PayPal? More like PayEnemy

So I need to get money from clients and advertisers, but nope, my PayPal account access is randomly limited as of a week ago. If they suspect any "fraudulent activity" (not defined anywhere on the PayPal site, but if it means "sending and receiving amounts of money around $1500" then I guess I'm a huge fraud), they automatically lock it down and you cannot accept nor send money without jumping through some hoops. What hoops you say? Well! Let me tell you!

PayPal says that they need to "further identify who I am", so obviously my checking account number, credit card number, social security number, home address and telephone, and debit/ATM card numbers are not enough to validate my identity. Because of this lock-down, I need to do two things: 1) fax them a specific cover page that they generate, and 2) accept a call from PayPal to a phone number that is associated with a credit card address on file. Now, let me explain to you why those two things are very difficult for me.

1) I don't have a fax machine, nor do I know of anyone on campus who has one, so I'd have to drive a few miles down the road to Kinkos (by the way, where is the nearest Kinkos, because I have no freakin' clue) and it'd be a major hassle. Okay, so the fax thing isn't so difficult, but wait, it gets better.

2) Now, I'd gladly accept a call from PayPal to my cellphone, which is my only means of phone communication, but it doesn't work like that — it has to be a landline phone connected to the address your credit card company has on file. This is difficult for me, because my credit card billing address is still in Virginia where I was this summer. Having an address in Virginia isn't bad, because I don't even get billing statements anymore and everything's online. Unfortunately, that sucks in this situation because the only phone call PayPal will accept is from the phone from the house in Virginia, which by the way, no one who lives there actually uses, and it may be disconnected! God, I love technology.

I called PayPal to see if there was anything I could do besides these two things, and after being on hold for 45 minutes, I was greeted by a cheery bloke who told me I simply needed to send an email explaining the situation to appeal@paypal.com and they would take care of it within hours. I sent that address an extremely detailed email, and yup, I did get a response back in a few hours. It was an automated response from PayPal telling me that "appeal@paypal.com" is not a valid customer service address, and to call PayPal if I needed more help. Thanks a lot.

So right now you may be asking yourself, "Self, how come Mike doesn't just change the address on file for his credit card company to where he is right now?" and the answer is this: if I did that, I'd have to change the billing profile for everything in this world of capitalism that bills me every month, like, for example, Basecamp, Verizon, TypePad, MediaTemple (which, by the way, sucks and has had over 4 hours of downtime in the past 5 days alone), and a host of other crap.

Okay, so to recap, PayPal imposed an account restriction on me to help me get away from account fraud even though I asked for no such restriction. And while I'm under this restriction, I'm losing money I desperately need to receive and send. To lift myself from this restriction, I need to accomplish two random tasks that are impossible given my current situation. Hey, PayPal! Thanks a ton!

Comments

[David Schontzler]

Ouch, sounds like fun.

"Self, why doesn't Mike add his debit card to his PayPal account and be done with it? I'm sure that has a current address."

(Btw, Dreamhost is having a discount that you may consider taking advantage of if (mt) isn't playing nice.)

[Matt]

You could just use the fax machine at the Hub.

[Dave Marks]

I had this exact same problem when I was doing my Year in Industry - I was living in temp accomodation in Plymouth where mail was seriously unsecure - the mail was stuck in open pigeon boxes in a communal hall where the front door didn't even lock, so access was available to all.

So naturally i left all my bills and other stuff at my permanent address at my folks in Newquay.

I had several problems with this. I can't remeber any specifics, it was some time ago... I think my Orange Mobile Phone Contract was one of the big problesms which is kinda ironic when you think at the time their slogan was "Is this the end of the landline?"

Banks are paticlarly difficult too - my now ex girlfriend couldn't get a bank account, because having moved from Plymouth to Newquay and was living with her folks had no bills with her name/address on it - all the house bills were in her parents address. She used pay as you go mobile, didn't have a passport etc etc... she never did manage to open an account

[Dann Ryan]

Wow, funny you should mention this, I am currently engaged in an epic battle with Paypal. I used Paypal probably for 3 years, with no issues whatsoever. Recently I added a new bank account on file and thought nothing of it. Well apparently they mixed up their access to my checkings and savings accounts and me not knowing that they had made the mistake, they charged me a $30 insufficient funds charge. But that doesn't end it, no 3 days later they try again and hit me with another $30 charge, before finally charging my credit card for the actual transaction. So thats $60 in charges and all I can get from them is "Paypal has a no return on insufficient funds charges policy" when it's completely their fault.

[adam]

i cant get into my account with paypal just tell me where to send money to get payed off and we can resume the account

[pam]

do you know how to resolve any issue with paypal?
They put a limited acess on my account because of to much activity in a short time.They requested more info which I supplied everything they asked for now they still won't let us use it.They ran a credit check on me and said because my credit isn't real good they can't reinstate my account at this time. They said they are going to hold my money for 180 days then decide what to do with my money. If anyone has a suggestion please let me know.
thank you Pam

[Diarmaid]

My account was given limited access at the beginning of 2005, completely randomly! I eventually got round to faxing them the information required.. a month later my account becomes permanently locked! All emails to Customer service with a pre-made message about it being for my own safety..

So today I got fed up and phoned them, and guess what, I was told to email appeal@paypal.com :(

[crafty jones]

Here’s what you do. You should still have limited access to your paypal account. Open this limited access and register for paypal money market investment service. Then file a complaint with the SEC that paypal is illegally denying you access to your investments. That should clear it up in about 24 hours.

[fadi]

these assholes are doing the same thing to me,they limited my account and when i did everything i was told to do they still left it limited,what should i do because i need it??!!

[Lori]

Same thing has been happening to me, with no resolution in sight.

Good luck.

Lori

[d rogers]

pay pal sux, w/friends like this. why don't the feds investigate efuck-payscrew for interstate fraud/banking bilkings? maybe they paid the Nazis( republicans and communists(democraps) too much money......

[natasha]

hi paypal has locked my account i tryed that many times to put money on my account but it want let me paypal is shit

[Paul]

Paypal has locked my account for no reason at all.
They must have PMS today.
As usual they work for the croocked sellers from whom they get kickbacks $$$$$$$ and whenever a buyer gets screwed by a sellew who takes the money and ships nothing in 2 months, they LIMIT the buyer. I do not know what this LOCKED ACCOUNT is all about, but you can resy assured that it is an other scheme to stop you from buyng honestly.
That OK I do not need the Assholes, Ignorants, Unprofessional Jackasses to deal with.
I Fact they did me a favor. I pray that someday soon they end up in prison for taking $$$$ kickback from croocked sellers .
The more costumers they piss off, the more evidence there is to get them arrested and get them 25 years in a Federal Prison for theft and fraud.

Let hope that they do this more frequently so we can do it to them sooner. Lets get toghether and file a big law suit against PayPal and eBay. Come on !!!!!!!

[steve]

I just typed in "paypal is shit" into google and I found you nice people , glad to see I am not alone ... paypal must be punished . they stopped my account and did all that fax this, do that stuff when I had already sorted out the customer refund on some lost goods..... I want to kill them nastily, the capitalist scum sucker bastards...

[Arran]

did the same as the last guy "paypal is shit" in google. fucking take the piss fuck paypal.com fuck them up their stupid asses

[Colleen]

Paypal can ruin your life. First problem, unable to get more than $500 out that was sent to us due to their limit. Then you have to tell them how much of a deposit they made to your bank account, which we did, then they said that is wrong amount. In meantime, no funds in bank account, so we incur hundreds in overdraft charges. Bank account ends up getting closed.

Second problem, buyer on ebay is not happy with purchase. Indicates I "misrepresented" item. So without my knowledge, because I did not get their emails to respond, they refund her money, and she keeps the items. My paypal account is then suspended. I cannot buy or sale from ebay. The address they give at appeal@paypal.com brings up this address and many others except their appeal site. No my small business I was starting is over or at a standstill.

[Laura Conaway]

they did the same thing to me ... we have to stop this !!!!

[Alan]

Hi, Just came across this blogg as I am SOOOOO PISSED OFF with Paypal.

I have had so many issues with them that it would take me forever to type them up. Their system was obviously designed by Monkey's, Managed by Monkey's and supported by Monkey's!!

The senior management obviously went to the "Kray Twins school for thieves" and got an A+ certificate on ripping people off.

Imagine setting up a payment system that doesn't cater for the countries local debit cards that are used by the majority of people!!

Of course it's in EBay's interest to use Paypal as they own the company. Paypal customers service is as good as an ashtray on a motorbike!!

What goes around, comes around and Paypal is in for a bloody good hiding!!

Pissed Off and Fustrated!!

[stormy]

Does everyone know that e-Bay owns Pay Pal?! Don't use Pay Pal..that's all. I have sold on e-Bay indicating that I will accept US Postal Money orders. Let me explain their advantages. US Postal money orders are virtually impossible to counterfeit. PLUS, you only ship after your local post office has cashed it. DON'T just deposit the money order....cash it at the Post Office. THERE IS NO RECALL OR CONSEQUENCES LATER ON AS WITH FAKE CASHIERS CHECKS, OR ORDINARY MONEY ORDERS. ONCE THE POST OFFICE GIVES YOU THE MONEY YOU ARE SAFE. If you are buying, only bid where the seller will process credit cards. Not all will or can, but Pay Pal "Buyer Protection" is in itself virtually worthless. Your credit card company is REAL PROTECTION.

[Julie]

I am so glad to know that I am not the only one with problems with Paypal. I was beginning to think that I had done something wrong. My paypal is on restriction (sounds like a naughty kid) due to my daughter who owes them $3.96 on her account! In the meantime, my personal account is linked to my business paypal account, a publicly held corporation I might add, so now it's restricted also. So I send all the shit they want, I call, I fax, I email, I offer to clear my daughter's $3.96 and what do you know...."We can accept your payment to clear her unpaid balance, however, the remaining issues will remain and you will not have these restrictions lifted." Well, the business account has a balance over $900 in it and they won't release it for 180 days they say. What do I do? I turned it over to our corporate attorney, sorry Paypal, you gonna have to deal with this one, we are publicly held and the SEC is who we answer to. I hope something can be done, all this bullshit for days and days over $3.96? Give me a break! Good luck everyone on your restrictions and if you have a better alternative...holler at me!

[D]

Damn!

[Jon]

Paypal
The best enemy you can have i now have a full inbox of emails from them a good phone bill to pay from ringing them all over there oh we have reviewed your account and dont want to give you your money back because we get to keep it this way.! but oh wankers

[Susan]

Same thing here! I (mistakenly) thought I was just 'on 'probation' for 180 days, and my account would be reinstated after that period of time up Nov.2005) Ok, it's now 6/06 so after wasting 20 minutes on the phone all I got was a paypal nazi telling me that if my mother opened account,(and if her bank account had my name on it even) and they found out that I was using it, I would land in jail...niiiice \

Paypal is not getting my business! I wouldn't care if they begges me to come back..

Question, Isn't there other similar co's that you/we can exchange moeny online with, that share transfers with paypal (ex. GreenZap?)

[amber]

I have to agree, I've been dealing with those idiots at paypal now since May....same issue, they have limited my accounts, and I can't seem to prove I am who I am....I'll never use that system again, as they have some very shady dealings going on..hopefully someone can help!! Frustrated in South Florida!

[elaine]

this is a great site .i cant stand paypal .they are saying i owe them 800.00 because some ebayer said the item i sent wasnt as described .bullshit .they have locked my account also .does anyone know if i will still be able to sell on ebay with this amount owed to paypal .could i start another account ?