How far it is safe to use Paypal to make payment

[Rav06]

Hi Everyone

I felt disappointed with the way PayPal has been handling my complaints and request for refunds from unscrupulous scammers who cheated me by putting misleading ADs on Facebook. I made several purchases through those ads and they all happened to be scammers and three of them have posted me wrong items on purpose-I say on purpose because they are not even close to those items I bought through PayPal. When I made a request for refund all the sellers are very reluctant to communicate because i did not receive a quick response and two of them have asked me to return the item I received for a refund. S o who pays for the postage? Ad on top PayPal sent me an email giving me a deadline to return the item and provide them with a tracking number. How on earth can I afford to pay for postage for the mockery of bad sellers. Instead of taking severe sanctions against those sellers Paypal is abiding by their request.

So all those reading my notes please be aware even if you make online purchase do not always expect a refund for bad transaction from sellers

[Romaec24]

PayPal has become a toothless tiger. I am currently experiencing exactly what you went through.

Purchased what was claimed to be a pallet lot of up to 50pcs tools on Facbook and received a no-name brand $3.00 electric screwdriver. The buyer tried to convince me that I was lucky to receive the screwdriver at all. They also kept claiming that they lost money on the transaction.

I asked PayPal admin to step in and assist and they have basically sided with the seller insisting they I send them a shipping doc for the return of the item before they will sort out the refund. I tried to contact PayPal admin by replying to the email they sent me, but it bounced back as undeliverable.

This is the second time this year that PayPal did not protect me from unscrupulous sellers either on eBay or Facebook.

So much for using PayPal and it's so-called protection and cover guarantee.

[kernowlass]

@Romaec24 

Chinese Web Sites or on Social Media ads easy to spot (once you know the below signs) so buyer beware.

Paypal would not be able to check every individual seller / merchant / company in over 200 countries worldwide that adds paypal to their website to accept payments.

So they give you 'some' buyer protection but the onus is on you to risk assess your transactions.

They do stop bad companies from using Paypal when enough claims start rolling in.
However as they are in China (mostly) then its easy for them to just start over with a new name, so stopping them does not really do anything.

The best thing is to not buy from them in the first place, to recognise them -

1. No return address on the returns policy. The site will look as if its in your country (where they despatch goods from) but they will ask for returns to go back to China (returns depot) at a shipping cost often more than the item is worth.
2. No contact telephone number. if you click on contact the most you will get is webmail or an email address.
3. Rarely company address information.
4. Great pictures of items at bargain prices that turn out to be tat.
5. Fake reviews.
6. Google and you can often see previous company names as they change them once enough claims roll in and Paypal stop them using their services and start over.
7. Send fake tracking numbers to win item non receipt of item claims.

In the event of a dispute you choose your seller and not Paypal so you need to bear in mind possible return trackable costs before you go ahead and buy from that seller / country.

Paypal state this >>
IMPORTANT: You may be required to return the item to the seller or other party we specify as part of the settlement of your claim. PayPal Buyer Protection does not entitle you to reimbursement for the return shipping costs that you may incur.

Although they will compensate you for some of the cost if you have activated this at some point before you made that transaction.
https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/FAQ3544

You also have the option to do a chargeback via your card issuer instead of a Paypal dispute if you funded your Paypal payment via a credit card.

[AfathYan]

Paypal should have data, which is a scammer. And release the money to the 'scammer' once items are received. I made a report after an hour of paying thru Paypal because after I made a purchase, I did the research for the seller company, and it scammer. However, Paypay's reply not covers the unauthorized payment. To me, if the money is yet to release to the so call scammer, we should deserve the refund protection. But it is 'nothing' from PayPal, I don know what to say.

[kernowlass]

@AfathYan 

Paypal does not provide an escrow service and no seller is going to send an item before being paid.

The idea is you read up on what buyer protection paypal provide and then risk assess your own transactions.