Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Restaurant at the End of Universe Hitchhikers - Meridian Equipment Warning to PayPal users

I've had a few issues with PayPal lately (nothing to serious though). While holding in the phone I stumbled into this site.

This is a post from a former employee. It seems quite honestly written and not someone out to just get PP and backs up in detail why things are the way they are.

http://paypalsucks.com/PayPalFormerEmployee1.shtml

EDIT: I made this sticky to just remind folks to be careful. Not to necessarily not use PayPal.

Is there any indication as to the frequency with which this happens, say as a percentage of transactions or as a percentage of accounts or as a percentage of funds passing through the systems over a given period of time?

I don't know. There is tons of info on that site. Pretty scary.

Seems like they are very careful about what they say on that site because paypal is watching it like a hawk.

One stolen identity has ruined some peoples lives.

I sold my 861 through paypal.

I was limited to taking $500.00 a month out (with a fee for every month) because I didn't trust them with my bank account #.

So they had an offer to get "verified" if I signed up for their PayPal credit card. So I did.

Well I was verified, but still had a $500.00/mo limit on getting funds out.

Suddenly I start getting nills for $7.50/mo. That was a penality for not using the credit card.

So then to release the limit they said give us a social security #.

I did.

Still would not raise my limit. They said I had todo 2 out 3 options, not one.

So I finally gave them a bank account #.

Got my money and now tried to remove the accounts and close that paypal credit card and it's been a nightmare.

This is a bit OT but related to Paypal.

I tried to PAY for a purchase with Paypal but could not ship to my US address if my residence address was in Canada. So I registered my wife with our US address but could not verify her with our Canadian billing address.

Paypal sent me very polite pseudo psycological concerned form replies but no solution to my problem.

I finally used Google Checkout and it worked smooth as silk.

Hi George

Thanks very much for this. Very disturbing, and I think I'll be closing my PayPal account. I bought a wireless PCMCIA card from a guy last year (here in the UK) and paid for it by PayPal. The guy told me his account had been frozen for no apparent reason, and he was having a terrible time getting them to unfreeze it (he had funds lodged there). I also wrote to PayPal to complain on his behalf, and eventualy it was resolved, but everything he told me about at the time has been borne out by this article.

Truly shocking.

George

I got hit (for only �90 thankfully) when I bought some stuff off a guy who was well meaning, but clearly (as it turned out) was in financial difficulties. Because I was in no rush for the goods and it seemed he was having genuine problems with *his* suppliers, by the time I formally complained to paypal, I was past their 4 (6?) week complaint-lodging threshold and could do absolutely nothing.

Gosh, I guess I've been lucky. I have been using PayPal since its inception without a problem. I think it is good advice to set up a separate checking account to use for PayPal transactions and to withdrawal the money as soon as it arrives. Also, make sure that the checking account does not have overdraft protection so that there is no money available for them to lock onto.

Yeah, I think I've been lucky to. The odds are small that you get hit. But with a normal credit card if something goes wrong you're protected. But if something goes wrong on PayPal you're not protected because they are not a bank.

I think it's overdue that the FTC step in here before we have another finacial mess.

Iv for the past 2 years have stopped accepting money over a �100 due to charges we pay for the auction on eBay then 3.5% again on the whole amount inc the postage cost this is why eBay has made so much money.

I recently brought a CD which after 2 weeks didnt receive complained and got money back so it does work somtimes but selling highend hifi etc and reciving money electronicly and the possiblity of agro or frozen accounts no thanks Id accept cash on collection cheque or bank transfer if genuine people want things they will travel as Iv done or pay and get a courier.

"... if genuine people want things they will travel as Iv done or pay and get a courier."

Wish that were feasible in the US!

I got tangled up with PayPal over an eBay Power Seller who was abusing the system. I bought some items which never arrived - long story short, I felt obliged to leave negative feedback for the seller, after which he refused to communicate. So I turned to PayPal and made a claim for items never sent. The seller then sent me what turned out to be an empty envelope via registered post. He then gave the tracking number to PayPal as evidence of delivery. PayPal closed the case in his favour. I appealed the case twice and got the same result. I then requested all the documentation from PayPal regarding the case so that I could pass it on to the UK Financial Ombudsman. PayPal refunded the money... That whole process took about 6 months to complete.

That experience taught me that PayPal's Buyer Protection seems useless in protecting the buyer against a seller who is willing to act fraudulently.

Mark

George,

Considering the problems this topic has highlighted, I wonder if it should be glued with Araldite.

Robert