What's the risk of a vendor disappearing after I pay?

It's a real risk here. The pattern, often called an exit scam, is consistent: a site takes orders for a few weeks, then takes the money, drops the domain, and goes quiet. Outlets tracking peptide shutdowns describe buyers left with no product and no refund. How you paid decides whether you can claw it back. Under the federal Fair Credit Billing Act, a credit card charge for goods you never received can be disputed (a chargeback), usually within 60 days of the statement. Wire transfers, cash apps, and crypto are much harder to reverse, which is why scammers prefer them. A seller that only takes those is a warning sign. If you're hit, file with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and your card issuer. These products are sold for research use only and are not approved for human consumption.