PayPal USA Community Chat 8/30 - Closed

[PayPal_Ashley]

Hey everybody!

Join the PayPal Community Forums moderation team in our weekly USA Community Chat on Wednesday, August 30th, from 3pm to 4pm CT (1pm-2pm PT).

Our moderator staff will be here to answer your questions regarding PayPal. This thread will remain locked until the chat is open, so if you have a question you'd like to see answered by the community before then, please feel free to post a topic by clicking on "Post a Topic" and selecting the appropriate board.  As always, PayPal customer service can be reached by clicking on "Contact Us" and selecting help via phone or email.

Please feel free to RSVP to the chat by clicking "Me too" at the bottom of this post.  See you then!

-Ashley

[PayPal_Ashley]

Hi everybody!

This week's USA Community Chat is now open and unlocked! 

Our moderator staff will be available for the next hour to answer your questions about PayPal. We do ask that posts follow the PayPal Community Help Forum Policy and the Forum Guidelines.

Once the session is over, this thread will be locked again, but you will be able to view the content in the forums.  This chat is a regular feature every Wednesday from 3pm to 4pm CT, so if you missed us this week, please feel free to stop by in the future! 

-Ashley

[mimikyuiloveyou]

Hello. On July 18th I sent $169 from my bank account to a gentleman in Taiwan. I got an e-mail asking why I sent him an eCheck. Converting my payment from my bank account to an eCheck was done without my knowledge or consent. I asked a CSR about this and was told that that was done because it was a “faster” payment method, which I know is untrue. I asked the CSR to note on my account that no money was to be sent via an eCheck again. On August 23rd, I sent the amount of $84 to the same gentleman. On August 28th, I got an e-mail enittled “Your eCheck Payment Cleared.” Again, this was done without my knowledge or consent. I would like to know if (a) this is an unannounced policy change by PayPal that any payment going from the U.S. to an Asian country is automatically changed to an eCheck, and (b) how do I stop my payments from being converted to an eCheck? Thank you.

[PayPal_Olivia]

---

@mimikyuiloveyou wrote:

Hello. On July 18th I sent $169 from my bank account to a gentleman in Taiwan. I got an e-mail asking why I sent him an eCheck. Converting my payment from my bank account to an eCheck was done without my knowledge or consent. I asked a CSR about this and was told that that was done because it was a “faster” payment method, which I know is untrue. I asked the CSR to note on my account that no money was to be sent via an eCheck again. On August 23rd, I sent the amount of $84 to the same gentleman. On August 28th, I got an e-mail enittled “Your eCheck Payment Cleared.” Again, this was done without my knowledge or consent. I would like to know if (a) this is an unannounced policy change by PayPal that any payment going from the U.S. to an Asian country is automatically changed to an eCheck, and (b) how do I stop my payments from being converted to an eCheck? Thank you.

---

Hi mimikyuiloveyou,

Thank you for joining our chat! I'm sorry to hear that there was any confusion regarding the method by which payments were sent. When sending an individual payment, there is a blurb that tells you the method of payment and the expected clearing date that should be read before clicking to complete the payment.

Each payment attempt is evaluated by our security system before it can be completed. The security system typically finds no issues and the payment is completed using the default payment method. However, the security system may in some cases determine that there is heightened risk and rule out certain methods of payment. If the credit card designated as the backup payment method is ruled out, Instant Transfer will not be an option for payment, and a bank-funded transfer will instead be set up as an eCheck.

I hope this helps shed some light on why some payments may be sent as eCheck. Please let me know if you have any follow-up questions.

Olivia

[mimikyuiloveyou]

Olivia - So if I don't agree to sending an eCheck, does that mean I can't make a payament? And what if the recipient refused to accept an eCheck? And I have no idea why my back-up credit card would be considered suspicious since the card is issued by a major bank, not a prepaid or debit card, and I have been a PayPal member for over 17 years. I would like to add that it appears that many Asian sellers on eBay will only accept payments through PayPal via a credit card or PayPal credit, which makes it appear that many eBay sellers are experiencing this same issue.

[PayPal_Olivia]

---

@mimikyuiloveyou wrote:

Olivia - So if I don't agree to sending an eCheck, does that mean I can't make a payament? And what if the recipient refused to accept an eCheck? And I have no idea why my back-up credit card would be considered suspicious since the card is issued by a major bank, not a prepaid or debit card, and I have been a PayPal member for over 17 years. I would like to add that it appears that many Asian sellers on eBay will only accept payments through PayPal via a credit card or PayPal credit, which makes it appear that many eBay sellers are experiencing this same issue.

---

If the only payment method offered in the transaction is eCheck, the payment would not be able to be completed without selecting that option, at least at that time. It could be tried again at a later time, and the factors will be re-evaluated, but there's no guarantee that the outcome will be different. 

The factors that the security system takes into account are many and varied, and are not limited to your account or your bank. If there is anything about the transaction that adds risk, immediate funds transfer methods may not be allowed, as a measure of protecting all parties involved.

Olivia

[laydeeluck]

i  need to purchase shipping for an item i sold via ebay. the customer paid for shipping but the value has been withheld until i ship the item...that's ridiculous. the funds were confirmed to have been received and i am purchasing shipping through paypal. since paypal charged me for their fee i should be able to use the funds the customer provided to pay for their shipment.

[laydeeluck]

i also just want to say this isnt a chat...this is not how chats work....and also i forgot to click the notify email box.  lol and also seven minutes is kinda long to wait for a "chat" response if youre only taking questions for an hour

[Bethcherkowsky]

I'd like to know why suddenly last week you gaw-awful phone tree decided she doesn't know me, not my last 4 of my social or my phone number or anyhint.  I've had an account since you were X.Com.  That's a heck of a way to break up with me.

I'm really not amused and the hold times lately are ridiculous.  1 1/2 hrs to 2 1/2 hrs on hold or for a call back?  I won't do that.  I'll find another allowed provider before I wait that long again.  WTH is going on? 

[laydeeluck]

i just got off the phone with their phone tree. it said they were experiencing a system error and hung up on me after getting to the hold portion of the call.  finally i just did the right combination of 0#'s that it gave me the option for a call back...in 1.5 hours.  but when i called using google voice on my laptop i got right through...weird right. unfortunately my browser didn't have permissions neccesary to actually speak to the rep because i forgot to approve them before calling using hangouts.  hrumph