posted on November 22, 2000 03:18:47 AM new
*** PAYPAL UPDATE ***
I was looking for Paypal's phone number and I came across this old thread. Here's an update. Six weeks later, and my account is still locked up over a $15 package that was lost in the mail. I was lucky enough to get my money out before it happened, but a few payments have trickled in from late-payers and customers who ignored my invoice instructions.
Six weeks later, and Paypal continues to accept payments in my name. They notify my customers that the payments were "transferred" to my account. I can not access the account. I can not refuse the payments or issue refunds to customers. I've been strong-armed into sending out six weeks worth of auction goods without receipt of payment.
Think it can't happen to you? All it takes is one customer complaint, even a bogus $15 dispute.
I have repeatedly instructed Paypal via email to refund the money to the scammer. I've already spent MORE on toll calls to Paypal than the original disputed amount of $17. (If I recall correctly, their customer support number is in Virginia, not Palo Alto.) Paypal has ignored my instructions, and is now threatening to downgrade my account from "frozen" to "locked." (Whatever that means.)
Sample email correspondance (over a two week period:
Paypal: "Should we issue a refund from your account?" Me: "I've already asked you to do that several times." Paypal: "Since you refuse to refund the money, we will be forced to lock your account."
I kid you not.
Don't worry, folks. There's only $200 dollars in the Paypal account. But true to form, Paypal ignored their own terms of service regarding disputes. The customer refused to fill out an insurance claim form. If Paypal had followed their own TOS, this matter would have been settled a month ago, and my insurance would have covered it.
I'm through waiting for Paypal to take care of this. I'm looking for their street address right now. Palo Alto is just a few miles from my home. If you know Paypal's address, email me at [email protected]. I will go down there and rattle their cages. Whatever the result, I intend to take the gloves off.
In looking around for Paypal's street address, I found that they are not registered with any of the internet yellow pages or reverse-lookups I used. Their web site provides only a post office box number. No street address, no telephone number. Talk about your fly-by-nights.
If you're still using Paypal, think about this. What kind of bank or financial institution does business via a post office box? Paypal claims to handle six million dollars in transactions every day, yet they give customers a post office box number? They want to handle my money, they want me to be verified, even imply that I'm dishonest if I don't give them my bank account number. But they won't even give me a phone number. If you're still with Paypal, get out quick before this happens to you.
posted on November 22, 2000 04:31:26 AM new
Twinsoft~~~
According to whois.net, the name and address is:
Confinity, Inc.
394 University Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301
I think Confinity was the "parent" company when they first came online
Will we be reading about you on the nightly news?
Losing your mind is okay, but when the voices in your head get quiet, it is like losing your best friend.
posted on November 22, 2000 06:39:00 AM new
Can you get in to change your e-mail address so that people can't arbitrarily send money to your PP account?
I have seen a lot about people being unable to close their PP accounts too.
posted on November 22, 2000 06:54:18 AM new
I do not know what the problem is with the Paypal gloom-and-doom complainers, but I just went and signed into to the PayPal site and had a 24 hour customer service number in a second. I just clicked on customer service and there it was (888) 221-1161 ...unfortunately, it does require the ability to read and a clear head and not to have the predispostion to slam and belittle a company.
posted on November 22, 2000 08:13:50 AM new
Actually, I think it's time for me to close our account with PP since they are near neck and neck with our conventional cc company and continue to raise the interest payment levels.
posted on November 22, 2000 11:01:43 AM new
Just as an aside, sometimes toll free numbers do not work if you are calling within a certain distance of the toll free number.
Sometimes the toll free number is only good out of state, sometimes only good if in state. Depends on how the number was set up.
posted on November 22, 2000 12:21:14 PM newmark090, that number is Paypal's business department. That number does not provide customer support. The customer support number (as given by the business dep't.) is (402) 935-7733. That's a TOLL call to Omaha, Nebraska.
Paypal's office is about five miles from my home. But to get customer support, I need to call half-way across the U.S. As I'm writing this, I've been on hold for 10 minutes. Should I really pay an additional $10 so that Paypal can give me the run-around by phone?
Toolady, I don't think you'll be seeing me on the nightly news. But if you hear about a bearded man atop Stanford's Hoover Tower, taking potshots towards University Ave., think kindly of me.
(Later.)
Well, I spoke with a supervisor. She told me my account is not and never was restricted. Oh, boy. This keeps going from bad to worse. This is so totally bogus.
I just tried to withdraw funds from my account. When I click the submit button, I just get bumped back to the previous screen. Obviously, the account is still restricted because payments are being automatically accepted (flagged as completed).
