PayPal users beware

[Ken Milhinch]

I know many people use PayPal, and it is a very convenient way to pay for auctions (and donate to Sawmill Creek), but I have closed my account after a particularly bad experience.
I received an email from PayPal, confirming two payments totalling US$1,596 for money transfers to Vietnam ! Sure enough, the transactions were real, and my credit card had been debited.
I lodged a claim with PayPal, and several days later I received an email telling me my account had been credited - no explanation, no apology, nothing. What's more they shorted me about $30 on the credits.:confused:
Whilst they handled the problem promptly, it just goes to show that their security had been breached, so I no longer felt safe about using them. I am also concerned by their "arms length" approach to problems, which is typical of eBay (their parent company). They just don't seem to want to hear from customers.

[Mark Pruitt]

Precisely why I've never used them. I'm not even sure if it's "them" or "it."

[Scott Loven]

I have had over 3000 transactions on Paypal in 7 years and have never had a problem. I like the system, it is easy to use both as a seller and a buyer, and is much less expensive then using a credit card if you are a seller.
Scott

[Dave Carey]

It is a great system, but I closed my account too. Fortunately not because of problems such as the one Ken had but because of all the scam emails I was getting telling me there was some irregularity in my account and please hit this link and verify my account information. I wasn't tempted inasmuch as these were clearly scams, but I used to get several a day. I tried to engage Paypal security to find out if there was anything that they could do to better protect my account info. My next response from them will be the first!

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Banks are regulated by the UCC.

Paypal is regulated by Regulation E.

Reg E is like the Wild Wild West of financial regulations.

Unfortunately Pay Pal is able to present as having all the fiduciary responsibility of a bank but it's got almost nothing by way of regulation oversight.
Pay Pal has a history of being sued because they lose people's money or levy improper fees or charges etc.

Every single time Pay Pal settles out of court (or before the case gets to a level where it'll be in the court reporters) because that way they can keep it quiet how very much they are in hot water for finanicial mis management and improper conduct.

If you are having a problem with Pay Pal sue 'em and they will settle.

[Joe Pelonio]

I too use PayPal all the time, have for years and have never had a problem with it. Recently I started to get those bogus e-mails almost daily, and reported every one to PayPal, after a few weeks they stopped.

Let's face it, people using their computer for online transactions with banks, for bill payments, or credit cards for any online purchases are vulnerable to hacking. There's no way to be totally safe any more. Around here the biggest crime is identity theft, and lately a LOT of people are putting in locking mailboxes.

[Bart Leetch]

Just the reason I don't' use on line for any kind of business, banking & everything with an address or ID,name of any kind goes through a cross hatch shredder.

I don't have & never had an E-Bay account but still got bogus E-Mail about it so I sent back Bogus info it only happened twice & never again.

I realize that someone else handling mine or anyone else's information can cause problems but we as people doing business should do all we can to protect ourselves. This means not putting out information where someone else can get a hold of it such as using the internet for business.

I hear all the nay sayers every time I say this but have heard of these problems even though they are not supposed to be able to happen.

No one has been able to prove to me 100% that they can't happen so until they can I won't use the internet to do business.

[Al Wasser]

The argument about safety on the internet seems to never end. There are folks that will not buy anything on the net, yet they are the same ones that give their credit card to someone in the cafe/diner who runs off to the back room with it and brings back something for you to sign. I think the internet is safer, but to each his/own. I worry more about the uneeded and unwarranted asking for your social security number. A lot of time that blank is filled in with "NYFB". I guess you can figure that out

[RickT Harding]

The argument about safety on the internet seems to never end. There are folks that will not buy anything on the net, yet they are the same ones that give their credit card to someone in the cafe/diner who runs off to the back room with it and brings back something for you to sign. I think the internet is safer, but to each his/own. I worry more about the uneeded and unwarranted asking for your social security number. A lot of time that blank is filled in with "NYFB". I guess you can figure that out

Isn't that the way of the world today. You go into a hardware store and they want your phone number. You go to the grocery store and to get the sale prices you have to give them all kinds of personal info. That's ok, I'll pay full price and my phone number is 555-555-1234.

I've used paypal and while my ebay account did get hacked into they fixed it right away and I prompty upped my password a couple of levels. I should never have had such an easy one on the account anyway.

As for the junk emails, you realize that those things are automated zombies that just go to everyone. Someone really wants me to update my account info with Citizen's Bank...except I've never had an account there. :rolleyes:

Welcome to the digital know it all age.

[Bill Webber]

... I have closed my account after a particularly bad experience.

Ken,
I had a dispute with Paypal a few years back. Though I didn't agree with their arbitrary decision, they refunded a guys purchase price. They sent me a few dunning letters and then went away. However, I'm assuming the account is still open. How did you close your account and how do you know it is closed.

Thanks...

[Bart Leetch]

The argument about safety on the internet seems to never end. There are folks that will not buy anything on the net, yet they are the same ones that give their credit card to someone in the cafe/diner who runs off to the back room with it and brings back something for you to sign. I think the internet is safer, but to each his/own. I worry more about the uneeded and unwarranted asking for your social security number. A lot of time that blank is filled in with "NYFB". I guess you can figure that out

I pay cash when I go out to eat too.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

That's ok, I'll pay full price and my phone number is 555-555-1234.

Mine is 867 5309

[Jim O'Dell]

Mine is 867 530ni-e-ine

Cliff, I corrected it for you.:cool: Jim.

[John W. Willis]

I've used PayPal for several years and have had dozens of transactions with no problem. When I get a "phishing" email I forward it to the spoof guys.

[Ken Milhinch]

Ken,
I had a dispute with Paypal a few years back. Though I didn't agree with their arbitrary decision, they refunded a guys purchase price. They sent me a few dunning letters and then went away. However, I'm assuming the account is still open. How did you close your account and how do you know it is closed.

Thanks...

Bill,

You will need to log on to your PayPal account and go into your account details, where you will see a "Close Account" option. If you have any bank account or credit card details recorded there, delete them first. They will send you an email asking you to confirm you want the account closed.

[Ken Milhinch]

Folks,

Judging by a couple of the replies, some folk have perhaps misunderstood what I was saying. I didn't respond to those spoof emails. I had a long and complicated password. I never give my account details or password to anyone else. Nevertheless, PayPal was unable to protect my account, and a hacker (located in the USA) got into my account and transferred the funds out of my credit card to a partner in crime in Vietnam.
I have had the PayPal account for years, I use Ebay extensively (500+ transactions), I do alll my banking on the internet, and I continue to shop via the internet, particularly in the USA with tool suppliers :) .
My concern is how easily the PayPal security was breached and how they will not communicate with me to explain how this happened.

[Tim Wagner]

I too have both eBay and pay pal accounts with no problems whatsoever. If you get emails from spammers, forward them to spoof@ebay, or spoof@paypal.com.

[Tim Wagner]

My concern is how easily the PayPal security was breached and how they will not communicate with me to explain how this happened.

Would you want to tell someone how it could be done??

[Ken Milhinch]

No Tim, not the details, but perhaps tell me whether it was a hacker, or an internal problem or a system problem........hmmm I am beginning to see they would not want to disclose that for fear of liability. Anyway, I have had no problems for years, and neither have you, but yours could be just around the corner, so I advise you to check the account daily.

[Larry Conely]

I also got fraudeulently dinged for $500 by PayPal. They cleared it up in a week or so.

I refuse to give them access to my checking account despite all thier spam to do so. At least I have recourse with my credit card company if they do it again.

Larry

[Glenn Clabo]

I've only had problems with the use of credit cards at stores...both times it never left my sight so it was someone who either copied or memorized my account. Both times...differnent card types...I called and they put the money back into the account in a very short period time. When I talked to the security guy...he said it was policy not to tell anyone what happens or how it is taken care of...so they don't pass on information. I think it's still the safest way to spend my money. Yes...people need to pay attention to all their accounts...crooks can get your info much easier than hacking. Try getting your cash money back if someone takes it from you.

[Matt Meiser]

The originally posted problem does sound scary--I'd go after Paypal for the rest of the $30. Pursue it with your bank and/or CC company if need be.

As far as the phishing emails--I regularly get phishing emails not only to Paypal where I do have an account, but to banks where I've never had an account. Getting the phishing email doesn't mean anything with regard to your information being stolen. Repsonding to the email is where the problem lies.

[Dennis Peacock]

I live by one simple rule......

I don't click-on ANY email message that I don't know who it's from. They get automagically deleted without so much as a glance.