Paypal attempted to withdraw cash from checking account without permission

[swampwiz]

I have a checking account registered with Paypal that I leave empty - registered simply because it seemed that I was requried to do this.  Thus, I never attempt to do any payment with this checking account.  I just made a few payments, and even though I had never authorized Paypal to do a withdrawl, evidently, Paypal did attempt to make a withdrawal, and with me getting stuck with an NSF fee from the checking account bank.  I was able to get it removed, but if it were to happen again, I would have no choice but to cancel that checking account as it would be a security risk.  As of yet, I have not submitted a formal complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, but I think that if Paypal does not allow me to remove my checking account, so as to not have this issue come up again, I will have no choice must submit that complaint.

I seem to notice that there is no way to set one method of payment (e.g., a credit card) as the default method, and thus it seems that Paypal has taken it upon itself to make that checking account as default.  Because of this lack of security - or perhaps just a case of Paypal being nefarious - I wish to simply remove the checking account so that I no longer have to deal with this issue.  I attempted to do this removal, but I get the message that it "cannot be done at this time".

So I attempt to send a message, but the message page is empty aside from the standard stuff at the top.  I attempt to get the phone number to call, but the page is also empty.  I don't what I am supposed to do.  I wonder if Paypal is now acting as a scam business; this is looking very suspicious.

[kernowlass]

@swampwiz

If you don't have any funds in your paypal account balance then your bank account is automatically the default funding source.

And when you click to pay for an item it clearly states at the top left of the page what funding source will be used.

If it shows as your bank account then you need to click on ''change'' during the payment process and selecting your card instead.

You need to do that for every transaction as your bank account will remain your default funding source.

Pointless complaining as that is paypals policy, see below.

www.paypal.com/gb/selfhelp/article/When-I-make-a-payment,-where-does-the-money-come-from-FAQ2013/1

Also if you remove your bank account then you may have sending / withdrawing limits replaced on to your paypal account.

All you need to do is remember to swap your payment source to a card each time you check out to buy something.

[swampwiz]

No, this is fraud. I think I will file complaint with the authorities, and look for an alternative company to do business with.