Anybody else having problems with Pay Pal?

[sneakypete]

For me,it has  been one  problem after another  on PP for the last year or so. Someone hacked my account and was billing stuff to me. I forget now exactly where and how much he billed to me,but it was a guy in Oklahoma. I reported him to PP and THOUGHT my problems were over.

I was wrong. I now have an unpaid bill to PP for over 600 bucks,and *I* did not charge a dime of that.

Been trying  for about  3 months  now  to get that  crap cleared up,and my PP account at Amazon is now frozen and I am getting nastygrams from PP.

One of the big problems is you  can no longer contact PP and report anything. You either go to a public discussion board on PP  and discuss your problem with people who don't work for PP,or  you go to a similar page and discuss it with other  PP subscribers.

They (AND Amazon) USED to have a button at the top of the web page you could click on,and immediately put in contact with a  PP employee with full access to your charges and payments,as well as your orders,and it didn't take but just a few minutes to clean a problem up.

Not anymore. If you want to discuss the problem,you have to click on a link that puts you in touch with someone in China that has an accent you would have to cut with a  meat cleaver. Being hard of hearing,it is impossible for me to communicate with them.

Yes,there IS another button you can click if you have problems with the "first button". It also puts you in verbal touch with someone from China that you probably  can't understand.

Coming up is the best part. They  offer a service that is supposed to really clear up your problems,but at a price per minute.

PayPal is still claiming I owe them more than 600 bucks,but I haven't used PP in months.  Not GOING to pay them unless they can show me some times,dates,email addresses,and the physical addresses these packages were shipped to.

PP used to be pretty user friends,and nobody was easier to deal with than Amazon. Amazon is still pretty easy to deal with once you figure out which of the plenitude of buttons to click on,but once again,customer problems have been farmed out to China if you are unfortunate enough to have to have a conversation with a agent.

Going to ONCE again try to communicate with PP tomorrow when I am rested,and I have no faith at all that it is going to work. If it doesn't,I am going to  tell them to kill my  account and send  me an itemized list of my purchases for the last year,and the address or addresses they were shipped to.

If they can't,or won't agree to do this,I will tell them to go piss up a rope.

BTW,I  bought a new wallet and some other items from Amazon today,but I did NOT use PP. I used an Amazon Store Card that  I haven't used in maybe a year.

Not even sure I am going to use PP again,even if they agree I don't owe them that money,and PP used to be my automatic "go to" when it came to internet purchases.

[Smokin Joe]

I haven't had any problems, but I haven't used Pay Pal in a very long time. So, sorry, but I can't help you sort that out.

I use a Discover card online, no (as in zero) fraud liability, new card in 48 hours if hacked. Works for me. Pay it off in full every month, though, credit card interest is brutal (18%) at the moment.

[Cyber Liberty]

The only problems I've had with PayPal were their refusing to process transactions now and then, so I just stopped using them.  Never could see the point anyway.

[Sighlass]

Dropped PayPal years ago over their fees and liberal policies. Their loss.

[sneakypete]

I haven't had any problems, but I haven't used Pay Pal in a very long time. So, sorry, but I can't help you sort that out.

I use a Discover card online, no (as in zero) fraud liability, new card in 48 hours if hacked. Works for me. Pay it off in full every month, though, credit card interest is brutal (18%) at the moment.

@Smokin Joe

I haven't used PP in over a year,primarily because whoever hacked me somehow blocked me from making purchases. Or maybe it was PP that blocked me. Hard to tell because you can't contact an actual human employee of PP anymore to ask.

Been trying to close my account and can't. Maybe/probably because they claim I owe them money,and I don't.

Never worried about their fees because I ALWAYS paid my balance in full every month. Even had a PP credit card.

Do most of my shopping online via Amazon these days. Mostly because it is convenient,and I have always received quick service,but those days are also coming to an end because it is no longer possible to communicate with an actual person on Amazon anymore. If their robot doesn't have your problem and answer in it's memory card,you don't get an answer.

[sneakypete]

The only problems I've had with PayPal were their refusing to process transactions now and then, so I just stopped using them.  Never could see the point anyway.

@Cyber Liberty

They were convenient,and had cash-back credit cards.

I also liked and still like making purchases through a 3rd party using the 3rd party credit card.

Not sure how I am going to replace Amazon once I drop them.

[sneakypete]

Dropped PayPal years ago over their fees and liberal policies. Their loss.

@Sighlass

I know nothing about their "liberal policies" unless you include them not really giving a damn if their customers are hacked.

SOMEBODY has figured out how to hack PP data bases to get customer ID's,passwords,and CC numbers,and PP doesn't seem to give a damn.

Or at least their robots and their Chinese phone help people don't seem to give a damn,but the Chinese phone help people probably ARE trying to help,but I am hard of hearing and their accents make it even worse.

[catfish1957]

I have an absolute paranoia about identity theft, and go to almost obsessive lengths to prevent it. 

I don't know if your situation is a localized hack on your PP account, or ID theft, but what I spend on Lifelock may give me the most piece of mind I get for a few hundred a year that I spend. 

You might want to see if this is more widespead than you think.

@sneakypete

[Bigun]

I have had zero problems with PayPal. @sneakypete

I HAVE had disputes with other users which, at least in my case, were settled quickly and equitably.

I deal with my credit card company directly to deal with spurious charges that might appear on it NOT PayPal.

I still have an account with PayPal but rarely use it these days as Ebay has very little attraction for me these days.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I would just close PP, they were trying to fine users $1500 or something over "disinformation" (by their definition) last fall.

[DefiantMassRINO]

I use PayPal, but have it billed against a PayPal Credit Card, not a savings or checking account.

Any false charges are made using PayPal's money, and not my own.

[sneakypete]

I have an absolute paranoia about identity theft, and go to almost obsessive lengths to prevent it. 

I don't know if your situation is a localized hack on your PP account, or ID theft, but what I spend on Lifelock may give me the most piece of mind I get for a few hundred a year that I spend. 

You might want to see if this is more widespead than you think.

@sneakypete

@catfish1957

Nope.

Only PP,and they only  managed to scam maybe 50  bucks or so before I shut  them down.

Unfortunately,the end result was I also shut me down at the same time. Oddly enough,I CAN still buy stuff,but I can't pay for it.

I am sure this is a simple problem that could be resolved if I could speak to someone at PP that speaks English,but apparently  they are too busy counting their money to deal with mere customers.

And truth to tell,as a customer,I barely qualified as petty  cash. Never made any large purchases,and never failed to pay my balance in full each month until the hack started.

[sneakypete]

I have had zero problems with PayPal. @sneakypete

I HAVE had disputes with other users which, at least in my case, were settled quickly and equitably.

I deal with my credit card company directly to deal with spurious charges that might appear on it NOT PayPal.

I still have an account with PayPal but rarely use it these days as Ebay has very little attraction for me these days.

@Bigun

I buy most of my purchases from Amazon these days. Especially the heavy stuff and the bulky  stuff. Too crippled up  to be willing to wrestle with it if I have any other options,and the truth is I buy it cheaper from Amazon than the local stores.

Still,if I were still able to walk more than 15-20 feet at a time and to bend over,I would be willing to pay up to 25 percent more to buy stuff locally in order to help keep locals working.

Yes,the money I spend on Amazon keeps people working also,but not people I know other than the POS UPS driver,who AGREES to leave  articles on my closed porch instead of outside on the steps,and then doesn't do it. I even have a 8x10 message on white paper in BIG black magic marker letters saying  "Leave ALL packages ON the porch!",but he just can't be bothered.

I even told him (true story) about opening a package left on my porch BEFORE I enclosed it,and reaching in to pull out a piece of rope that turned out to be a copperhead snake. Good thing for me it was cold and the snake could barely  move.

THIS is why I now  have  an enclosed porch with a glass storm door that  shuts  securely.

Guess what is going to happen to the UPS guy if this ever happens again.

[libertybele]

I closed my Paypal account many years ago. I don't do any on-line banking and I'm the person in line at the stores holding everyone up because I opt to write a check and the clerks can't remember how to process a check. I don't use my credit card unless I absolutely have to.  There are a few places that won't take checks, but I have found the there are several places that charge an additional fee for using a credit card.

Normally for me, I use either cash or check.  I've never even owned a debit card.

[sneakypete]

I closed my Paypal account many years ago. I don't do any on-line banking and I'm the person in line at the stores holding everyone up because I opt to write a check and the clerks can't remember how to process a check. I don't use my credit card unless I absolutely have to.  There are a few places that won't take checks, but I have found the there are several places that charge an additional fee for using a credit card.

Normally for me, I use either cash or check.  I've never even owned a debit card.

@libertybele

I live in a rural area (nearest grocery store is about 12 miles  away),and I use CC's all the time because they are just more convenient for me.

Plus,I end up  getting to download a complete itemized account of my purchases each month to help me keep track of my budget. Plus it is easier and quicker,and I don't have to remember to have my reading glasses with me so I can see well enough to write a check.

I then use my bank account to pay the total at the beginning of each month. I am sometimes forced to use a checking account because some places,like the local water department,will NOT take credit cards.

Works for me,and I am more than happy to pay the small fees this costs  me each month  in exchange for the convenience.

[corbe]

   My account(s) were hacked a couple of years ago by a Brazillian.  I stupidly had the same password across multiple accounts.  The guy racked up thousands of dollars from my Amazon and Ebay account with stolen US credit cards.  I had always thought it was the Ebay servers that got hacked but it was my Internet provider, Spectrum, I later sleuthed. He'd get drunk at night and order $hit and forget to change the shipping address so some of his $hit came here to Texas.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

   My account(s) were hacked a couple of years ago by a Brazillian.  I stupidly had the same password across multiple accounts.  The guy racked up thousands of dollars from my Amazon and Ebay account with stolen US credit cards.  I had always thought it was the Ebay servers that got hacked but it was my Internet provider, Spectrum, I later sleuthed. He'd get drunk at night and order $hit and forget to change the shipping address so some of his $hit came here to Texas.

MFA needs to be enabled on all accounts you own of consequence. Even having different passwords may not be enough.

[Kamaji]

MFA needs to be enabled on all accounts you own of consequence. Even having different passwords may not be enough.

[sneakypete]

MFA needs to be enabled on all accounts you own of consequence. Even having different passwords may not be enough.

@Weird Tolkienish Figure

WHAT is "MFA"?

[Smokin Joe]

 

[sneakypete]

BTW,I FINALLY got a paper bill  from PP,so I WILL pay the minimum balance and  demand a itemized bill for them that describes the item,the price,and most importantly,the address it was shipped to.

I DO realize that I had an "Industrial-Strength" case of Chemo-Brain for several months,and am still having some problems,but WHY would I have paid all my  other bills on time and not paid ANY of the PP bills if I had,in fact,ordered those items?

IIRC,the bill was already over 500 bucks when I got the first one in,and this was after I noticed  a couple "less than 20 dollar" orders that went to someone in Arizona. I immediately notified PP of this issue,and never heard back from them. I did continue to get larger monthly  bills even though I couldn't even log on at that time.

Tried calling customer  service about not being able to log on so I can dispute bills a couple of times,but since I don't speak English with a THICK Chinese accent,I could never get them to understand what I needed done.

PROBABLY going to kill my Amazon account also,because they have now gone to Asian agents if you call them,and if the particular Asian you are speaking to can't understand you,they give you a phone number to call where APPARENTLY the Asians there speak and understand English better,but it costs you by  the minute to talk with  them,so I never made the call.

WTF EVER heard of a customer hotline  that changed you by  the minute handle purchase or shipping problems? If ANYONE should pay,it should be the retailer,not the customer.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

@Weird Tolkienish Figure

WHAT is "MFA"?

Multifactor authentication. That PITA text message with numbers that you need to enter in when you log into an account. It's a huge pain, but it's just a necessity these days.

[sneakypete]

Multifactor authentication. That PITA text message with numbers that you need to enter in when you log into an account. It's a huge pain, but it's just a necessity these days.

@Weird Tolkienish Figure

Thanks!

I  had never heard of it before,and don't understand it now because I just use my password to log in.

And "Yes,I DO have a different password for every site I log onto ,be it a chat site or any other type of web site.

My spelling seems to be getting worse as the day goes on,so I might not post any more today. Without spell check,I doubt any of you  would be able to figure out what I was trying to say in any of my posts today.

And "Yes,I DO understand that some days and sometimes the jokes just seem to write themselves,so go ahead and "Fire Away!"

[Fishrrman]

SneakyPete:

The reasoning behind "multi-factor authentication" (also called "two-factor authentication") is that a username/password alone can be hacked.

"Two factor" authentication works like this:
- You provide more than just a username and password, but also a cell phone number (could also be email).
- When you go to sign in, you enter your username and password (as usual).
- Then, the web site either sends a text to your cell phone or actually calls with an automated message (or sends to email).
- The text or message has a one-use code number
- You then enter the code into the site's web page to "complete" the authentication.

Thus, TWO "factors" of authentication (password and code sent directly to you) instead of "just one". And even if someone has your username and password, they won't be able to get the code because (presumably) you have the cell phone or computer to which the email code is sent.

It's a pain to use in some instances, but it does provide more security.

[massadvj]

I have been buying and selling antiques/collectibles since 1998. I buy at local auctions and sell on eBay, where I have more than 12,000 feedbacks. Paypal was my "goto" banker for many years. I did all of my daily transactions with my Paypal credit card. Then about a year and a half ago, everything went south. I still have an account there, but I rarely use it.