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If you opened your PayPal account before you were 18, close it

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Re: If you opened your PayPal account before you were 18, close it

#361

Post by pbhjpbhj »

amorphid wrote: post #291
intopieces wrote: post #262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Simple Bank, in addition to having instant transfer to other Simple members, also mails checks to people. Haven't done it yet, but seems handy.

I used Simple until someone cloned my debit card the day before I moved to California. Getting Simple to send a replacement card to my temporary address was virtually impossible. They make you submit two forms of proof you have a new address, there were like 7 options, and I couldn't provide any of them (bank statement, driver's license, utility bill, voter registration, etc.) I opened a new account at a bank with a…

But do you want it to be easy for people to claim your account has a new address without having to jump through hoops?

We need better systems for IRL hand-shaking.

Re: If you opened your PayPal account before you were 18, close it

#362

Post by lilbobbytables »

wfunction wrote: post #138
delecti wrote: post #80

I only ever use Paypal as a wrapper around credit card transactions for merchants I trust enough to purchase from, but not necessarily enough to handle my credit card information directly. I can't say I've ever had a problem using them that way.

I'd worry about debit card fraud, not credit card fraud. I think the credit industry's managed to trick people into treating credit card numbers like very sensitive information whereas in reality they're not for consumers; they only are for the companies.

I do the same as the poster above, however, not for fraud: for ease of cancelling recurring services.

I know I can always log into Paypal and just cancel the recurring charge.

I suppose I also use it because it can be easier than finding my wallet for payment, too. But I do avoid receiving payments from PP.

Re: If you opened your PayPal account before you were 18, close it

#363

Post by stordoff »

cerved wrote: post #329
_wmd wrote: post #282

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same is true in the UK, a direct debit instruction can be setup on an account using just the name, number and sort code, but it doesn't make us more wary, much in the same way that supplying one's home address is enough to take out lines of credit in that person's name

This sounds incredibly insecure, is it exploited much?

It's difficult to exploit Direct Debits, as you are entitled to a full and immediate refund: https://www.directdebit.co.uk/DirectDebitExplained/pages/dir...

Re: If you opened your PayPal account before you were 18, close it

#364

Post by ReidZB »

xorcist wrote: post #333
sundvor wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

PayPal is fantastic for transfers - when it works / as long as you're not hit by their "arbitrary bus".

I don't know about "fantastic", those fees are astronomical by any measure (3% where my bank would be free and an extra 3% on top of that for currency exchange spead where the bank is less than half) but it's often the only available alternative.

For transfers between "friends and family," there aren't any fees, which probably drives a non-negligible number of account creations. That said, if PayPal thinks your transaction is not between "friends and family" (despite being marked so), they won't hesitate to freeze those funds while they investigate. A couple years ago, I used to send my portion of rent to my roommate via PayPal, and they froze the funds once on him. Surprisingly, he was able to get them unfrozen pretty quickly.

That free transfer system in combination with being a "safer" payment option offered by some merchants makes PayPal pretty attractive to the average customer. And -- most of the horror stories come from merchants, not customers. Even though I try to avoid PayPal on principle, it's hard for me to convince my friends to care.

Re: If you opened your PayPal account before you were 18, close it

#365

Post by the-dude »

cerved wrote: post #329
_wmd wrote: post #282

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same is true in the UK, a direct debit instruction can be setup on an account using just the name, number and sort code, but it doesn't make us more wary, much in the same way that supplying one's home address is enough to take out lines of credit in that person's name

This sounds incredibly insecure, is it exploited much?

To do this, your business requires permission from your bank. If you abuse it, your bank will probably revoke your permission.

Re: If you opened your PayPal account before you were 18, close it

#366

Post by ReidZB »

wfunction wrote: post #138
delecti wrote: post #80

I only ever use Paypal as a wrapper around credit card transactions for merchants I trust enough to purchase from, but not necessarily enough to handle my credit card information directly. I can't say I've ever had a problem using them that way.

I'd worry about debit card fraud, not credit card fraud. I think the credit industry's managed to trick people into treating credit card numbers like very sensitive information whereas in reality they're not for consumers; they only are for the companies.

Having a CC number canceled and a new one issued can be a hassle. That's why I still want my CC info to be kept secret and safe. I'm not really worried about CC fraud otherwise.

Re: If you opened your PayPal account before you were 18, close it

#367

Post by [deleted] »

edem wrote: post #326
kbos87 wrote: post #241

If ever there was a single shining example of how not to treat your customers, PayPal is it. Every year or two there is another story of a different arcane rule they have in place that is enforced with zero human consideration, oftentimes to deprive people access to their funds. They don't learn from their mistakes, nor acknowledge them in the first place. I can't think of another company that has drummed up such bad…

What can I use instead of paypal?

[deleted]

Re: If you opened your PayPal account before you were 18, close it

#368

Post by loeg »

FireBeyond wrote: post #304
jjnoakes wrote: post #297

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should have set up post office address forwarding and had your replacement card sent to your original address so it could have been forwarded.

You know what you need to set up address forwarding? A charge to a debit card with the same billing address. Catch 22.

Any other payment method would also work.

Re: If you opened your PayPal account before you were 18, close it

#369

Post by loeg »

cryptarch wrote: post #348
loeg wrote: post #18

Just close your account if you have a PayPal account at all. They limit and freeze funds at random and good luck resolving it. OP, You can refund the funds to the sender less Paypal's 30¢ cut, I believe. That might be the best way to get the money back to your friend, and then they can re-send it to you with something sane like Google Wallet.

Thanks for the reminder, any tips on how to do this? I tried removing my debit account coupling but it refuses citing "a pending transaction" (no specific reference given). The "close my account" button takes me to an error message. I guess I'm spamming all their email addresses I can enumerate until this is resolved.

I've just logged out and deleted cookies. They won't let me actually close the account either, because it's "limited."
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