Unauthorized Payments to Microsoft Corporation

[Deaddoll00]

I was wondering if anyone has exerienced this:  Last night, I received an email notifying me that several charges had been made on my Paypal account on July 3d (I had a balance on it, which was used on these charges) that I had not authorized or heard of, paying to "The Microsoft Corporation". These are several charges, specifically:

$4.99

$19.99

$49.99

$4.99

$19.99

I've already filed a fraud claim with the Resolution Center, but wanted to document here and also ask if anyone was having the same experience? The transaction details provide zero information aside from the fact that the charges were paid to the "Microsoft Corporation" and a long distance "customer service" contact number, **remove number**.

[2qwik2katch]

Last night I received an email saying that someone had sent me a payment in the amount of $54.97 USD.  I also received an email about a receipt for my payment to Microsoft Corporation in the amount of $54.11.  Then the payment that the other person sent me was reveresed leaving me with a negative balance.  I opened a claim with paypal because I know I did not authorize Microsoft any transaction.  I removed my bank account and tried to remove my credit card but it would not let me.  It is obvious that a lof of people are having a problem with this scam.  I hope my issue will get resolved soon.

[Worm]

I've got another to add to the list. Just 2 hours ago I was sent 83 USD from some account that I didn't know, this transaction was then disputed 5 minutes later. In the same minute as the 83 dollar transaction, I got notified that my account sent 74.99 USD to this "Microsoft Corporation" account.

I've set up disputes on all transactions and hopefully everything will go well. Why hasn't paypal shut down this Microsoft Corporation account?

[viviase]

Happened to me Aug 8, 2 41.00 payments made into account, 1 49.99 made out, the first of the 41. payments was held, email saying so was in the same minute as the you've got money, so 8.99 got taken from my credit card.

I changed password and questions on my account, sent a dispute, and removed the credit cards. Today the payment that went through was reversed, my dispute does not show in the resolution center. On further research, I sent another, noting that Microsoft does not appear to take paypal payments, the contact number is microsoft's international PR number, no one a customer would call, but a reporter from another country, the billing description is "E. Ave." (empire avenue? if so unrelated to microsoft) etc.

This is obviously a fraudulent account, and paypal is negligent in allowing accounts to be set up with major company names like microsoft without automatically placing a hold on the account creation or name change until a live person contacts the corporation to verify.

[bluntmanchronic]

So Paypal Mods are simply going to ignore this problem?

[viviase]

Worse, paypal is not even showing evidence on my account, after opening disputes 2 times about it, that there is even a dispute. No investigating, no claim denied or anything. If the account the money is going to IS microsoft, then I guess it's for a service, and it looks like the terms of paypal mean no fraud protection when services are involved.

Actually, If I don't get something more from paypal on this, some kind of response by tomorrow, I'm thinking I'll have to take it up with my bank, it is disturbing that paypal is not even claiming to be investigating.

[wulfom]

To anyone having trouble resolving their dispute:

I highly recommend calling paypal, and not trying to resolve this solely online.  You will save youself a lot of time and hassle.

They're customer service was very knowledgable and helpful for me (though you will likely talk to a general customer service rep first and then be transferred to someone who specializes in this sort of thing). They can make sure your claim is going through and can answer your questions.

As I've mentioned, I had this exact same thing happen to me, and it took two weeks to get my money back, BUT I got it back.

Also, paypal will likely freeze your account as a precaution, maybe even after your claim was resolved (since ultimately they are on the hook for the money that is stolen from you). And to resolve this, it is easiest to call them than to go through the online steps.

[rlin81]

Its not fake Microsoft. Mine was real microsoft. Someone hacked my xbox account or something and was using that to buy Fifa cards and then selling them ?

[Kabob72]

Hmm, glad to know I am not the only one this has happened to. I haven't used my Paypal acct in a couple of years. On Aug. 9th I recieved a notification email from Paypal letting me know that someone named ALEXANDER <removed>from Germany had made a $90.00 payment to my Paypal acct. At the same time I recieved an email reciept of a payment made to Microsoft Corporation for $74.99.

Since I haven't used my account for anything in a while, I just assumed this was some kinda phishing emails, so I forwarded the two emails to their spoof/phishing department. About 30 mins later, I recieved an email from Paypal requesting me to change my password and security questions...which my husband did automatically upon hearing about what had happened. I then logged into my acct out of curiosity and checked the history, lo and behold these unauthorized transactions were showing up. It showed the payment of $90 made to my acct, then cancelled, along with the Microsoft charge. When I tried to file a dispute, it also gave me an Invalid transaction number error. That's when I decided to call Paypal and talk to an agent, and filed an unauthorized dispute.

My account is now in the negative, as the payment method I have on file with Paypal has no funds at the time....thankfully. So I haven't actually lost any money at this point...but I don't intend to either. So since it would not allow me to delete my payment information because my Paypal acct has a negative balance, I took matters into my own hands and called the financial institute associated with my card and told them what happened, and requested that card to be deactivated..which they did.

I hope Paypal clears this up for everyone, and finds out who is doing this!

[StephT10]

This just happened to me... Unforutantely customer service is closed and I have to call ASAP when they open.  NOT COOL!

[rlin81]

Happened to me too today on 8/19/2011

74.99 

49.99

I googled it to see what from microsoft cost 74.99 and it was xbox live.

Went on Live and checked my purchase history and it was there.

Someone used my account to purchase 6000 points and then 4000 points and then purchased a **bleep** load of premium gold jumbo packs for what seems to be fifa ultimate team 11.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_11

I reported on paypal and you can also report it to microsoft but they want the console id and serial number so get that ahead of time in myxbox system settings console settings and system info.