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Grasswire2

(13,737 posts)
Tue Sep 24, 2024, 11:50 PM Sep 2024

Has anyone else had problems with PayPal, any time?

I used PayPal for a long time as a seller and using the PP Mastercard debit card to retrieve revenue.
Then I was off eBay for a few years and am back on as a seller, with a new PP Mastercard that I can't seem to activate. Same old account, but with a newly issued card.

Anyone else have troubles?

I know that reams of complaints exist about PP and I have had some myself in the past. Customer service stinks. The business belongs to Elon Musk. Ugh.

But when it works, it's handy.
Any experiences?

28 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Has anyone else had problems with PayPal, any time? (Original Post) Grasswire2 Sep 2024 OP
Long time user for paying online Inkey Sep 2024 #1
Crap....I didn't know it was a Musk thing Bayard Sep 2024 #2
That is disappointing Lulu KC Sep 29 #25
Don't worry, he sold his stake in 2002. nt Shermann Sep 29 #26
PayPal, Venmo, and Thiel... Grins Sep 2024 #3
there are a lot of horror stories about PP freezing funds of people. Grasswire2 Sep 2024 #4
No probs with PP - I have a PP debit card ... rog Sep 2024 #5
I don't use banks. Grasswire2 Sep 2024 #11
I understand ... rog Sep 26 #21
I haven't had or needed a credit card for a couple of decades. Grasswire2 Sep 28 #23
I get it ... rog Sep 28 #24
Big time!! Years ago, PP put a hold on my (seller) account, too long of a story to detail, but 50 Shades Of Blue Sep 2024 #6
I had funds frozen, too, with no explanation or remedy. Grasswire2 Sep 2024 #12
I can really sympathize and I'm sorry you don't seem to have the same rememdy available I was able to find. 50 Shades Of Blue Sep 2024 #14
WOW Grasswire2 Sep 2024 #15
In fairness, this was lonnnng before Musk. I remember at the time I was going through 50 Shades Of Blue Sep 2024 #16
I just use it for paying for stuff online and I've never had a problem. Vinca Sep 2024 #7
So if someone pays you for an item using PayPal... Grasswire2 Sep 2024 #13
I don't collect money, I just spend it via PayPal because I can just click and buy stuff. Vinca Sep 2024 #17
understood, and that's a very good service Grasswire2 Sep 2024 #18
Beats me. I've retired from selling antiques and I'm getting rid of stuff, too. I opted to put things on Vinca Sep 26 #20
Can't PayPal send you a check? rog Sep 26 #22
Someone tried using my PP once KS Toronado Sep 2024 #8
So, essentially, if you have funds in a PayPal account... Grasswire2 Sep 2024 #9
Musk hasn't been involved in Paypal for 20 years relayerbob Sep 29 #28
So I tried using the PP Mastercard to pay a phone bill of $18. Grasswire2 Sep 2024 #10
the question remains Grasswire2 Sep 2024 #19
If I sell, my $ goes straight to bank account Lulu KC Sep 29 #27

Inkey

(338 posts)
1. Long time user for paying online
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 12:10 AM
Sep 2024

Mostly with eBay as a buyer , and to transfer payments to support candidates .
So far so good. I have had to update my preferred acct to draw from. I never got their credit card though.
They also have credited my account for repayments sent to me.

Lulu KC

(5,010 posts)
25. That is disappointing
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 08:06 PM
Sep 29

I use it too, no problems at all.

Unlike Venmo. Argh to the max.

Grins

(7,940 posts)
3. PayPal, Venmo, and Thiel...
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 12:48 AM
Sep 2024

Peter Thiel was a founder of PayPal, and THE reason I will NOT use them.

And then there is Venmo, the cash transfer portal for Republicans trafficking teen girls for sex. RIGHT, Mr. Gaetz?

I won’t use them for that reason, but more because PayPal - bought them! They are the same company!

Thiel is no longer associated with either of them but - eff them!! I want no part of either.

My bank is one of the major banks in a consortium that created their own transfer portal.

It’s called Zelle. And I have never had a problem with it; in fact, it has FAR better privacy.

Call your bank.

Grasswire2

(13,737 posts)
4. there are a lot of horror stories about PP freezing funds of people.
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 12:48 AM
Sep 2024

Customer service, if a seller is having problem, is horrific. Based in Philippines, I understand.

I have had problems with it in the past, and hoped to not have it again. But here I am. Funds coming into my PayPal account that I can't retrieve because they can't activate the card they sent me.

rog

(754 posts)
5. No probs with PP - I have a PP debit card ...
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 12:52 AM
Sep 2024

... that I linked to Zelle to receive payments from students who have Zelle at their bank and do not want to sign on to PayPal.

Why not just use Zelle? My Credit Union used to have Zelle, but when they sold out to a larger credit union the new owner discontinued Zelle in favor of some other proprietary transfer protocol that's useless to me.

But the PP debit card works great for receiving funds via Zelle ... the payments show up as 'refunds' credited to my account, which I can transfer to my bank. I've had this card for about a year - noprob activating it that I can remember.

The interesting thing is that Zelle does not work with PayPal, but it does work with MasterCard, no matter that it's a PP MC.

Grasswire2

(13,737 posts)
11. I don't use banks.
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 05:00 PM
Sep 2024

I resent their predatory manipulations of so many people. Nope. Don't use them any more.

rog

(754 posts)
21. I understand ...
Thu Sep 26, 2024, 12:25 PM
Sep 26

... I only used banks when I was really young. Now 80, and only ever used credit unions. Actually, just one credit union, until they recently got sucked up by a bigger one, but it still seems pretty good. It's pretty community oriented ... seems like most of the people from the original County CU are still working there. I'll admit that I don't do any 'advanced' banking services ... just a checking account.

To be honest, I normally wouldn't use a service like PayPal, except it's really made my life easier in many ways. As a matter of fact, I've only had a credit card for maybe 10 years, if that. Up until then it's always been green money ... if I didn't have it, I didn't buy it. All transactions in cash, only had the credit union for the rare times I was paid by check.

Grasswire2

(13,737 posts)
23. I haven't had or needed a credit card for a couple of decades.
Sat Sep 28, 2024, 11:43 AM
Sep 28

Or a checking account.
I got out of that world. The predatory actions of banks to penalize people when balances ran low really bugged me.
My SS arrives on a debit card. I pay my rent with money order. My phone in cash.
I don't have any other bills.
Haven't kept a car for about twenty years. Public transportation is great. I occasionally use Lyft.

rog

(754 posts)
24. I get it ...
Sat Sep 28, 2024, 05:06 PM
Sep 28

... and without a bank account, it doesn't make sense to have PayPal send a check. No good way to cash it.

I hope you get it worked out. There must be a way to activate that debit card. Wish I could make a helpful suggestion.

Good luck!

50 Shades Of Blue

(10,907 posts)
6. Big time!! Years ago, PP put a hold on my (seller) account, too long of a story to detail, but
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 01:09 AM
Sep 2024

I had done absolutely nothing wrong. It truly felt like PP was just trying to defraud me out of the money in my account. Finally, I filed a complaint with the consumer protection unit in my state's AG's office, which contacted PP for me. After months of my getting nowhere with PP, that call from the AG's office made PP release my account so fast it made my head spin.

Grasswire2

(13,737 posts)
12. I had funds frozen, too, with no explanation or remedy.
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 05:02 PM
Sep 2024

And customer service is so bad that it must be deliberately bad.

50 Shades Of Blue

(10,907 posts)
14. I can really sympathize and I'm sorry you don't seem to have the same rememdy available I was able to find.
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 05:11 PM
Sep 2024

PP's customer service was just unbelievably horrible. I wrote out a lengthy timeline detailing each step in the lengthy fucking around with me PP did for the complaint I submitted, and I still can't believe all the shit PP pulled. What really tears it is PP knew they didn't have a leg to stand on since they backed down as soon the AG's office got involved. But until I sicced those bigger guns on them, they did it anyway.

Grasswire2

(13,737 posts)
15. WOW
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 05:20 PM
Sep 2024

It is scary to use the business of these crooks for financial needs.
I had seen, on google search, the stories of many people who were screwed over by Musk's PP..

50 Shades Of Blue

(10,907 posts)
16. In fairness, this was lonnnng before Musk. I remember at the time I was going through
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 05:37 PM
Sep 2024

my experience, coming across many other PP horror stories too. So PP has just always been like this!

Vinca

(51,233 posts)
7. I just use it for paying for stuff online and I've never had a problem.
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 07:03 AM
Sep 2024

I'm sure I activated the last card they sent, but I only use the bank debit card or a credit card so can't add much about that.

Grasswire2

(13,737 posts)
13. So if someone pays you for an item using PayPal...
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 05:04 PM
Sep 2024

...how do you retrieve those funds?

Vinca

(51,233 posts)
17. I don't collect money, I just spend it via PayPal because I can just click and buy stuff.
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 07:53 PM
Sep 2024

PayPal then debits my bank account.

Grasswire2

(13,737 posts)
18. understood, and that's a very good service
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 09:16 PM
Sep 2024

My need is different. I am selling out, starting now, and need to liquidate and not buy new stuff, and clear out my spare room. LOL.
Having a balance in PayPal to buy new stuff isn't part of that plan.
So how do I convert that PayPal balance to $$ if the PP Mastercard won't activate?

I could accept only U.S. Postal money orders, because they can be cashed at Post Office. I've done that before.

That is a little inconvenient for buyers, who would have to go to PO to purchase.
However, I have to go to P.O. to mail the box, so it seems a fair trade.

Vinca

(51,233 posts)
20. Beats me. I've retired from selling antiques and I'm getting rid of stuff, too. I opted to put things on
Thu Sep 26, 2024, 06:55 AM
Sep 26

consignment at the group shop I had rented space in. So far so good. I mark things, take in a box, they put it on the shelves, send me a check a couple of times a month and that's that. What doesn't sell will get donated to a charity shop.

rog

(754 posts)
22. Can't PayPal send you a check?
Thu Sep 26, 2024, 12:31 PM
Sep 26

I just double-checked, and it looks like under 'Transfer Money', you can transfer to your bank (which you don't have), or request a personal check by mail. I don't know if there's a fee for that.

KS Toronado

(19,703 posts)
8. Someone tried using my PP once
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 08:09 AM
Sep 2024

PP caught it and sent me a text right away asking me about it. They have always done me right.

Grasswire2

(13,737 posts)
9. So, essentially, if you have funds in a PayPal account...
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 01:40 PM
Sep 2024

...but the Mastercard issued by PayPal won't activate (god only knows why), then the only way to use those funds is to send them via PayPal to some other entity.

Just ridiculous.

This numbskull Musk should have nothing to do with space travel.

relayerbob

(7,069 posts)
28. Musk hasn't been involved in Paypal for 20 years
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 09:01 PM
Sep 29

Not that I like him, but he isn't the one screwing them up

Grasswire2

(13,737 posts)
10. So I tried using the PP Mastercard to pay a phone bill of $18.
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 03:28 PM
Sep 2024

Denied, even though there is $$ in the PayPal account.

What good is having the PP account if the $$ can only be used within the PayPal system? Such as buying online, sending $ to someone.

Infuriating.

Grasswire2

(13,737 posts)
19. the question remains
Wed Sep 25, 2024, 10:01 PM
Sep 2024

How do I get money out of my PayPal account if I don't have an activated PP Mastercard?

Any ideas?

Lulu KC

(5,010 posts)
27. If I sell, my $ goes straight to bank account
Sun Sep 29, 2024, 08:12 PM
Sep 29

It's a setting in Ebay/Selling/Payouts. My bank account info is there.

I have sold exactly one item on Ebay, and I just looked at my account to refresh my memory. There it is. Paid from Ebay to bank, without having to go through PayPal. They did charge my postage fees to the PayPal account, however.

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