Shutdown after 20 years

[dianegracely]

I've been a Paypal business member for almost 20 years. In March they limited my account for violating their policies because I started

selling vape pens. I did not know selling vapes were against their policies. They refuse to give me another chance and allow me to keep

my PayPal account. They are also holding my balance for 6 months. This is insane. I am disabled and on social security disability. I had

to close my online business due to this, and I now have no other income. I have bills to pay just like everyone else.

I am in the process of starting another online business, I got another merchant account. BUT I want my money that's owed to me by

PayPal. There is NO reason they should hold our money hostage for 6 months.

I was and still am very upset that PayPal shut me down without warning and would not even give me a chance and allow me to keep

my account. I told them I was SORRY for violating their policies and that I would NOT sell vapes ever again. They will NOT even allow 

me to speak to someone in the department that handles this type of problem. I just can't believe, 20 years, and no second chance.

They just shut me down and now refuse to give me my balance for 6 months.

[Anonymous_User]

I am in a similar situation to you Diane, they started with tempering with my account, luckily I have proof of items sent such as post office receipts with tracking numbers and screenshots.

Paypal business model is simply robbing one person to pay another, I have heard all counter arguments such as - is it right for paypal to pay out of their pocket for disputes? Well this is what insurance companies are for and under good FSA regulations, paypal should have an insurer for such cases.

But sellers making good profit wouldn't jeopardise their business, hence they'll adhere to paypal's policies. But these policies weren't put in place in the interest of ''fairness''.

100% of sellers would stop any activity that would jeopardise their business just as paypal would. If paypal takes the initiative to warn sellers before hand. More so give a second chance. The diagnostics items I was selling were genuine, I have manufacturers part number / upc numbers etc to proof genuinity.

I called in to speak with a customer service rep whom only gave his name as John, if the transaction that led to my permanent account limitation was safe to proceed with, he assured me this transaction was safe to proceed with. Then I received an email from Paul a day later stating my account has been permanently limited as a result of this same transaction. 

You have my passport, you've verified my identity, you know my address, so why would I do anything untold.

paypal uses this policy violation tricks, to rob one customer to Pay another, Paypal seize monies from limited account to loan others on their business loan offering, how else do they get those loan funds? paypal then makes profit and possibly pay back these limited account funds or sometimes they don't. This is unfair business practice!

I am still waiting for paypal to get back to me, I deserve an apology for break down of communication within paypal, a re-instating of my account with my fund made instantly available, otherwise,  if I am going down then I'll take paypal down with me, I'll expose their unfair business practices on financial news outlet, the BBC, the Financial Times, CNN and I'll post proof, all over the internet. This will be my cause henceforth.

Paypal shouldn't have a carte blanche to do as they please with customers fund.

[dianegracely]

@Anonymous_User OMG yes, you said it well. Thank you! And what gives this PayPal VOLUNTEER the right to talk to us the way she is here in this community? Reading the posts from her I was like "WOW" really? She talks to us business owners like we are dog meat being gobbled up by a starving dog.

And for her to compare my business to a business in business for 2 days with PayPal to my PayPal business account and being in business for 20 years is INSANE. I as well as many other long time businesses and PayPal account holders SHOULD be given a second chance.

I have been scammed out of money several times over the years selling on eBay and that's why I quit selling on eBay and got my own website quite a few years ago. PayPal and eBay don't care about the people who have brought them in a lot of money over 20 years of having a business account with them.

In the 20 years of me having a PayPal business account I rarely ever had any chargebacks or people requesting refunds. Let alone people filing cases against me for anything. I am a 20+ year business owner and PROUD of it. If I was doing something wrong I would NOT still be in business 20 years later.

I could go on and on here but it's NOT worth my time. "Paypal doesn't stand up for the good guys," they are just like eBay... 'they stand up for the bad guys.' And in my book, PayPal SHOULD be giving longtime (20+ years) business account holders a SECOND CHANCE.

I admit to selling a vape pen, I did NOT know I was violating their policies. I should have been given a chance, I would have gladly STOPPED and abided by their policies because as a business owner for 20 years, I did NOT want to LOSE my PayPal account.

Over the years I've had many offers from other merchant account companies BUT I stayed LOYAL to PayPal and always told other companies "DON'T Call me again, I'm NOT interested, I'm HAPPY with PayPal."

SHAME on PAYPAL for their BAD practices and taking advantage of business owners and their money.

[kernowlass]

@dianegracely

Err, excuse me, I have the right to my opinion just as you have.

What makes you think that I don't have that right? This is a community forum and I am one of the community.

Does the fact that I disagree with you give you the right to be rude about me?

Also I did not take it that you actually meant I was getting the interest on your frozen funds, it was a joke as to how you had written it HENCE THE SMILEY WINK EMOJI.

I have not talked to you rudely, I just expressed my opinion and that is that I think if a Paypal account has been limited (for whatever reason), then I do not see anything wrong with Paypal freezing your funds for 180 days to protect buyers money.

And for your information I also run a business and accept Paypal.

The difference being if I do something wrong and they limit my account then I will understand why my funds would be frozen as well.

[dianegracely]

@kernowlass this is not just about Paypal freezing my funds. This is about PayPal giving long time LOYAL business account owners a second chance. I was not given a chance to speak nor say I was sorry I violated their policy ONE time. I was NOT given a second chance, and after being a LOYAL PayPal business account holder for 20 years, I feel I deserve a second chance. I earned PayPal a lot of money over the past 20 years. GOOD business owners should NOT be punished, they should be given a second chance. They should be allowed to APPEAL their case and explain and apologize for violating PayPal policies over something so minor. I was told by PayPal that I could NOT even speak to ANYONE at PayPal about this because "THAT DEPARTMENT" does not even have a phone number, the ONLY thing I could do was EMAIL them and I was given an email address to which I did send a couple of emails to and NEVER even received a RESPONSE from them. That's SAD, a 20 year business account holder can not even SPEAK to someone at PayPal to TRY to make things right. I would have happily STOPPED selling the ONE product that I sold that violated their Acceptable Use Policy when I found out I did wrong.

YES I should have READ the policy and known I was NOT allowed to sell vape pens, BUT I didn't. EVERYONE makes mistakes in life. After 20 years of being a LOYAL PayPal business account holder, I should have been given a chance. 

IF PayPal keeps shutting down long time businesses like mine, SOMEONE is going to FILE a LAWSUIT against PayPal and I think I should be the one to do it. 😉 I know some good attorney's here in Florida, it's time to call them. I'm SURE they'd be HAPPY to take on a case against PayPal that could earn them a hefty amount of money in a settlement. 🙂

[kernowlass]

@dianegracely

Well yes I see your point on that one.

Paypal rarely give 'reasons' for account limitations and don't give you the chance to explain or a second chance (sometimes).

And yes I also agree that contacting customer services is pretty poor at times.

My issue was with holding funds of limited accounts which we seem to disagree on.

So best to agree to disagree on this one.

[Anonymous_User]

@dianegracely please do file a lawsuit. Your expected outcome from the court should be;

1) PayPal cannot permanently limit a customers account after full verification, because it's impossible to buy or sell online without paypal in this day and age, its akin to violating a basic right.

2) PayPal cannot hold customers fund for more than 14 days, in the UK businesses are required to have a 14 days return policy within which a customer can ask for refund or return the goods for whatever reason. Hence a chargeback after 14 days shouldn't be honoured.

I am still waiting to hear from paypal, I am sure I'll receive my money currently being held, but I want my paypal account reinstated, this is what I'll expect the courts to make paypal do. The car diagnostics item I was selling is genuine.

My supplier told me today, it may be the brand owner reporting me for under cutting price, well ebay should be proud of my business more sales equals more final value fees and so should paypal, as most buyers want a bargain on ebay.

[dianegracely]

@kernowlass oh and take notice, I am a NEW Community Member... yes I am and that's because I have never in my 20 years of being a PayPal business account holder had problems with Paypal. I never had the need to join the community to ask questions or dispute anything, etc... UNTIL NOW.

I JOINED this community so that I could SHARE my unjustly story about PayPal's UNFAIRNESS to long time business account holders. I want others to SEE and READ about how PayPal treats their 20 year LOYAL business members. 🙂 Everyone deserves to KNOW the TRUTH, and know about PayPal's wrongdoing. And to let others KNOW that PayPal does NOT give second chances even to those of us who have been LOYAL PayPal business account members for 20 years.

[kernowlass]

@dianegracely

Yes I am aware you have had a business account for 20 years, you have said so often so I was fully aware that you were only new to the community.

Not sure what that has to do with anything to be honest.

Only Paypal 'know' why you were limited after so long but again they must think it was justified as they do not want to limit accounts.............they lose money............and making money is what Paypal is all about.

Also Paypal does give second chances as we have seen on this community numerous times when someone has appealed a limitation and been granted one.

The fact they haven't given you a second chance is between you and Paypal really and no one can know why.

[dianegracely]

@kernowlass permanently limiting my business account after 20 years of being a member is NOT justified over selling only a "few" of ONE single product (vape pens) that violated their Acceptable Use Policy. How would YOU feel if they SHUT YOU DOWN after 20 years for selling JUST ONE product that violated policies? I took a huge HIT to my income thanks to this. It took me awhile to find another merchant account company that I trusted. BUT, thanks to being approved by many, I got to choose which one I think I can trust.

[kernowlass]

@dianegracely

Whether its justified or not is up to Paypal to decide.

We are going around in circles and I have better things to do.

Good luck going forward with your business minus Paypal.