[nheather]

Just a rant really to get it off my chest - I'm confident it will be sorted out eventually - so please feel free to ignore.

On Saturday, I tried to buy an online Guitar tuition course that my son wanted and opted to use PayPal. Trouble is during the purchase process (which was akin to building a shopping basket) the retailer kept offering extras at discount.

I couldn't decide on the spot whether I wanted them or not so cancelled the purchase to think about it offline.

I went through this 3 times in all as extra products were offered but at no time did I feel that I had completed the purchase, gone to checkout or confirmed payment.

Trouble is the way the site works (pretty badly) is that as soon you select something then the retailer's banking agent goes off and takes money from your PayPal account.

Again although I had logged into PayPal I had never got to the Pay Now option.

So having not bought anything, I was surprised to see emails confirming 3 PayPal receipts.

So I contacted

My Credit Card company
The Retailer
The Retailer's Banking Agent
and PayPal (big mistake)

As it turns out, my credit card company are very good and will refund the payments after 30 days.

The retailer's banking agent are pretty good - they have sent emails saying that they are processing refunds for the 3 amounts

Never heard from the retailer

But PayPal!!!!

Three days after the event, they decided that as my account had been compromised (no it wasn't) they would lock down my account.

I can't use it and more importantly they say that I can't receive payments into it so god knows what will happen to refunds that the Banking Agents are sending!!!!

So what do I do. I followed all their steps - changing passwords, security questions and responding to the automated telephone check but still it is locked.

I look closer only to see that the last step is that PayPal will send a letter to my address and when it arrives there will be a code which can use to unlock my account.

But this could take a week or more and in the meantime, PayPal say I can't receive payments - I assume that the refunds therefore, won't turn up.

I've tried to ask PayPal what will happen, but although they publicise a telephone number and even state it will be recorded it only has automated responses - no way that I can see of speaking to a human.

Just very very frustrating.

Cheers,

Nigel

[dognosh]

nigel, this is truly frustrating, I agree
But it is in our own interest that they do it like this , it is basically called a "lockdown" which is a term I believe used in security breaches in the IT world , have patience and all should be back to normal soon.I would rather they did this
(p.s. can you not use another card in the meantime?)

The offending website's transaction procedure sounds really dire

[nheather]

@dognosh

Yep, appreciate that I will get my account back.

Also have plenty of other payment options so that isn't a problem.

My concern is that the retailer's bank has said that they have processed refunds which will go back to my PayPal account, but the PayPal lockdown says that I cannot receive payments whilst it is locked down.

I'm not sure whether this means that I won't get the refunds and not being able to speak to anyone at PayPal to confirm what will happen just confounds my frustration.

Cheers,

Nigel

[city fan]

But your bank said they'd refund you after 30 days and you made the purchases Saturday. So it'll be around 20th November before the funds go in. You should get your code latest next wee to reopen your account. No worries

If you're still concerned call your bank, tell them the problem and ask them to hold off until you are up and running.

[daveleeuk]

I HATE PayPal, with a passion.

They are so buyer biased it's almost unbelievable. Covering their backs to protect buyers by screwing sellers over.

There customer service is beyond a joke, you ask them a question and they give you a totally irrelevant 'robotic' answer, I asked the same question over and over again and still achieved nothing:

I sold someone a Sega Mega Drive, they opted to have it sent Royal Mail Standard Parcels as it's cheaper, than say Special Delivery (which i offered). So I sent it out that day, standard parcels, kept proof of postage (which PayPal advises you do), buyer a couple weeks later claims they never recieved it, so they file a complaint against me (bear in mind I have had almost 200 100% satisfied customers i.e. not 1 negative or even nuetral f/b), he started sending me abusive emails saying how i'm a con etc.

So I say to PayPal I have proof of postage, they completely ignore me and my proof, couple weeks later they say you can't use proof of postage on standard parcels... how lame is that? surely that proves I posted an item to his address?

They have their priorities all wrong.

Basically if you ever want a free item on Ebay get it posted standard parcels and you can get it for nothing!

I will never sell again on Ebay using PayPal

[nheather]

But your bank said they'd refund you after 30 days and you made the purchases Saturday.

It's my credit card, but true they did say this. But it was only verbal and I wonder whether they will do it in reality. They are basing this on the rule that if you order goods from a retailer and they fail to deliver them then after 30 days the credit card company will refund the payment.

I'm just wondering that when the time comes 'the penny will drop' with the Credit Card company and they will realise that the payment didn't go to the retailer but to an intermediary (in fact two). There still may not be an issue but I wouldn't be surprised to find that puts a different light on the problem and what they are prepared to do about it. All three amounts are also less than £100 so this may be an issue aswell.

Cheers,

Nigel

[city fan]

I still think you'll be ok. You do have protection with credit card, don't know the limits though. It may take a little more time with what you say.

You can prove that you have not received the goods from the seller, so you will get a refund.

[nheather]

I think most credit card protection (including mine) applies to purchases over £100, but in may be done on a case by case basis.

The thing that bugs me is not knowing (and not being able to even ask the question) what PayPal will do with the refunds when they turn up whilst my account is locked.

Do they reject them, accept them but return them to the sender, keep them in safe keeping for me or keep them themselves?

Cheers,

Nigel

[nheather]

Update,

Did manage to speak to a human and PayPal and they understood my problem and were very easy to talk to.

Followed his suggestions but not entirely sure whether it has moved things on or made them more complicated.

Apparently, as soon as the dispute was filed, payment is held - so whilst it had been presented to my CC it was in a state of 'awaiting authoristion'.

Therefore, the retailer's bank would not have received funds which suggests that their offer to refund would never have happened in reality.

Paypal advised that I close the dispute, so that funds can go onto the retailer's bank who can in turn refund them.

Paypal also say that thay edited my account so that it will be able to receive these refunds even if my account is limited.

Cheers,

Nigel