PayPal being dickheads

Jetfire

So pay pal have suspended my account as I've sold two guitars this month. They wanted proof of I.d in the firm of a photo id which I've provided and know they want to know where I sold the most recent guitar and proof of delivery. I mean, wtf?

Deijavoo

Yup.

I've various issues with them tbh. 

Great when it works but a nightmare otherwise.  My mate and I drove 300 miles to buy some gear for PP to shit itself and block all payments, luckily the banks were open on the Saturday morning.

Sambostar

Were they high value? I'm still waiting for a refund after I sent a gift and immediately cancelled it.  Fair enough, my error and I understand that the call has been made, but don't their systems take a long time to release your cash, even though everything is appearing cancelled on Paypal.

They are probably just trying to intimidate you into getting a business account.

Credit card companies don't treat people like this.  I don't know who Paypal think they are.

Sambostar

No doubt you can pay as much as you like through Paypal.  Much the same as you can buy on ebay without having a verified (Bank account linked) account. 

But just as you can't receive funds without a verified account, I'd wager that over a certain amount of funds received, they give you hassle for the sake of it, to make you pay for a business account, probably to cover their backs so they can still cream guaranteed obscene profits.

Have you looked at the T&C for monthly funds received, I'm sure there is a maximum with a personal account.

I think it works like this:

 

Buy stuff and send THEM money into their holding account - no worries sir.

Receive money - got to register your bank, so they can hold on to your funds in a holding account, before you tell them to transfer the funds or raid funds out of your bank account should they want to (Credit cards tell them where to go and charge them too much)

Buy high value items and send them lots of cash into a holding account - no worries sir.

Receive funds from sold high value items - you have to get a business account so that you become liable and pay them more random fees annually and for every transaction, you know, just so THEY don't get stung, in case your bank account refuses to cough up.

 

It's a win, win situation.....for Paypal.

Sambostar

Basically they put all the onus of risk onto you, or make damn well you have paid ten times over in 'Insurance' fees and just cream the profits.  They can't lose.

Fuzzdog

They put a hold on my funds and made me fill in a few extra random questions this week as well, saying it was because of the amount of money I have received recently.  They didn't request ID, I just had to confirm a load of things they already knew, then they released the funds and lifted my limits.  Weirdness.

Sambostar

Have they been hacked or something or does this fit in with their terms for receiving larger funds or fund limit within a month?

UnclePsychosis

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the restrictions aren't mandated by the government to try and restrict money laundering and other suspicious movements of cash.

Try and change more than a few hundred quid of currency at once and you have to provide ID.

Sambostar

Accessing your cash is restricted by government.  Because it doesn't really exist.

chillidoggy

What, the cash? Or the government?

viz

or the word it?

Fazer

Jetfire said:

So pay pal have suspended my account as I've sold two guitars this month. They wanted proof of I.d in the firm of a photo id which I've provided and know they want to know where I sold the most recent guitar and proof of delivery. I mean, wtf?

what are the circumstances? these were uk sales done as 'sales' and not 'gift'? and for largish amounts?

guitarfishbay

The most annoying part about PayPal is the refunds process.  They take your money straight away but they take up to 7 days to give it back.  

I had an issue on eBay this year where a buyer had the wrong PayPal details linked.  Long story short payment failed 2 times but the 3rd time we got it sorted... but PayPal took all 3 payments from my account.  This left me missing over £700 for a week which was not fun.  They said this was because the bank approved the first two (failed) transactions, so the money went to PayPal anyway, but then when the money was unclaimed PayPal couldn't give the cash back until they 'actually received it' because it isn't instant (despite it leaving my bank account sharpish)... either way I was pretty annoyed as it wasn't my fault and the seller was genuine (I got the item as described).

Jetfire

Not really, 170 and 450. Accounts still locked down at the moment.

Fazer;361420" said:

Jetfire said:

So pay pal have suspended my account as I've sold two guitars this month. They wanted proof of I.d in the firm of a photo id which I've provided and know they want to know where I sold the most recent guitar and proof of delivery. I mean, wtf?





what are the circumstances? these were uk sales done as 'sales' and not 'gift'? and for largish amounts?

guitarfishbay

@Jetfire have you phoned them up about this?

Jetfire

I've emailed them and they said they'd get back to me in 48 hours which has now expired so that's my next call. However I did have a missed call from an irish number the other day just after I'd emailed them but nothing since.

guitarfishbay

PayPal head offices are in Canada IIRC, though they might have offices in Ireland too.

When I called them I got answers straight away.  They weren't the answers I wanted, but at least I found out where I stood.  I'd give them a call as soon as you get a chance.  

Go to the PayPal site, scroll to the bottom, click contact, and then click call us (on the right hand side).  You'll need to log in, and they'll give you a one off pass-code to identify yourself over the phone.

Fazer

hmmm, there is a threshold of total transactions, £10,000 maybe?, above which they have to do extra checks to do with money laundering or tax registration or something.
i dont know if you triggered that.

its pretty shoddy of them not to keep you informed as to what is happening and why

TTony

Jetfire said:

I did have a missed call from an irish number the other day just after I'd emailed them but nothing since.

That could well have been them.  IIRC, I spoke to someone with an Irish accent when I had a similar situation.  They sorted it quickly over the phone, easily, no problem.

xmrchi

What I think the main reason for all this crap they pull, ie taking time for refunds , holds on cash, is any money "resting" in their accounts is earning them a mass of interest, so its in their interest (sucse the pun) for them to hold onto money as long as possible.

I personally hate Paypal, and when i can specify cash on collection I do, that way I dont have to deal with their shit, and i can also avoid ebay fees as well.  

Jetfire

So, spoke to paypal yesturday (which, in hindsight, was not ny best plan of action after about 2 hours sleep for the last week) and realised they are more than fucking useless.

Essentially, i provided them with my photo id, verified my account etc but now they still want proof of postage. Now, what I like to do use the money I have got from selling an item (lncluding the p and p cost) to pay for delivery cost etc. Woman on the phone refused to believe that, refused to listen to my argument and couldnt explain why my account had been "randomly selected" for this treatment. I also suggested that if i had intended to do any money laundering, id have done it by now considering id had the account for 5+ years. I then argued that as they had taken a percentage for this fee, they were in fact taking the piss. No managers were available to speak to me even though I said i would wait but then she changed her story then tosay they were all in meetings.

So im doing the proof of postage today etc and they will get a shitty email from me because apparently "people rule" only if your Paypal.