Do I HAVE to link a card or bank account to my PayPal in order to use the service?

[Melsyn78]

As my question asks.  I don't buy anything for more than I have in my account and I always choose the option to pay with my PayPal balance.   Why do I need to link anything?  I'm unemployed, an unpaid family caregiver and any funds I get are usually gifts from family or friends.  Therefore, I don't have a bank account.  So is it possible to use PayPal without linking to cards or bank accounts?

[PayPal_Siobhan2]

Hi Melsyn78,

Thank you for contacting the PayPal Community Forum and welcome as a new member!

You will be required to add and confirm a bank/card at some stage on your PayPal account. Although it may not be requested from you straight away, we do need to complete a verification process for Compliance Regulations and part of this process would be confirming financial information. 

Your bank/card is also required as a back up funding source. Should the funds in your PayPal account balance fail to complete then we would request the funds from the back up funding source registered with PayPal. 

- Siobhan