Downgrade PayPal from Business to Personal

[gringos]

Currently, my PayPal account is a business account. I really don't know why I chose to register it as a business account sometimes last year because I don't operate any business. I live in Africa and it being my first time into freelancing, I thought that a personal account is just used for shopping and the ideal account that I required was a business one. I'm a freelancer and I use the account to receive payment from my freelancing activity from just  one single company. However, about a fortnight ago, I received a notification from PayPal that I should supply them with additional details to verify my business. This was the very time that I realized that my account was a business one. 

For brevity purposes, I don;t operate a business and I would like my PayPal account to be downgraded to a personal one. I have emailed the PayPal customer support team several times in the past week, but not a single response. Calling them is an option out of scenario. I simply can't afford the exorbitant charges that would amount to even more than I make while freelancing for maybe a week or two. So, how do I get help? Why would the customer care team fail to respond even with a yes or no. 

[sharpiemarker · Accepted solution]

@gringos 

The only way to downgrade is to call customer service:

Click HELP at the top menu, scroll down to click CONTACT US, and then scroll down to click CALL US.

Say "Live Agent" to the automated recording

You can continue with a business account operating as an individual, receiving payments as freelancer.

If it lets you edit your business information, go to:

Account Settings (wheel icon near log out button) > Business information > Update

Click Edit link on the box that goes across the page to select your Business Type: "Individual" and type in a keyword or Product name of what you do (ie. freelance or keyword of the type of work you do; select the most relevant category keyword you can find). You can use your own name as the business name. Everything is self explanatory. You may not have to fill in all the fields if they are not required but Keyword/Product type is a must and Business Type.

Then the box on the bottom left:

Use a short and long name to appear on client's credit card statement if they pay with card so they know who they sent payment to.

Enter your sales venue. Where you sell your services.

Select what your income would be roughly.

The the box on the right, put your date of birth.

Then submit the info PayPal is asking for. If you don't have it, write a letter explaining why you don't have a particular document, pdf it and upload it to relevant document they want. For example, if PayPal wants supplier invoices and you don't have it. Write a letter explaining why not and upload it to the supplier invoices part.