Important information for all Paypal users.

[Valv]

In the last 2 days I've been battling with Paypal since they froze my account after receiving payment for a truck I sold.

Their excuse is "to investigate any suspicious activity"

I want to warn everybody that uses this gateway payment to be aware of their illegal policies.

As a result of this activity I had to provide to them proof of purchase of this vehicle, another vehicle, other parts I sold, personal information non pertinent with this business, and more. This is not legal, they cannot ask where somebody purchase their items, they have no authority for doing this.

Paypal is a payment gateway, not the Police, there is law enforcement to resolve any illegal issue.

Their statement was "mine is a random check" which I argued since I've been using Paypal for over 7 years, have over 7,000 transactions, and definitely a crook will not "hang around" this long.

I just want to warn people they can loose all their money until some proof of possession is shown to Paypal. To make it short, the reel you bought at the Swap last weekend and paid cash could freeze all your funds indefinitely since you cannot provide proof of purchase.

DO NOT leave any funds on your account, remove all your banking info or just add a 0 balance bank account and cancel your credit card information, or you will end up in a mess like mine.

I am looking into another way to accept CC payments, and I am dumping Paypal for good.

I know there might be people that will not believe or argue this but trust me, it will get to you very soon.

I am involving MN General Attorney to look into this procedure, I am also going to try to involve the media into an investigation.

I had to vent it out, sorry but BE VERY AWARE.

Now I have $ 6,300 frozen indefinitely.

[Hooked On a Feeling]

You waive certain rights when you sign up with pay-pal, they are not a "bank", so they don't have federal banking regulations. I would think you would be better off with an merchant account, sorry to hear about the trouble your having.

Hooked

[iffy]

Valv: That really is a shame. Sorry to hear that. I'm definitely going to heed your advice. I've used paypal for about 600 transactions with no real problems. One time I did have to get my CC company to force them to pay me back for an item that a fraudulent seller never sent. But they finally after 2 months did pay. that incident made me think about paypal and ebay. I did a fair amount of research into it and there's lots of horror stories out there. Both companies value their bottom lines way above commitment to their customers. I find that their buyer and seller protection is a joke for the most part. I hope you get your account squared away and post us as to any alternatives.

[DTro]

Val, I feel you pain buddy. Had the same thing happen to me. Whenever I use it now, I instantly transfer ALL funds to my checking account. I cannot stress this enough.

They sure do like to keep you money in there though with interest rate offers and credit cards and what not. Don't do it. They can freeze it at any time.

I once had over $500 in my account. Some slack job didn't deliver on a patio doggie door I purchased that was about $150. I filed a claim against him......as a result they froze MY account as their protocol calls for in any investigation.

Couldn't get at any of my funds.

[Fisherman For a Lifetime]

Best wishes and "DON'T Back Down" !!!!!

Grrrrrr.

[Valv]

Iffy, I am trying Google Checkout, seems easy, economical (free until 2008) and it's a good company.

[MN Mike]

That saying ' don't trust them any further than you can throw them ' comes to mind whenever I hear PayPal mentioned. Their ' insurance ' policy is the biggest joke on the web, put no trust in it.

Don't know if it would help but whenever I purchase something of bigger $$ amounts, I will pay via PayPal but use my credit card, that way, if I run into trouble, PayPal and the card company can settle it. So far I haven't had to try out my theroy, I'm happy to report!

Mike

[harvey lee]

My son just got done with a frooze acct with Paypal. he sold a race motor on ebay and they frooze his acct but he called the bank first. Long story to it all and paypal wont help him out at all.

When he called his bank to stop them from doing what they wanted to do, the bank said we get many complaints in regards to Paypal weekly. He closed his account with Paypal and then I closed mine. The bank had nothing good to say about them.

[mnvikingsfreak]

2 years ago I used paypal on ebay and somehow somebody hacked in my checking account and tried to take everything that was in it!! my bank knew I wasnt in russia trying to withdrawl all my money so they denied it but after talking to my bank looks like over in russia or ukraine all you need is a checking account number to use on the atm's its a scam and its 100% paypal's fault and paypal's "protection policy" is even more of a joke

[iffy]

Thanks for the tip Val. I'll check out and sign up for the google checkout too.

[Scott M]

Geez, I felt bad getting burned on a twenty dollar duck call a few years back. I guess I might as well close up that account for good now. No use letting some crook get it now.....

[311Hemi]

If I received money from someone and have it deposited into my checking account paypal can still go after that and freeze my checking account, correct?

I just had someone purchase a snowmobile engine from me and not sure what they can do to back out of the deal.....but I don't want to lose the $1200 once I ship the engine. It's already in my checking account.

This engine was purchased by a guy in Sweden. I used paypal and the transaction has cleared and money is in my hands. So if I close my paypal account most likely they cannot touch me?

[Dahitman44]

How does the google checkout work? How is that better and safer?

[SomethingFishy*]

Paypal is a joke, just the smae as EBay (basically same company). I quit doing business with ebay when they started screwing me around.

[LwnmwnMan2]

I don't use PayPal a WHOLE lot, but I've never had an issue.

I just wanted to say that I guess. It's no different than anything else. There's SO many transactions every day, that people are going to have issues.

I bet that if you went to TCF and asked them who has accounts frozen, that it would be about the same ratio.

We had an account frozen once, because I had about $10k in cash that I deposited once. I'd been saving up for a purchase, it fell through. Nothing illegal, for whatever reason I kept sticking $100 in a sock drawer and not counting it, so I wasn't tempted on spending it.

Yes, I know, it's not smart, nor do I have that amount of money sitting around anymore. However, since I had no proof of where the money came from, they froze the account.

Guess I should have shaved that day???

[dirtking]

Quote:

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Guess I should have shaved that day???

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Funny! That might have made all the difference in the world!

[1DIRTBALL]

Valv, Sorry to hear of this kind of crap happening to you. I had been thinking of closing my Paypal account anyway, simply because of all the "phishing" scam emails that were coming into my Junk Mail. Methinks I will copy and paste your letter and send it in along with my instructions to close my Paypal account! Good luck and don't let the "You know what's" grind you down! Go get 'em Tiger Val! 1DIRTBALL

[Valv]

Google checkout is for a website only, not online auctions.

I am trying BidPay, let's see what happened.

BTW they just re-opened account, I refunded the buyer...and closed the account. After 7 years and tens of thousands of dollars left in their pocket this is exactly what they deserve.