PayPal Problems

Planet Walley ^ | 11/28/00 | Wally Glen

[sneakypete]

Are they affiliated in any way with ebay?

E-Bay recently bought PayPal.

[sneakypete]

I don't trust it and never have. I have one credit card with a lower line of credit that I use on the Net. It's just too easy to steal numbers and information when it is floating all over the net.

The thing to do is you are using PayPal a lot is to create a special "PayPal" checking account that is ONLY used for internet sales. Put a hundred bucks in it to start,and do all your regular business through your regular checking account.

[A CA Guy]

"Expect Treachery"

My goodness, that sounds like PayPal is run by Libertarians? OH NO....

[A CA Guy]

A Pay-Pal checking account should not be needed. If they can't take my check or dedicated credit card, who cares?

I don't want to give Pay-Pal a scintilla of information about me. Besides I think Boneparte just convinced me they are run by Libertarians...yikes!

[agrace]

Thanks very much, done.

[Brian Allen]

<< After logging in go to the oage where you add and delete all of your checking/credit card accts. Delete all your information numbers first. After that, on the blue tabs navigation on the top of that page there should be an option to Close account. Click on that and you'll get to the close account page. >>

That would be fine if it worked but in my case PayPal froze my positive-balance account more than one year ago -- ostensibly for my protection against the potential of fraud -- and while it is frozen will not permit its closure.

By its initial action and by its serially-scurrilous actions in the more than one year since then, PayPal has demonstrated time and time again that it is a systemically-corrupt criminal enterprise!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I loaded up both barrels of my literary shotgun and let PayPal have both barrels directly in the face.

Even before reading further, I knew this move was going to get you a sucker punch from PayPal. Bad move. Business is business. They may engage in vindictiveness but there's no need to get emotional and send that kind of email to a business that was nothing more than slow to respond and actually remedied your issue.

You may disagree but that's just my opinion. I never would have sent that email. It served no good purpose.

BTW, I've been with PayPal from the start and have never had a lick of trouble with them. I also NEVER leave any money of mine in any of their accounts for more than 10 minutes. When paid, I transfer it.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Sorry struw...didn't notice at first that you ain't Wally.
Still, I think he shouldn't have poked that stick into the hornet's nest.

[Brian Allen]

A law firm, Jacoby and Meyers, has put together a class-action lawsuit on behalf of PayPal customers whose accounts have been arbitrarily frozen by the systemically-corrupt, PayPal. Reach J & M at:

http://www.jacoby-and-meyers.com/PaypalQuestionnaire/default.asp

Best ones -- B A

[Bonaparte]

PayPal sent my money to a crooked online seller. Merchandise never sent. $160 gone. Since I lived not far from PayPal, I sued them (small claims) in the appropriate jurisdiction, namely all corporate officers. Of course, no one showed. And they didn't pay the judgment either -- until they were threatened with attachment of accounts and negative impact on credit. At that point, those crooked lawyers who founded and ran PayPal sent the check.

I know PayPal has been sold since then, but I would never, ever trust them again no matter who owns them.

[ChemistCat]

If you have Paypal, establish a small second checking account and only give that number to them---DO NOT EVER GIVE THEM THE NUMBER FOR YOUR MAIN CHECKING ACCOUNT.

They have the power to yank out any amount--such as by doubling the amount or moving a decimal place--both fo which have happened to me, and not because *I* messed up--and they will hold it and not give it back at their whim. Their customer service is indifferent to demonish, depending, and while the convenience when it works properly is beyond awesome, they have the power to ruin your life! If they're ever hacked by someone who can use their power for their ends, we could end up handing over a heck of a lot of capital to terrorists or who knows whom.

[Oberon]

I'm never going to authorize them to withdraw from any bank account of mine, period. I let them charge to my credit account only because I've got the credit card's customer service and legal protections to fall back on.

[js1138]

Isn't there a bit of a time disconnect here? The thread started in 2001, jumped to 2002, then to 2003.

PayPal is now part of eBay, for whatever that's worth.

I could relate similar horror stories about half a dozen companies I've dealt with over the years. The only thing I've learned is that open anger never pays, methodical escalation sometimes pays, and getting out while your status is good is simetimes the best policy.

Personally, I've used PayPal to send and receive payments for several years without a hitch. I've been screwed a couple of time in auctions, but life is too short to get bent out of shape over $50.

[ChemistCat]

That's wise.

The big mystery here is how they've stayed in business this long. I think maybe it's just because when it works it works BEAUTIFULLY. It is just a fantastic way to pay for things, on Ebay and otherwise. If they could stop relying on the credit card fraud protection and get their act together, it might supplant most traditional ways of paying debts.

Now that's actually a scary thought.

[Bonaparte]

Yes, I'm aware that PayPal was sold to ebay (see previous posts). I'm glad you've had satisfactory experience with them. I haven't and, obviously, others are equally disenchanted. As I said, they forced me to take the legal route and that worked out fine for me. I can live without PayPal and without Ebay. They are not the only game in town. And what you say about getting in an uproar over $50 is true, but what it always comes down to is an individual choice. What I know is that if they burn me for that $50, they are burning others, too -- and making a huge profit doing this because so many are being ripped off for these small amounts. I'm not the type to let them get away with this. But I realize that's just my choice. Others will choose differently.

[js1138]

Aside from their attitude, their existence has made it possible for my family to make a few thousand dollars over the past three years selling garage sale junk. It's a hobby for us that comes close to paying for our addiction, which is buying stuff on eBay.

I've had worse attitudes from banks, and lost more money.

[ChemistCat]

Well, that's true. My mom was just robbed to the tune of $1000 by a crooked realtor, who did it with a sweet Southern smile.