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> If it is an electronic payment, I'm not sure how completing the transaction in front of a police station will help any.

That's not the point of going to the "police safe exchange zone".

The point is to hopefully prevent the possibility of the buyer showing up with a .38 in hand, and demanding to be given the easy to fence "item" unless the seller wants to get a .38 slug embedded in their gut.

The risk of a "hold up" increases with dollar value and with items that are easier to fence.

Why would the seller worry about ... himself? The seller worries that the buyer might not have any intention to pay for the small, expensive, easy to fence item to begin with. Conversely, the buyer worries that the seller might not have brought an item at all.

I love that it never occurred to you that the "buyer" could just steal the item. Be safe out there.

Ask a question, get a condescending answer.