Patent ID: 7624056

Claim:
A method for securely purchasing an item on a remote computer purchasing system, comprising the steps of: receiving an electronic message from the remote computer purchasing system at a payment and inspection computer system, said electronic message indicating the buyer's agreement to purchase an item offered for sale on the purchasing system and the buyer's agreement to use the payment and inspection services; sending an electronic message to the seller from the payment and inspection service computer system that a payment for the item was received from the buyer at the payment and inspection service; sending an electronic message to the buyer from the payment and inspection service computer system that the purchased item has been received from the seller at an inspection service site and the item is ready for a monitored inspection by the buyer; providing the purchased item to the buyer for monitored inspection at the inspection service site for acceptance or rejection by the buyer; said payment and inspection service monitoring the buyer during the inspection, allowing the buyer to inspect the shipped item to assure its acceptability without giving the buyer an opportunity to alter or swap the shipped item and issuing a message to the seller that that the buyer's payment funds were transferred to the seller upon acceptance of the item by the buyer or returning the payment back to the seller if the item is rejected by the buyer.