No Support With Unauthorized Transaction

mustleavenow
New Community Member

After being a member for 17 years, I was disappointed that PayPal provided so little help in my claim of an unauthorized transaction.

Just a few days after linking a new cc (as my 'secondary' payment choice), I received a notification that a $550 purchase from BestBuy had been made through PayPal using my newly linked cc.

I new that I obviously had not purchased anything from BestBuy and checked my account at BestBuy which confirmed I hadn't purchased anything online or instore in over three years.

I filed a claim for 'Unauthorized Charge' to my cc with PayPal. They acknowledged and said they would investigate.

A few days later they notified me that my claim was denied, the purchase was not unauthorized and that the purchase met my spending 'pattern'. 

So, as far as they were concerned it was over.

I removed that cc from my payment methods, contacted my bank to block/cancel the card.

I gave further info to PayPal and appealed to them to reconsider and help me investigate further. They responded promptly, but with 'Appeal Denied'.

I continued my own investigation.

The PayPal 'purchase' listed a BestBuy item number so I tried looking into that to at least see what someone had stolen from me.

To make a long story short, BestBuy has a very helpful method of getting a copy of a sales receipt based on entering an item number, your last name, and your phone number. But, you have to be on their site as a 'guest' not logged into your BB account.

I entered a few variations, and boom... the receipt popped up with correct invoice number also as I later discovered.

A slimey thief in Southern California zip area 907XX (I live in Northern California zip area 954XX) made a 'purchase' of two sets of Apple Pro Ear Buds for $550. They were ready for the guy to pick up at the store. Fortunately, BestBuy allowed me to CANCEL the transaction before he got there to, pick them up. BestBuy also IMMEDIATELY refunded the full $550 back to my cc via PayPal.

 

To me it seems like PayPal's criteria for 'authorized' transaction is lacking. Or, worse yet, the use weak algorithms when using 'pattern of spending' to determine the legitimacy of a purchase.

And, to so abruptly decline an appeal for help is just insulting.

 

So, I can't stay with a service that treats members like this. I know they won't miss me, but I've found that I can get better (and quicker) support directly from the cc company itself.

 

I will now delete as much info from the site as I can and then close my account.

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