AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
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Sorry, just needed to get that off my chest.

Would I be cutting my nose off to spite my face by cancelling my PayPal account?
I know they're 'convenient' (and other C words) but every now and then they just make my life hell.


Specifics of this case are probably too dull to repeat in full but basically;
1. I made a payment on Saturday
2. I was told via email by Paypal on Sunday that it had been declined
3. Made a second payment on Monday (as advised by the PayPal email)
4. Tuesday receive an email from the seller that they have been paid twice and have processed a refund
5. Check my bank account and two payments have been taken by PayPal putting me into unauthorised overdraft
6. Check PayPal and the sellers refund is showing as on 'Temporary Hold'
6. Wednesday my bank rejects the first payment (first sign of trouble from my bank since the PayPal email on Sunday) and only because the second payment took me overdrawn.
7. Thursday, PayPal shows my account as $3k overdrawn and advises they have attempted another payment request from my bank.
8. Phone and for half an hour try to explain that they know a refund has been processed by the seller so why can't they offset that against my 'overdrawn' PayPal account. "Sorry, your first payment was rejected so we need to collect that from you". Me: Go to 1 (repeat to fade) Them: It's an automatic system. You should have called us when you received the first email, these things are sent automatically.

Usable but expensive when it works. Absolute nightmare if it throws a gear or two.

Better stock up on food and fuel before I'm left in overdraft again for the weekend.

Thank you for the time on the couch.

 

I'm a career banker and I loathe Paypal. There's no warm, live body one can talk to if there's a problem. I've had a Paypal account since almost the beginning of the wretched payment service. They've arbitrarily suspended my account on two different occasions a couple years apart with no explanation and no available help. Both were after auctions just completed, leaving me in the lurch. In both instances I was staring at my desk computer at the bank, at the funds available in my own account that Paypal would not access. On both occasions it was like pulling teeth to straighten things out through internet message exchanges. I won't go through that a third time.

I have a Paypal account. I don't use it however. When remitting payment after an Ebay purchase I click the box to be used by those who wish to pay who don't have a PayPal account. My demand deposit account is debited and I've yet to have any more Paypal hassle. I have to take the trouble each time to input my debit card information: number, verification, expiration date, but the small extra trouble is worth it to avoid the worry over potential misery that Paypal deals and without effective recourse. Paypal is a sorry, crummy service and I've resented Ebay ever since they pushed stupid Paypal off on us.

If it ever becomes "Paypal or nothing" I'm done with Ebay and I've been with them since 1998, having 800 purchases, and maintaining a perfect record (despite Paypal on those two occasions).

 

Thanks noelekal, I'll try that in future.

Was trying to remember what my past woes were caused by and pretty sure it was also a couple of inexplicable account suspensions just after making hugely important BIN purchases.

I'm hoping that the bitter memory of this experience fades and that the new watch purchased isn't forever tainted by my current frustration.

I was quite surprised that I got through to someone on the phone rather quickly today. The thing is that in the phone intro, and during the options, they tell you that they can't give any 'specific' advice. The poor people in those call centres are just there to soak up the hostility. I managed not to raise my voice or swear at the girl who spoke to me but at a couple of stages I did get her to confirm that the conversation was being recorded and made some statements about the issues I have that I can only hope get listened to by someone eventually.

They try and force you through the email process but I just got back automated responses like "Thank you for your enquiry. Does anything on this list of FAQ's answer your question?"

I couldn't get an email address out of the call centre today for a specific person to give my feedback to. She was reluctant to even give me the generic [email protected] address.

 

I despise Paypal with every fiber of my being. Just today, I had to dispute a charge, pulled up my paypal account and what do you know, my activity log did not have a record of that transaction I needed to dispute (despite me having email from paypal for the transaction, and my credit card billed for it indicating "Paypal". So I email customer support asking why this transaction is missing, they send back a form letter instructing me how to file disputes.... nice to know they didn't even bother reading my email, that was about 30minutes wasted.

 

Know the sweet, sublime feeling of complete obedience to YOUR evil master, paypal! Come serve me, the Prince of Darkness, I command you! Hear me! *


If Rosie O'Donnell had a baby with Rosemary's baby, that would be ebay and paypal.



* stream of conscience (unscripted) Jon Lovitz putting on a comedy clinic.

Ebaypaypal takes out every single bad thing that's ever happened to their clever little business plan on every single customer. They would make that new Pope feel like a gangster.

 

Dude, I want some of whatever he's having.

 

And then yesterday, I received a nicely worded email, telling me, that they are about to increase their charges... Again.. Just another reason not to use Paypal. Like Emeister, thanks noelekal, I'll try that in future.

They (Ebay and Paypal) lost me when I added up the combined charges to sell an item and receive payment. Thanks goodness for Watch Sale Forums..

 

Too late.
Finished work to find I'm $2.5k overdrawn at my bank, $3k overdrawn on PayPal with bids still live on eBay (hope the trick above works).

Only bright side is that I'm a lonely middle aged man moaning on a watch forum about an internet payment (lack of) service.
So at least I don't have to stress about how the hell I'm going to buy a bunch of roses and a bottle of bubbly on Saturday.

 

Again?! I thought they charged enough as it is.

 

The only problem I've had with them was getting my limits removed. After futile e-mails for a couple of weeks a quick phone call was all it took to sort things out
After a not inconsiderable sum was paid into my account ten days ago I even received a call from one of their customer service guys who after a few questions about what the transaction was about, advised me about shipping high value items abroad.
Maybe that was because it was the first time a large amount was being paid in rather than large amounts being paid out over the last few years.

 

What was the limit about? I haven't heard of a Paypal limit yet.

 

Finally looks like normal service has been resumed. Sellers refund of the duplicate payment has finally hit PayPal so the account is squared off.
Hopefully that's the end of it.
I have copped 2x $5 fees from my bank for the extra attempted withdrawals, but this could have been much worse a short while ago.

Also received a feedback request from PayPal for my initial email enquiry.
Be very interested if there is any further contact after my lengthy response or if there is a feedback request re the phone conversation.

Feel like a weight has lifted.
Think I might take a couple of hours off tomorrow and wander around an antiques fair out in the sticks.
See if I can't do things the old fashioned way with a bit of folding in my pocket and maybe a face to face chat or two.

 

I'm no fan of eBay & Paypal myself and have made this abundantly clear over the years. However, I just wanted to say this small interjection made me chuckle:

 

One thing that really bothers me is the chargeback issue. Is there a way to protect yourself from scammers issuing chargebacks? It seems like the best (and pretty much the only) thing you can do is document everything precisely.