I'm so done with Paypal...deleting my PayPal account.

[steffenapelz]

I swear...I am so done with PayPal/ebay. Not only did I get hosed by a SNAD return on an expensive watch (posted about this here before), but PayPal subsequently held on to a payment from a sale of my GC68 for almost 2 weeks after the item was delivered. Only when I called in and complained did they release the payment.

But my issue this week takes the cake...

I sold my Henri et Victoria Cognac and Cuban Cigars to a fellow member here (a fine gentleman btw) and he paid me using PayPal G&S and noted in the description the name of the items.

Immediately, he got a note the payment was pending and under review. Baffling, but really not unexpected since PayPal seems to hold every payment as long as they can to earn interest on the float.

Today (a day later), I get an email from PayPal saying they think I am advertising items from Cuba (illegal) and that they want me to provide proof the items are not from Cuba...and that they reserve the right to close my account if this is not provided in a manner as timely as they expect.

A simple internet search of the items in the description would have been enough to realize this was nonsense.

This now makes three in a row where they hosed the transaction for me (and in this case delayed delivery to the buyer).

I have had enough. If I can't sell with anything other than PayPal, I guess I am done because I am closing the account after this transaction goes through and the money goes in my bank account.

If regulators had any interest in catching bad actors, PayPal would be the perfect place to start.

 

[SharpieB]

I love PayPal as a buyer as the buyer is ALWAYS right with these clowns.

As a seller, not so much. I have been lucky as a seller but I know of more than a few people that have had issues similar to your scratched/dropped watch. If I buy something from you and drop or scratch it soon after receiving it, you are SOL if I want my money back and say that is how it arrived. Sucks there are dishonest people out there, but “your word agains mine” always goes to the buyer.

the Cuban connection thing is just idiotic though.

 

[steffenapelz]

I love PayPal as a buyer as the buyer is ALWAYS right with these clowns.

As a seller, not so much. I have been lucky as a seller but I know of more than a few people that have had issues similar to your scratched/dropped watch. If I buy something from you and drop or scratch it soon after receiving it, you are SOL if I want my money back and say that is how it arrived. Sucks there are dishonest people out there, but “your word agains mine” always goes to the buyer.

the Cuban connection thing is just idiotic though.

I am at the point where I hate them so much as a seller that I cannot support their business as a buyer either.

 

[steffenapelz]

I love PayPal as a buyer as the buyer is ALWAYS right with these clowns.

As a seller, not so much. I have been lucky as a seller but I know of more than a few people that have had issues similar to your scratched/dropped watch. If I buy something from you and drop or scratch it soon after receiving it, you are SOL if I want my money back and say that is how it arrived. Sucks there are dishonest people out there, but “your word agains mine” always goes to the buyer.

the Cuban connection thing is just idiotic though.

Btw...ebay policy is either 30 or 90 days but PayPal is 180 days on the SNAD thing. With no recourse for the seller. That means even if you are through the eBay period, PayPal will go up to 180 days. Crazy. I think if PayPal ate/backed those refunds, I would be cool with that. Instead they make a policy that is ripe for abuse and transfer the risk to sellers.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

I swear...I am so done with PayPal/ebay. Not only did I get hosed by a SNAD return on an expensive watch (posted about this here before), but PayPal subsequently held on to a payment from a sale of my GC68 for almost 2 weeks after the item was delivered. Only when I called in and complained did they release the payment.

But my issue this week takes the cake...

I sold my Henri et Victoria Cognac and Cuban Cigars to a fellow member here (a fine gentleman btw) and he paid me using PayPal G&S and noted in the description the name of the items.

Immediately, he got a note the payment was pending and under review. Baffling, but really not unexpected since PayPal seems to hold every payment as long as they can to earn interest on the float.

Today (a day later), I get an email from PayPal saying they think I am advertising items from Cuba (illegal) and that they want me to provide proof the items are not from Cuba...and that they reserve the right to close my account if this is not provided in a manner as timely as they expect.

A simple internet search of the items in the description would have been enough to realize this was nonsense.

This now makes three in a row where they hosed the transaction for me (and in this case delayed delivery to the buyer).

I have had enough. If I can't sell with anything other than PayPal, I guess I am done because I am closing the account after this transaction goes through and the money goes in my bank account.

If regulators had any interest in catching bad actors, PayPal would be the perfect place to start.

I will completely avoid any vendor that only takes PayPal. I don’t trust them with my money. Yes, it’s my money until I receive the product. I bought a lens with an aftermarket extended warranty. When it turned out to be a bogus offer, PayPal refunded the lens but would not refund the extended warranty. That is the last time I used them.

 

[steffenapelz]

I will completely avoid any vendor that only takes PayPal. I don’t trust them with my money. Yes, it’s my money until I receive the product. I bought a lens with an aftermarket extended warranty. When it turned out to be a bogus offer, PayPal refunded the lens but would not refund the extended warranty. That is the last time I used them.

Bogus offer as in the lens you got was different from what you ordered?

 

[andromeda673]

hard pass on paypal, although I did just order a bag of coffee using one pay coded paypal so technically I paid with my card through paypal, only cause I was too lazy to get my wallet upstairs lol fck I'm lame.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

Bogus offer as in the lens you got was different from what you ordered?

As in there never was a lens. The users account was hijacked and the hijacker was attempting to make money by selling a nonexistent product. I get that this happens and I don’t fault the user or the site. I do fault PayPal for not making the extended warranty good.

 

[Slanterino]

Try payoneer or stripe. Paypal is so 2001.

 

[romsitsa]

Cuban was in the name of the product, imho PayPal did what it had to do, ask the seller to clarify wether or not it's an actual product of Cuba. How should they know what the product was?

There are some annoyances with payment providers, one has to live them.
For eg. sold a razor on the bay, sent it tracked, tracking showed it was handed over to the customer. Customer opened an item not recived claim, PayPal withdrew the payment and refunded the customer.
Sent an email to Paypal and Ebay with the tracking details, they refunded me.
Customer sent me an email that he/she never received the item and I should solve it.
Asked him/her to check with the local post office as the razor was tracked, so they have to know where it actually is.
Never heard back from him/her.

 

[Rhody]

Unfortunately these are risks Of selling. Back when I worked in retail (remember checks) we had a list of bad checks. It was so long no one ever actually looked at it. When eBay first started I would pay by mailing a check. The seller wouldn’t ship until the check cleared. Old school.

 

[Ad Astra]

I swear...I am so done with PayPal/ebay. Not only did I get hosed by a SNAD return on an expensive watch (posted about this here before), but PayPal subsequently held on to a payment from a sale of my GC68 for almost 2 weeks after the item was delivered. Only when I called in and complained did they release the payment.

But my issue this week takes the cake...

I sold my Henri et Victoria Cognac and Cuban Cigars to a fellow member here (a fine gentleman btw) and he paid me using PayPal G&S and noted in the description the name of the items.

Immediately, he got a note the payment was pending and under review. Baffling, but really not unexpected since PayPal seems to hold every payment as long as they can to earn interest on the float.

Today (a day later), I get an email from PayPal saying they think I am advertising items from Cuba (illegal) and that they want me to provide proof the items are not from Cuba...and that they reserve the right to close my account if this is not provided in a manner as timely as they expect.

A simple internet search of the items in the description would have been enough to realize this was nonsense.

This now makes three in a row where they hosed the transaction for me (and in this case delayed delivery to the buyer).

I have had enough. If I can't sell with anything other than PayPal, I guess I am done because I am closing the account after this transaction goes through and the money goes in my bank account.

If regulators had any interest in catching bad actors, PayPal would be the perfect place to start.

This identical thing just happened to me!

Only it was a white ginger plant, known as "the national flower of Cuba." (My garden was wiped out in a storm last year, starting over, ordered these rhizome/roots from an ebay seller.)

My account was locked up and these PayPal tyrants (signed Bagsheesh, if I remember right) demanded to know the name and address of the seller and recipient. THEY'D READ MY EBAY SELLER NOTE, which really PO'd me, in which I mentioned one was a gift. Demanded to know the name and address of that recipient.

Don't think I'll provide more, but I got it restored and Bagsheesh or whomever harassed me isn't a very smart individual. Been researching PP alternatives since. Cash App is one.


AA

 

[RayClem]

I can understand the PayPal scanning robot taking exception to Cognac and Cuban Cigars being imported from Canada. During Prohibition, Canada was the avenue through which alcohol such as Cognac was smuggled into the USA for the illegal speakeasy. Also importation of Cuban Cigars is strictly regulated. The purchase would have been flagged by a computer and would then have to be investigated by a human being, which takes time.

Paypal can get in big trouble if there is any evidence they are being used to facilitate illegal transaction such as smuggling or money laundering, so I can see why they are overly cautious about things like expensive watches, alcohol or tobacco, even if the alcohol and tobacco happens to be the scent of a shaving soap.

 

[thombrogan]

I had the opposite experience as a buyer.

A company in Shanghai offered an advent calendar with resin painted dragons. We ordered it and got a calendar stuffed with small, rubber dinosaurs that one would get from a dollar store.

Disputed with the seller and they ignored us. Disputed with PayPal and seller offered partial refund with threat we would have to send package back to Shanghai for full refund and shipping would eat more than they offered. This was done over PayPal servers, so they saw everything happening.

PayPal found in favor of sellers because I didn’t want to spend $36usd sending $4usd worth of junk back for a $46usd refund (all prices approximates).

Here’s what they advertised:

What the scammer actually sent:

Naturally, PayPal decided that was legit…

 

[romsitsa]

Somewhat similar story, think it happened with a member here. He bought an 1949 Gillette Executive and customs caught it as the seller stated on the shipping document that it had an “ostrich leather” case, while it’s ostrich patterned faux leather. Big difference.

 

[bkatbamna]

Someone somehow was able to send himself 15 payments of $45 and then refund 14 of them. So I was out $45. Not sure how it happened because I never received email from PayPal. Found out by random when I logged in to look at activity. Started a dispute and they ruled against me even when the service rep told me on the phone that there should be no problem with refund. Found out they had ruled against me by logging in. Called them again and made them give me a reference number for the dispute so that I didn’t have to spend 30 minutes just explaining the situation next time I would have to call.
Finally got the refund.
Still not getting emails from them even though I have checked the box to send me emails with any activity in my account.

 

[garyg]

Well for all the whining guess I am the exception. I've had one (1) EBay go bad, it was refunded. Had to retract several PayPal payments without any problems. There are alternatives to the evil PayPal, as the member above this post has alluded to, that is send cash .. huh, wonder how that would turn out? Or send a USPS Money Order, then ask them to get your money back. Or drive down to East Egypt & pick that item up with cash in hand ?