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PayPal shuts down long-time Tor supporter

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Re: PayPal shuts down long-time Tor supporter

#21

Post by nonbirithm »

I remember having my PayPal account locked for no specified reason, and they said because too much time had passed since it had been locked they would only reopen it if I physically mailed them a check with my bank information. Of course I refused such a ridiculous request and vowed never to use PayPal again.

Yet I was still forced to use PayPal for another retailer because the retailer's credit card processing was broken, so I had to create a new account. It's frustrating when you have to go through a middleman or external company that treats you like garbage instead of being able to use an established payment system that works.

Re: PayPal shuts down long-time Tor supporter

#23

Post by tssva »

lsaferite wrote: post #19
readflaggedcomm wrote: post #5

>This is the first time we have heard about financial persecution for defending internet freedom in the Tor community. But they don't know that. Paypal refuses to give details. He describes a second recipent, the hosting company, and there could be more. Paypal's fraud and crime detection is pitiful*, and their silence can cover both incompetence and malice. [*] https://slate.com/technology/2020/02/paypal-venmo-iran-…

> they don't know that Isn't that already covered by > first time we have heard about

Paypal has denied that funding of Tor nodes is the reason for closing the account so the EFF is making claims without any proof.

Re: PayPal shuts down long-time Tor supporter

#25

Post by dahart »

slownews45 wrote: post #11
tyingq wrote: post #7

I don't understand how it's legal for PayPal to hold his money for 180 days because they don't like the nature of his transactions. Kick him off their platform, sure...that's their prerogative. But why do they get to hold the money hostage?

Uh - because he may be ripping people off or people may file claims for a refund, and if they give it to the scammer it's hard to give get it back to make folks who got ripped off whole? This is 101 stuff. Credit card companies do this routinely as well. I'm hearing fyre festivals will be harder to get immediate payout on. Travel does this when businesses are near bust - credit card companies will hold funds.

> because he may be ripping people off or people may file claims for a refund

This is a reasonable argument in general, but it falls apart here because there was a human in the loop who knows why the account was disabled, and knows that it wasn’t for suspicion of scammy behavior, nor for suspicion of insufficient funds.

Re: PayPal shuts down long-time Tor supporter

#29

Post by sofixa »

tyingq wrote: post #12
slownews45 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Uh - because he may be ripping people off or people may file claims for a refund, and if they give it to the scammer it's hard to give get it back to make folks who got ripped off whole? This is 101 stuff. Credit card companies do this routinely as well. I'm hearing fyre festivals will be harder to get immediate payout on. Travel does this when businesses are near bust - credit card companies will hold funds.

It's a 20 year old account, and this activity doesn't seem to be new, or associated with fraud, etc. What aspect of what he's doing seems similar to Fyre? I don't understand the flippant tone.

And his account can be taken over by someone else, or his behaviour could change. Account age shouldn't be a huge determining factor.
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