IPA IP 2026 Question 28
A question IPA Japan published in 令和8年度 ITパスポート試験 公開問題 問28, translated into English. ITPEC is based on the same exams.
Among the risks related to commercial transactions on the Internet, which of the following is an appropriate risk that can be reduced by using an escrow service?
Explanation
Paying for a product that is never delivered — an escrow service holds the payment until the goods arrive.
In escrow, a trusted third party sits between buyer and seller:
- The buyer pays the escrow service, not the seller.
- The service tells the seller that the money is secured, and the seller ships.
- The buyer confirms that the product arrived as ordered.
- Only then does the service pay the seller.
If the product never arrives, the money is still with the service and can be returned. The seller is protected too, since it ships only after the payment is secured. Escrow is common in online auctions and flea-market apps, where buyer and seller do not know each other.
Answer (b)
Why not others:
- •(a) — whether a mistaken bid can be withdrawn depends on the auction site's rules; escrow handles payment, not cancellation
- •(c) — a leaked password is a security risk, reduced by strong unique passwords and multi-factor authentication
- •(d) — cancelling after receipt for the buyer's own reasons depends on the seller's return policy; escrow ends once the buyer confirms receipt
Key rule: Escrow removes the trust problem of non-delivery or non-payment between strangers by having a third party hold the money until delivery is confirmed.
Business Industry · AI-written, may contain errors
This question comes from the past questions IPA Japan publishes, translated into English by ITPEC Practice. ITPEC Practice is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with IPA or ITPEC. See the original paper (PDF) or Report an issue.