Locked Account due to being underage when account was made.

[Caroline-g]

Yesterday I was notified that PayPal had suspended my account due to "suspicious activity". I was alarmed as I frequently use PayPal to purchase items and sell my things on the Depop app. I had just received payment from a person buying shoes from my depop account before this PayPal email came through. They requested I prove my identity so I sent a picture of my drivers license.

Today, I received an email from Paypal saying they have locked my account NOW because I was underage when I made the account in 2016?

I am currently 20 years old so why are they all of a sudden blocking me from using my account?!

Fair enough if back in the day, I didn't read all the terms and conditions but I never remember lying about my age or DoB and have been using this service for a number of years!

What other action can I take? I am not waiting 180 days for my account to be reviewed just so I can receive money which is rightfully mine!

[PayPal_Donna]

Hi Caroline-g,

Welcome to the PayPal community and thank you for your post.

As you were under 18 when you opened this PayPal account, it will remain permanently limited and you will not be able to use it again. If you have now come of age, you can open another PayPal account using a different email address. If you have any financial information on the limited account, you can send us a request from the message Centre of your PayPal account asking that we release these so they can be added to the new account. You will find the Message Centre here. 

-Donna

[Caroline-g]

Thankyou for the advice,

I did create a new account for PayPal in order to carry this through.

Unfortunately I've emailed and emailed several times and I still have no answers. It's been over a week and all I get is the automated emails that aren't helpful, to which, I reply to as it suggests and I am left with nothing.

I would really like access to the money just sitting in my old account as soon as possible. I am still confused to why they have decided to block my old account as I am 20 years old now and had been using the service for a number of years.

Thanks, Caroline.

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@Caroline-g 

They block any accounts that were made when the account owner was underage as soon as they find out that that was the case.

As you can't open an account until you are 18 then a previously opened account is not a legal account hence you need to open another.

To get your funds give them a call?

Click on the words "Help / Contact" at the bottom of paypals pages and use the phone option in the blue band at the top OR very bottom of page dependent on what country you are in. Scroll down past the list of help questions and click on 'Call us' bottom of that page. Log in and get the code.
Freephone from a UK landline or UK mobile number.

OR

have you considered contacting Customer Service via Facebook or Twitter?
You can send them a personal message from their facebook or twitter pages.
It's: https://www.facebook.com/PayPalUK and @AskPayPal for Twitter.