Verification

[walt2]

When I signed up for PayPal 10 years ago or so I gave them a credit card from which to draw funds for items I purchased on eBay.  For the past 8 years or so I have maintained a balance in my PayPal account sufficient to pay for anything I purchased on eBay.

Since PayPal still has my original credit card information from which they can draw funds to pay for anything I purchase, why am I now being asked to give my checking account information?

[walt2]

Anyone?

PayPal_Adrian?

[PayPal_WarrenG]

walt2,

Since PayPal is an online institution, we are unable to verify a person's identity the same way that a bank would when they create a traditional bank account.  When you create a bank account, the banker assisting you asks to see identification, they ask for additional information from you, and they verify that information as they are creating your account.

This type of verification and security is one that gives PayPal additional trust in knowing our customers have been able to verify their identity as we allow them to continue to send funds greater than the original sending limit they had prior to verifying the PayPal account.

I understand the reluctance you may have with sharing this information and I understand that we have a longstanding relationship with you leading up to the sending limit.  This however, is a security measure we take to minimize the ability for people to misuse your information through our system and have additional confidence that we are actually helping you.

I hope this clarifies this situation for you a bit.   I understand that not everyone will feel comfortable with this action but it is a well planned security measure that we have successfully used for a long time.

I appreciate the opportunity to explain this for you.

PayPal_WarrenG

[meme8]

warren: i get what you are saying, but i have a question, if i put a savings account in., to become verified does that mean i can no longer use my visa cards to pay for my purchases. please a simple straight answer. from reading it looks like i cannot or each time i have to change my perferred payment type, will i get to choose the preferance or will pay pal block which payment i choose????

[hannah1942]

This is stuff and nonsense. There are ways to "verify" a user without requiring us to give our banking information which makes us vulnerable to identity theft when you all get hacked. You could require a letter from the bank acknowledging that we are who we say we are. You could confirm with the credit card company that extended us credit in the first place. This requirement to give you access to our banking information is an invitation to identify theft and hacking. At least with a credit card we have recourse but once we give out our banking information, we have none.

[Star0007]

I agree.  The risk for identify theft is incredibly higher with bank account information than a credit card.  Give one's banking information out to an online company?  I think not.

[Star0007]

Hi Warren,

Pay Pal does not have a long-standing relationship with me, but they might have one with the over 10,000. dollars that I have spent so far over the past years. 

It is not safe to give bank account information out to anyone.  That remains the reality of it.

After all, if you can't verify someone after a long record of successful business transactions, who can you verify?

I suspect PayPal has some different motives in collecting this information.

[freedomrydr]

I have a buyer with all the earmarks of a person I should not deal with, but because it is an international issue, there may be reasons, unknown to me that I should ship the item anyway. Here are examples of what I an dealing with for a sale on eBay to an unconfirmed, unverified buyer.

• Buyer is in Ireland
• Buyer has feedback score of 8
• Buyer has unconfirmed address
• Buyer has unverified PayPal account
• Buyer uses a FREE email account (Gmail)

This buyer did not follow the instructions given in the auction description, i.e., "buyers with feedback score below 10, and all international buyers MUST contact Seller before checkout for instructions on how to complete transaction".

Instead, the buyer just paid in full (not sure where they got the shipping info as it was not entered by me, (and turned out to be wrong anyway).

When I checked on their PayPal account, I found all of the above issues, Although there is a check mark in the "SHIP IT" box, I do not get a 'warm fuzzy' enough to ship the item with all these negative issues, and no guarantee that payment will not be reversed or item shipped to a phony address. I do not know the impact of a 'US unverified account" and find nothing in the help pages about it, and talking with 'SARAH', is like smashing your head into a wall.

Buyer claims that because he is international he cannot be confirmed or verified, yet in 10 years with eBay, I have never run into this problem before.

Can anyone tell me what are the ramifications of shipping the item to this person?

Thanks

~freedomrydr

[possumtoddy]

same problem here.i have been off ebay for about 11 years.had paypal then.now,do i have to have  a checking  or  savings  accountto get  paypal?

[Star0007]

I am having the same problem.  They want my bank information after years of success with the same credit card.  And I am trying to BUY things.