For extra security, you might like to try the world's fastest growing domain escrow service, Transpact.com. When you use Transpact.com, you get to hand specify the conditions when the money held in escrow is paid to you the seller, and when it is alternatively returned to the buyer, so you can determine precisely the level of safety you require. [Disclosure -I work for Transpact.com]
Escrow.com is completely secure and extremely reputable. As a seller, you will know exactly when the buyer has sent their funds and when it is safe to transfer the website to your buyer. There is no way that the buyer can get their money back unless you confirm that you still have your merchandise and agree to allow the buyer a refund. If you are selling a domain name only, these transactions are fast and straight forward. When selling a website you will want to make sure you keep proof that you have indeed delivered the web content (save emails, take screen shots of everything you deliver to the buyer). The buyer will be expected to log in and mark the website as received and accepted, but if you transfer and the buyer becomes unresponsive and unreachable, you can show Escrow.com proof of delivery and they will move the transaction forward on the buyer's behalf. You will never have to worry about transferring your website and not getting the money for it.
KGG83 is broadly correct, but it is not quite as simple as he makes out. Firstly, it depends what TLD you are selling (i.e. a .com, a .org, a .net, a .co.uk, etc. etc.) Each one has completely different rules on transfer. There have been cases where money goes into escrow, and then the seller hands over the domain and then the buyer claims never to have received the domain. Check what would happen in such a dispute (again, the procedure is different for each TLD). Secondly, it depends how confidential your website is. What happens if the money goes into escrow, you hand over your website, and the buyer claims never to have received your website, or claims your website is not as described. In a worst case scenario, you may get your website back and the buyer may get his money back, but in the meantime the buyer has had full access to your website and its data. This may or may not be a problem for you. Escrow.com may be excellent for your transaction. But do a google search of problems which sellers have encountered performing website transfers to fully understand all possible problematic eventualities, and ensure Escrow.com will cover you in such circumstances for your website sale.
Escrow.com is fully secure if you use it with a "piece of salt". As "Trusted Friend" pointed it out the buyers and the sellers still risk their money & goods in some scenarios that's why you should plan everything before jumping into the transfer. The safest method is to set up more transactions of smaller amounts and transfer only a percentage of the goods at the same time (files, domain name, access details, additional resources, etc.).
That would be the best advice to help protect you and your content even more. I have used escrow.com for transactions in the $xx,xxx range without trouble.
You might want to check this post about escrow. http://blog.flippa.com/questions-and-answers-with-escrow-com/ Now i'm not sure if I should try escrow.
I used escrow.com to purchase a $4k .com domain last month, and everything went smoothly for both sides. They are completely reputable, professional and secure. If you are not being shady, you have nothing to worry about.
Escrow.com is not 99% secure - it's 100% secure. One party is not going to be able to rip off the other party using Escrow.com...It just can't happen!
selling a website means includes database, design etc too. So I don't think these escrow services will be 100% secure.
Cheetah, Escrow doesn't physically transfer the site. It just holds the money while the buyer and seller handle the transaction. Once the buyer tells Escrow the site is in his possession, Escrow releases the money to the seller.
I've used escrow.com for a very high dollar transaction before and everything went as it should. I was to be paid for a website. The money was put in their escrow.com account and then I sent the buyer what they purchased. Once he confirmed with escrow.com that he had received the files I was sent the payment by escrow.com themselves.
I like escrow.com and I have used lots. Only thing I don't like is the payout for sellers. Would be nice to have PayPal as an option