agreement or under the Transaction Escrow Instructions. EscrowUnion.com reserves the right to provide the Seller a written 48-hour notice if an Inspection Period has ended without the Seller's involvement.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, for a Transaction of IPv4 Numbers, Buyer’s rejection of IPv4 Numbers still registered to Seller in the source RIR’s whois records shall constitute automatic return of the IPv4 Numbers to Seller and the beginning of Seller’s Inspection Period. Seller may reject the return of the IPv4 Numbers only if Seller is able to provide to EscrowUnion.com (via login to the transaction website) independently verifiable information that in the sole discretion of EscrowUnion.com (acting reasonably) indicates that the transfer of IPv4 Numbers from Seller to Buyer has been approved, without express reservation or condition, by the applicable RIR(s) and that the applicable RIR(s) will not agree to rescind the approval or otherwise cancel the transfer. Unless Buyer and Seller otherwise agree to a different joint instruction to EscrowUnion.com, upon EscrowUnion.com’s confirmation that the recipient RIR’s whois records reflect Buyer as the registrant, EscrowUnion.com shall close the Transaction and disburse the escrowed funds to Seller (and Broker) as described under Section 2A (IPv4 Numbers).

8. Cancellation

Once escrow funds have been deposited, in the event that Seller fails to ship the merchandise within the required ten (10) day period or within any longer time period upon which Buyer and Seller have mutually agreed, Buyer may request a refund of the deposited funds. The request for refund shall be submitted to the support form. Buyer hereby agrees that the entire escrow fee shall be deducted from his/her/its refund regardless of any other previous arrangement for allocation of the escrow fee that may have been made between Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable). A Domain Name Holding transaction may not be cancelled by the Seller after the domain has been secured in EscrowUnion.com’s holding account. Buyer and Seller also agree that Seller may request the escrow transaction be cancelled and the Buyer refunded, less escrow fees, at any time. In the event of a cancellation after funds are received, or rejection of merchandise, the Broker will not receive the commission unless otherwise stipulated in the escrow agreement.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in the EscrowUnion.com Terms of Use, for Transactions involving the transfer of IPv4 Numbers, the ten (10) day period required in the General Escrow Instructions and EscrowUnion.com Terms of Using the Escrow Platform for Seller to ship merchandise after escrow has been funded shall not apply. Buyer or Seller may cancel the Transaction pursuant to the underlying agreement between Buyer and Seller for the sale and transfer of the IPv4 Numbers and each notify EscrowUnion.com of the same. If either Buyer or Seller requests cancellation of a Transaction pursuant to this Section, and such request for cancellation is by notice to EscrowUnion.com (via login to the transaction website) alleged to be in violation of the terms of the underlying agreement, Buyer or Seller may pursue any available right or remedy against each other (but not EscrowUnion.com) available to it under contract or applicable law. Any claim against EscrowUnion.com or involving the escrow process or property or funds or the holding, management, administration or maintenance in escrow must be made pursuant to the dispute resolution process set forth in Section 10.

9. Transactions Involving a Broker as a Party

The Broker will initiate the Transaction providing the Buyer and Seller email addresses and shall give instructions as to any restrictions on access to Buyer or Seller contact information. In the event the Broker restricts any information, the Buyer and Seller information may remain anonymous until such time as EscrowUnion.com secures the Buyer’s funds. Once the Buyer and Seller agree to the Transaction, including the agreement to the Broker’s commission, the Buyer will be prompted to send payment to EscrowUnion.com via wire transfer. After EscrowUnion.com secures and verifies funds, EscrowUnion.com will instruct the Seller to transfer the merchandise to the Buyer. When the Buyer or EscrowUnion.com has confirmed the Buyer’s receipt of the merchandise, the Inspection Period shall begin. Upon the Buyer’s acceptance or the Inspection Period expiring, EscrowUnion.com will disburse funds to the Seller and the Broker per the Escrow Agreement. In the event of a cancellation after funds are received, or rejection of merchandise, the Broker will not receive the commission unless otherwise stipulated in the escrow agreement.

10. Dispute Resolution

In the event of any dispute, claim, question, disagreement or breach arising from or relating to EscrowUnion.com's Terms of Using the Escrow Platform, these General Escrow Instructions, the Transaction Detail Screens, or the Transaction Escrow Instructions, including but not limited to Seller's rejection of returned goods, Buyer's or Seller's Acceptance or Rejection of an item and/or Cancellation of the Transaction, Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) hereby agree to use their best efforts to consult and negotiate in good faith for the Negotiation Period, as defined below, to reach a solution satisfactory to all parties. If the parties reach an agreed upon resolution, Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) will promptly notify EscrowUnion.com in writing by joint instruction of the terms and conditions thereof.

The following shall be referred to herein as the "Dispute Date": (1) the Seller's Rejection of Return of the merchandise/domain(s) on the EscrowUnion.com website; or (2) EscrowUnion.com rejecting merchandise/domain(s) on behalf of the Seller if the Seller is unable to gain access to the EscrowUnion.com website. The fourteen (14) calendar days beginning with the Dispute Date shall be referred to as the "Negotiation Period". If Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) do not reach an agreed upon resolution and notify EscrowUnion.com of the same in writing by a joint instruction during the Negotiation Period either Buyer or Seller (or Broker when applicable) shall submit the matter to binding arbitration within fourteen (14) calendar days after the end of the Negotiation Period. This second fourteen-day period shall be referred to herein as the "Arbitration Commencement Period". Notice that such arbitration has been commenced shall be promptly given, via e-mail, by the party commencing arbitration to the other parties and EscrowUnion.com. Before Buyer initiates a submission to arbitration, Buyer must return the Escrowed Property received by Buyer to Seller.

If EscrowUnion.com has not received notice that binding arbitration has been commenced within the Arbitration Commencement Period, EscrowUnion.com may terminate or cancel the Transaction and refund the Escrow Funds to the Buyer, less the escrow fee, in accordance with these Instructions and the Transaction Escrow Instructions. EscrowUnion.com reserves the right (but has no obligation) to commence arbitration, or to interplead the funds with a court of competent jurisdiction at any time. In this case, Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) authorize EscrowUnion.com to use the escrow funds to pay the administrative fees to initiate arbitration or to file a judicial action and process service of the summons and complaint. The party instituting the arbitration proceeding shall notify EscrowUnion.com and the other parties by sending notice of demand for binding arbitration to the non-filing parties. Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) agree to accept service of the notice of demand for binding arbitration via e-mail (via the e-mail addresses previously provided to EscrowUnion.com by Buyer, Seller, and Broker when applicable) and further agree that no further notice is necessary to have their dispute submitted to binding arbitration by either Buyer, Seller, (Broker when applicable) or EscrowUnion.com pursuant to this Section.

Any such binding arbitration shall be submitted by the party commencing the arbitration either to American Arbitration Association ("AAA") or Judicial and Mediation Services, Inc. ("JAMS"), or Net-ARB Inc. (“net-ARB”). It is the obligation of Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) to perform their own due diligence and to review the websites and other sources of information available from AAA, JAMS and/or Net-ARB prior to any selection they may consider as the terms, procedures and prices of the respective arbitrators may vary. The arbitration shall take place within the State of California, County of Orange, unless Buyer, Seller, (and Broker when applicable) and EscrowUnion.com all agree otherwise in writing to a different arbitration provider or venue. In addition to the fact that Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) agree to have any dispute, claim, question, disagreement or breach arising from or relating to EscrowUnion.com's Terms of Use, these General Escrow Instructions, the Transaction Escrow Instructions, or the Transaction Detail Screens be determined through binding arbitration, Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) also agree that any issue that may arise regarding the arbitrability of any dispute sent to arbitration under this section shall be determined by the arbitrator alone.

Unless Buyer, Seller, (and Broker when applicable) and EscrowUnion.com all agree otherwise the arbitration shall be conducted before a single arbitrator who is a member of AAA, JAMS, or net-ARB, (the "Arbitration Provider"). The party initiating the arbitration will make a written request to the Arbitration Provider, including a copy of this arbitration provision (the "Arbitration Request"). The Arbitration Request will include a notice with the names of Buyer, Seller, (and Broker when applicable) and EscrowUnion.com, and the last known mailing addresses, telephone numbers, facsimile numbers, email addresses and contact person for each and every party. The Arbitration Request will be delivered concurrently to all parties, including EscrowUnion.com. Although EscrowUnion.com will be provided notice of the Arbitration Request and notice of the final award or decision of the arbitrator, EscrowUnion.com will not be an actual party to the arbitration proceeding to resolve the dispute between Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) unless EscrowUnion.com voluntarily elects to intervene. The Arbitration Request will instruct the Arbitration Provider to select an arbitrator pursuant to the Arbitration Provider’s procedures existing at the time of the Arbitration Request. If the Arbitration Provider does not have an existing procedure for selecting an arbitrator the Arbitration Request will instruct the Arbitration Provider to randomly propose the name of three potential arbitrators and for the Arbitration Provider to submit those three names to all parties concurrently (the "the Arbitration Provider List"). No party may request to the Arbitration Provider that any particular arbitrator be included on the Arbitration Provider List. Any arbitrator specifically requested to be on the Arbitration Provider List is to be excluded. Each party may, within five days after receipt of the proposed names, strike and exclude one name from the list. Thereafter, the Arbitration Provider shall appoint as arbitrator a person whose name has not been struck from the list ("the Arbitration Provider Appointment") and an alternate. If for any reason the Arbitration Provider does not appoint an arbitrator within 15 business days of the submission by any party of its exclusion, either party may petition the Orange County Superior Court, Santa Ana, California for the appointment of an arbitrator. Within 10 calendar days after the appointment of the arbitrator, the arbitrator will schedule a pre-arbitration hearing, which will be conducted by telephone and shall be held within the next ten business days.

The arbitrator shall have the power to enter a default award if a party fails to participate in the arbitration.

Unless Buyer, Seller, (and Broker when applicable) and EscrowUnion.com agree otherwise as set forth herein, the arbitration hearing shall take place in the County of Orange, State of California, at a date, time and location selected by the arbitrator. The actual arbitration hearing must be commenced within 120 days after notice of the identity of the arbitrator is served (by either the Arbitration Provider or the Superior Court as the case may be). The hearing must be concluded within 90 calendar days after it is commenced. A decision shall be rendered within 10 calendar days after the conclusion of the hearing. The arbitrator shall establish any deadlines necessary to accomplish these time requirements.

Each party to the arbitration shall pay a pro-rata share of the arbitrator's expenses and fees, and the other arbitration expenses incurred or approved by the arbitrator, excluding attorney fees, witness fees, and other expenses incurred by a party for his or her own benefit. Because EscrowUnion.com is not a party to a dispute between Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable), EscrowUnion.com will not be responsible for any portion of the arbitration expenses and fees. The parties shall estimate their costs and pay their estimated share before commencement of the arbitration. Any extra arbitration costs shall be paid within ten business days after the close of the proceeding and before the award. A party that fails to pay its share shall not be allowed to participate in the arbitration. If a party fails to pay its share, the other parties shall pay pro rata the cost of the party that failed to pay. The arbitrator shall add such payment to the final award in such a fashion as to return the parties to the position they would have been in, to the greatest extent possible, if all had paid their share.

The arbitrator may award the prevailing party his or her expenses and fees of arbitration, including reasonable attorney fees and witness fees, in such proportion as the arbitrator decides.

Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, the arbitrator shall have the powers to determine the nature and extent of any discovery to be allowed and also will have all other powers provided in California Code of Civil Procedure sections 1282-1284.3.

Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) understand and agree that failing to respond or otherwise comply with either party's or EscrowUnion.com's notice/demand for binding arbitration pursuant to this section and/or failing to participate in the arbitration process will without notice result in forfeiture of any and all rights that the non-responding Buyer or Seller (or Broker when applicable) may have with regard to the subject matter of the dispute, including but not limited to rights Buyer or Seller (or Broker when applicable) have to the Escrow Funds and or any property associated therewith returned or distributed to them, and can result in a default judgment against such party.

Any award in such arbitration shall be final and binding upon the parties and judgment thereon may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. The arbitrator will be instructed to serve a copy of the final award or decision on EscrowUnion.com and EscrowUnion.com will comply with the arbitrator's final award or decision.

In the event of a dispute, Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) are aware that no action on closing the Transaction will be taken on the part of EscrowUnion.com until such time as the dispute is resolved except by either: (i) EscrowUnion.com's receipt of a written notice of a joint instruction providing the terms of an agreed upon resolution; or (ii) an order of the arbitrator or a court of competent jurisdiction in response to Buyer's or Seller's (or Broker’s when applicable) or EscrowUnion.com's action to institute binding arbitration in accordance with these Instructions; or (iii) the order of the arbitrator or a court of competent jurisdiction in response to EscrowUnion.com's action for interpleader or other legal or equitable remedies. EscrowUnion.com shall have no responsibility and/or liability to initiate and/or continue to update either party regarding status of the Transaction Escrow, arbitration or other legal proceeding. If instructed and all fees (the amount as set forth in the Terms of Using the Escrow Platform in effect at the time) are paid in advance, EscrowUnion.com will place funds into an interest bearing account with no further authorization required for same. The disposition of the interest earned shall be decided concurrently with the resolution of the dispute. THE OBLIGATION OF EscrowUnion.com, THE ESCROW HOLDER AND THEIR AFFILIATES SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE HOLDING AND DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS UPON WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS SIGNED BY ALL PARTIES OR AN AWARD FROM THE ARBITRATOR AND/OR JUDGE.

EscrowUnion.com may, in its sole discretion, institute the binding arbitration procedures set forth above and/or any other legal proceedings (including interpleading the funds with a court of competent jurisdiction) to resolve any dispute arising from a Transaction between Buyer and Seller and/or related to Buyer's and Seller's respective use of the EscrowUnion.com site. Notwithstanding any other provision in these General Escrow Instructions to the contrary, and regardless of whether EscrowUnion.com is identified as a party to any arbitration or other dispute governed by this section, nothing herein shall be construed to limit EscrowUnion.com's legal and/or equitable rights, including but not limited to the filing of an interpleader action in any court of competent jurisdiction.

11. Integrated Affiliate

In the event an entity's site is integrated to the EscrowUnion.com website in whole or in part for the purpose of data transmission, that entity shall be considered an integrated affiliate ("Integrated Affiliate"). In the event that Seller (and Broker when applicable) is an Integrated Affiliate, Seller (and Broker when applicable) shall automatically be deemed to agree to the terms set forth in the Transaction Detail Screens effective when the terms pass from Seller's site (and Broker’s site when applicable) to the EscrowUnion.com site. Seller (and Broker when applicable) shall agree automatically to these General Escrow Instructions, the Terms of Using the Escrow Platform, the Transaction Escrow Instructions and any Supplemental Escrow Instructions effective when Buyer selects the "Agree" button, thereby attaching Buyer's Digital Identification.

12. Time Limits

Should the EscrowUnion.com site or our services be unavailable, or if Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) jointly desire to extend the Buyer Inspection Period or the Seller Inspection Period, then EscrowUnion.com may, but shall not be obligated to, extend such times as set forth in the Transaction Escrow Instructions at EscrowUnion.com’s sole and absolute discretion, and EscrowUnion.com will provide prompt email notification of any extension to all parties. With the exception of EscrowUnion.com extensions, the Buyer Inspection Period and the Seller Inspection Period as set forth in these Instructions and the Transaction Escrow Instructions shall not be modified.

If, for any reason, you are unable to gain access to the EscrowUnion.com site to inform EscrowUnion.com of any acceptance, rejection or return of merchandise, then you must notify EscrowUnion.com within the applicable time limit either by calling EscrowUnion.com +1-415-801-2270 or by emailing us from the support form. This notification will not be considered effective until EscrowUnion.com acknowledges receipt by notifying Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) via email or by updating the Transaction Detail Screen.

13. Timing of Payment

All Escrow Funds due to Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) shall be paid as soon as possible following the Buyer's acceptance, Seller's acceptance, or the resolution of a dispute. In the event that Buyer makes any form of overpayment, we shall reimburse the overpayment upon the Close of Escrow. In the event that Buyer or Seller (and Broker when applicable) is overpaid for any reason, Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) agree to promptly return the funds to EscrowUnion.com. The payee agrees to pay any postage costs and/or wire fees if an alternate payment is requested. Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) shall also hold EscrowUnion.com harmless from any loss that may arise due to currency conversion.

14. Method of Payment

In the event Buyer chooses credit card as the method of payment, EscrowUnion.com is hereby authorized to charge to Buyer's credit card at the time Buyer selects the Form of Payment from the Transaction Detail Screen. Buyer agrees to provide EscrowUnion.com with any documentation required to validate Buyer's identity. EscrowUnion.com reserves the right to refuse a credit card or other form of payment for any reason, and EscrowUnion.com is under no obligation to disclose the reason for the credit card or other form of payment refusal. If a credit card or other form of payment is refused, the Transaction shall be considered cancelled 20 days after EscrowUnion.com's notification to the Buyer of the refusal and Buyer's failure to cure within that period. All escrow fund disbursements shall be made to Seller, or Buyer in the case of a refund (and Broker when applicable), by mailing a trust account check, unless otherwise requested by the payee. Alternatively, the payee may receive a credit back to a credit card or other payment source if authorized to do so by the credit card company or other payment source.

15. Finality of Payment

Upon any payment or other disposition of the Escrow Funds, the Transaction shall be deemed closed and final with no further obligation on the part of Buyer, Seller, (and Broker when applicable) or EscrowUnion.com. If after a Transaction is closed and EscrowUnion.com has distributed proceeds, a Buyer (and Broker when applicable) who has made a payment with a credit card instructs a credit card company to stop payment or make a charge back so that EscrowUnion.com does not receive the payment from the credit card company or the previous credit from the credit card company is reversed or “charged back”, said action by Buyer (and Broker when applicable) is deemed to be a material breach of this agreement. The parties agree that if such a breach does occur after the Transaction closes liquidated damages in the amount of the stopped payment, reversal or charge back plus an additional $5,000 will be imposed (“Liquidated Damages”). The parties agree the Liquidated Damages amount set forth herein is reasonable in light of (1) the anticipated or actual harm caused by the breach; (2) the difficulties of proof of loss; and (3) the inconvenience or non-feasibility of otherwise obtaining an adequate remedy.

16. Escrow Funds

In accordance with California Financial Code Section 17409, all Escrow Funds shall be deposited in a non-interest trust account of IES, with any institution acceptable to the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, and insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the "FDIC"). Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) acknowledge that the maintenance of such escrow trust accounts may result in IES or an EscrowUnion.com affiliate being provided with certain bank services, accommodations or other benefits by the bank. All such services, accommodations and other benefits shall accrue to the EscrowUnion.com affiliates, and the EscrowUnion.com affiliates shall have no obligation to account to Buyer or Seller (or Broker when applicable) or any other party to any escrow created hereunder for the value of such services, accommodations or other benefits.

Unless otherwise requested as specified herein, Escrow Funds do not earn interest for Buyer or Seller (or Broker when applicable). If Buyer or Seller (or Broker when applicable) anticipate an extended period of time before the Close of Escrow, Buyer or Seller (or Broker when applicable) may request in writing by email, and EscrowUnion.com may approve, an instruction to have EscrowUnion.com place the Escrow Funds into an interest bearing account for benefit of the Buyer or Seller (or Broker when applicable), as agreed upon in writing by all parties in compliance with California Financial Code Section 17409, (a "Special Account"). Said account shall be established at the bank wherein all IES trust monies are deposited. If this request is approved by EscrowUnion.com, a one-time nonrefundable advance service charge of $100.00 will be charged to the party to whom the interest is due and payable.

17. Unclaimed Funds

To the extent permitted by law, Buyers or Sellers (or Brokers when applicable) registered with EscrowUnion.com with a California address, Escrow Funds held on deposit for longer than twelve (12) months shall be charged an annual maintenance fee of fifty dollars ($50) (the “Maintenance Fee”), beginning with the last day of the twelfth month. Thereafter, the Maintenance Fee shall be charged on the last day of the twenty-fourth month, and finally on the last day of the thirty-sixth month. On the first day of the thirty-seventh month, EscrowUnion.com shall have the right to escheat unclaimed Escrow Funds to the State of California pursuant to escheatment and unclaimed property laws.

For Buyers or Sellers (or Brokers when applicable) registered with EscrowUnion.com with an Arizona address, Escrow Funds held on deposit for longer than twelve (12) months shall be charged a Maintenance Fee on the last day of months twelve, twenty-four, thirty-six, forty-eight and sixty. On the first day of the sixty-first month, EscrowUnion.com shall have the right to escheat unclaimed Escrow Funds to the State of Arizona pursuant to escheatment and unclaimed property laws.

18. Communication Between Parties

Unless otherwise agreed upon by all parties, all communication from EscrowUnion.com to Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) may be by email to the last address provided in the user profile. Buyer and Seller agree to use the EscrowUnion.com site to verify the accuracy of all email communications from EscrowUnion.com. In accordance with California Civil Code Section 1633.15, an electronic record shall be deemed to be sent when the information is properly addressed or directed to its intended recipient, and either: (1) enters an information processing system outside the control of the sender; or (2) enters a region of an information processing system that is under the control of the recipient. If a party is unable to use the EscrowUnion.com site after the Transaction is created and the terms agreed on, a party may contact EscrowUnion.com by telephone at +1-415-801-2270 during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Pacific Time, to make arrangements for alternative methods of signature and acknowledgment. Buyer, Seller, (Broker when applicable), and EscrowUnion.com shall only be required to agree to employ alternative communication methods, which are reasonable accommodations under the circumstances of the Transaction. In accordance with California Civil Code Section 1633.5, if the Seller sells goods by both electronic and non-electronic means, and a Buyer purchases goods by an electronic transaction, the Buyer retains the right to refuse to conduct further transactions regarding the goods by electronic means. However, should Buyer invoke such right, Buyer, Seller (and Broker when applicable) and EscrowUnion.com must agree and acknowledge the arrangement in writing. If such an agreement is not made, EscrowUnion.com may consider the Transaction terminated.

19. Digital Identification

EscrowUnion.com shall create issue and verify digital identifications for all parties involved in a Transaction ("Digital Identification"). In accordance with California Civil Code Section 1633.9, and the general provisions of the Uniform Electronic Transaction Act, Digital Identifications shall be considered "electronic signatures", attributable to the person as if the Digital Identification were the act of the person, and may be shown in any manner, including any security procedure employed for verification purposes.

Digital Identifications are attached to all accepted electronic documents, and all notification emails. Buyer's Digital Identification is attached to all accepted documents when the Buyer selects the "Agree" button. Seller's Digital Identification is attached to all electronic documents when the Seller selects the "Agree" button, and when documents are transmitted from Seller to the EscrowUnion.com site. A Broker’s Digital Identification is attached to all accepted documents when the Broker initiates the Transaction by providing the initial email addresses of the Buyer and Seller. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, EscrowUnion.com reserves the right to require ink signatures on hard copy documents, including these General Escrow Instructions and Transaction Escrow Instructions, at any time.

20. Our Rights; Disputes and Bankruptcy

If we believe in our sole, good faith opinion that the Transaction violates the terms of these General Escrow Instructions, or the Transaction violates or is likely to violate any applicable law, rule or regulation, then we may terminate the Transaction and seek court-ordered protection of the Escrow Funds in a court of competent jurisdiction by any court-ordered means, including but not limited to, an impound account and/or institution of a receiver.

If any dispute arises between the Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) and such dispute is not resolved within a reasonable time, or if any conflicting demand shall be made upon EscrowUnion.com, EscrowUnion.com shall not be required to take any action until such time as EscrowUnion.com receives written instructions signed by all parties. EscrowUnion.com may take such action including but not limited to the institution of an arbitration proceeding or the filing of a judicial action as EscrowUnion.com, in its sole discretion, elects to do. If EscrowUnion.com is compelled to initiate arbitration and/or judicial proceedings to enforce the terms of these General Escrow Instructions including but not limited to any action to collect unpaid fees and/or enforce judgments in any jurisdiction EscrowUnion.com will be entitled to reimbursement of attorney fees and costs incurred.

Should a Buyer or Seller file for bankruptcy protection in any U.S. Bankruptcy Court while either party has an escrow open with EscrowUnion.com, or while EscrowUnion.com holds title to a domain name or any other property or ongoing service which is the subject of an escrow, EscrowUnion.com reserves the right to cancel such escrow and return the property to the Seller with no further instruction required from the parties.

21. Authority

The natural person who selects the "Agree" button at the bottom of this screen on behalf of the Buyer or Seller (or Broker when applicable) certifies that by selecting the "Agree" button, that Buyer or Seller (or Broker when applicable) is at least eighteen years of age and that he or she has read and agrees to be bound by the terms of these General Escrow Instructions, and the Transaction Escrow Instructions. If the natural person is acting on behalf of a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust or business entity of any type, by selecting the "Agree" button, he or she represents and warrants that he or she has the authority to bind said entity.

22. Services Not Included

The Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) understand that the above escrow services DO NOT include any representation of warranty, either expressed or implied by EscrowUnion.com, and that EscrowUnion.com assumes no responsibility for the legality of the transaction, condition of the ownership, sufficiency of instruments conveying ownership, or agreements therefore. Payment of sales tax, utilities, future performances of Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable), transfer of any insurance policies or warranties, legality of the transaction or legal effect thereof or any other matters related to merchandise or this escrow NOT specifically included herein shall be considered outside of escrow and neither EscrowUnion.com nor any of the EscrowUnion.com affiliates shall have any further responsibility and/or liability for same.

23. Entire Agreement

In case of conflict between any of the terms of these General Escrow Instructions and our Terms of Using the Escrow Platform, or any of the agreements and any other agreements between any of the parties to a transaction, these General Escrow Instructions shall control. Any agreement between Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) that is not reflected in either the Transaction Escrow Instructions, or these General Escrow Instructions, in no way bind EscrowUnion.com or any of the EscrowUnion.com affiliates. By submission below, Buyer and Seller (and Broker when applicable) agree to be bound by the terms of these General Escrow Instructions. Submission below shall constitute your Electronic Signature, as defined by the state of California's Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, to these General Escrow Instructions and the Transaction Escrow Instructions.

24. Governing Law; Venue

This Agreement will be construed in accordance with and governed exclusively by the laws of the State of California applicable to agreements made among California residents and to be performed wholly within such jurisdiction, regardless of such parties' actual domiciles. All parties submit to personal jurisdiction in California, and venue in the County of Orange, State of California. The aforementioned choice of venue is intended by the parties to be mandatory and not permissive in nature. Each party hereby waives any right it may have to assert the doctrine of forum non conveniens or similar doctrine or to object to jurisdiction or venue with respect to any proceeding brought in accordance with these General Escrow Instructions.

25. Severability; Headings

If any provision herein is held to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, the remaining provisions will continue in full force without being impaired or invalidated in any way. Headings are for reference purposes only and in no way define, limit, construe or describe the cope or extent of such section.

26. Force Majeure

If performance hereunder is interfered with by any condition beyond a party's reasonable control, the affected party will be excused from such performance to the extent of such condition.

27. Counterparts

These General Escrow Instructions may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original and all of which together will constitute one instrument. The parties may execute these General Escrow Instructions and forward an executed counterpart signature to the other party by electronic signature or fax and the party receiving such executed counterpart by electronic or faxed signature shall be authorized to attach it hereto as a legal and valid signature of such executing party, including electronic or fax signatures. However, if these General Escrow Instructions are executed in counterparts no signatory hereto shall be bound until all parties have duly executed a counterpart of these General Escrow Instructions. The parties hereto are authorized to treat an electronic or a faxed counterpart signature as a duplicate original signature for any and all purposes.

End of General Escrow Instructions.

Revised October 19th, 2020.

Fraud Prevention

Internet Escrow Scams

Escrow services are supposed to protect the parties involved in any transaction. Unfortunately, scam artists are creative and misuse this concept to defraud people by promising protection for their money while demanding payment via methods that cannot be traced.

To achieve this, they often use the names of well-known companies, such as eBay, PayPal, Amazon, or Apple. They even claim that their services are provided by Internet Escrow Services, Inc. (IES) as this firm can be verified as a registered and licensed independent escrow firm in California.

This is false, Internet Escrow Services (IES) owns and operates EscrowUnion.com. We are the only entity IES providing escrow services.

Furthermore, EscrowUnion.com is not part of any escrow consortium or similar organization, nor are we affiliated with any other escrow sites. We are only members of Escrow Association of California and the Internet Commerce Association, which are entirely legitimate organizations.

To further protect our clients, EscrowUnion.com works closely with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a task force comprised of multiple agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA.) The Internet Crime Complaint Center has been formed to combat cyber-crime.

Overview of Internet Escrow Scams

When it comes to internet escrow scams, criminals attempt to convince consumers that their money will be protected if they use a particular site. They will frequently use the names of well-known firms, including using their logos to make the communications seem legitimate.

These scam artists then demand the Buyer send money via some method that is usually difficult to trace, such as gift cards or wire transfers. Once the money is sent, the so-called Seller disappears, and the victim never receives the promised item.

Email Fraud and Phishing

Scam artists frequently use email fraud and “phishing” to defraud their victims. They send emails that seem to be from legitimate companies you already work with, like your bank, an online auction site, or even your internet service provider.

These emails often require you to verify your personal information by replying, opening an attachment, or clicking a link. The result is that a virus is downloaded that records everything you type, or you’re taken to a fake website that looks legitimate.

If you receive any emails that appear to be from EscrowUnion.com but seem to be fraudulent, please contact our support team immediately.

Tips to Avoid Internet Escrow Scams

Scam artists who perpetrate internet escrow scams rely on people being skeptical and wary of dealing with unknown parties online. They use people’s caution against them by guiding them to bogus escrow services.

You should always use a legitimate service, like EscrowUnion.com, to stay safe. However, there are other steps you can take to protect yourself.

Check Email Addresses Closely

Check the sender’s email address very closely, even if it looks legitimate at first glance. It might seem that the email came from EscrowUnion.com, but looking closer, you discover the fake email address looks something like support@escrow01.com.

The best option is to report it to EscrowUnion.com and block the sender. Delete the email as soon as EscrowUnion.com’s support team gives you the go-ahead, as they might need it for further investigation.

Make sure not to click on any links, download attachments, or reply, as you could be infecting your device with a virus.

Don’t Trust Information in Emails

If something seems suspicious, don’t trust the information in the email. Go to the company website to find correct contact information. Use the phone number on the website, for example, rather than the one listed in the email.

Scam artists often use fake phone numbers, hoping the consumer will never speak to a legitimate company representative.

To email the company, make sure to use the address listed on the company’s legitimate website.

Be Careful with Links

Links in emails can be problematic. Ensure that the link doesn’t go to a fake site by hovering your cursor over the link and checking the address.

To be even more confident, go to the company website directly, using your browser and not clicking the link.

Be Cautious with Unusual Payment Methods

If you’re asked to send money using an unusual payment method, like gift cards or a wire transfer directly to an individual, alarm bells should go off.

Major firms usually require payment by credit card, bank account transfer, or other legitimate electronic service, like PayPal.

If you get an email from a well-known firm asking you to make payment using an unconventional method, check their website or contact them via the information on their site to ensure the request is legitimate.

Generally, though, avoid paying for anything with a wire transfer or a gift card, because these are the methods scammers use most often, since you cannot recover the money.

Other Signs to Watch Out For

Scam artists are quite creative, so you need to be vigilant. They’ll often have a seemingly good reason why they can’t use EscrowUnion.com and will recommend an alternative. You have to be careful, as those sites might not be legitimate escrow services. If you do opt to move forward, watch out for the following signs of a fraudulent site:

• Claims of affiliation with EscrowUnion.com - we are not associated or affiliated with any other escrow site.
• Claims that their services are provided by Internet Escrow Services Inc., which owns and operates EscrowUnion.com.
• The site looks similar to EscrowUnion.com in design.
• Claims of recommendations from eBay, eBay Motors, or Yahoo! Auctions.
• A lack of contact details on the site, or it’s impossible to reach them when you call the customer support phone number.
• The company isn’t listed when you run a Google search.
• They aren’t listed with the Better Business Bureau.
• Domain names that have only been registered for a few weeks or months – certainly far less time than the firm claims to have been in operation.
• The so-called company requires person-to-person payment methods like Western Union.
• Suspiciously low escrow fees.
• Poor spelling and grammar, broken links, and inconsistencies with the information provided on their website.

Another concern is the lack of licensing information, such as how the firm is licensed and the licensing authority. Check if the license listed really belongs to the company in question and not someone else. Scammers often use IES’ license number, trying to pass it off as their own.

Reporting Fraud

If you believe that you’ve been the victim of fraud, you should contact EscrowUnion.com immediately to notify us. We will investigate any fraudulent activity that has occurred on our website with the utmost diligence.

If an escrow scam has targeted you, report the site and the person who recommended it to the proper authorities. By reporting it, you make it easier for the authorities to find and prosecute these criminals while also protecting other possible victims.

In the event that you have provided your personal information to a fraudulent site or person who recommended it, inquire if you are at risk of having your identity stolen.

Contact the shipping company to see if they can stop the delivery if you’ve already shipped the merchandise. You can also ask the company to get their fraud investigations department involved, as most of these firms have such a department.

Get in touch with your financial services provider to see if they can freeze any transfers of funds you have made. Ask them what other steps you can take to protect your account. Also, explain what happened so that your financial institution will investigate and report the fraudulent activity.

If you used Western Union to transfer the money, call them to report the fraud. You can do this by calling their customer service number at 1-800-448-1492 or filling out their online form.

Use EscrowUnion.com

The most effective way to protect yourself against scams and fraudulent activity is to use EscrowUnion.com. We are a licensed and registered escrow service dedicated to protecting our customers at all times.