How to communicate with Paypal without account access?

[elnewt]

Hello all,

I am trying to help out a friend. She cannot access her Paypal account. For some reason, when she tries to reset her password, it doesn't give her an option to reset it using her email. There is no phone number associated with the account, and when she tries to enter a phone number (yes, it gives her the opportunity to enter a new number without any proof that it's her!!!), it never accepts the new (mobile) number. I have tried using the message center from my account, and the response I got was that she needed to use her message center (which she has to log into in order to be able to use). We then found a means where she could message Paypal without logging into her account. They responded - but to her message center, which again, she has to log into in order to access. We found a customer service number, made it all the way where we were supposed to be in touch with a person - and then told it was outside of business hours, even though when the automated message listed the business hours, we were calling during business hours.

We are at our wit's end. What can we do to get in touch with an actual person who could help (and not just message the same account that we cannot access)? Or, can we cancel the account altogether, and she could set up a new one? I suppose she could get a second email address to open a new account, but we're both nervous about having her bank account information in an account that she can't access, and therefore can't regularly change the password.

Are we damned?

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@elnewt 

Try:
1. Downloading the app to see if it will let you in to change / update it in the settings.
2. Log on via developer.paypal.com, go to paypal.com and change it in settings.
3. Use the forgotten password option several times.
4. Trying another browser that may let you in without phone verification (then change it when you have logged in).
5. Trying again another day when sometimes you can get in without doing the verification and then change the number.
6. Changing the password a few times sometimes works as it can bypass the phone verification.
7. Try clicking on P top of the forum page and see if you can log in via the forum.

If that does not work then you would need to contact customer services so that they can i.d. you another way and then add your new phone number to your account.

Contact options for Paypal are accessed by clicking help/contact bottom left of Paypal pages...

1. Paypal phones are slowly re-opening and increasing in numbers (you can use the guest option if you can't log in).
2. Live chat is also randomly available.
3. You can send them a message, during business hours you may also be able to message whilst logged out.
Or
4. Have you considered contacting Customer Service via Facebook or Twitter?
You can send them a personal message from their Facebook or Twitter pages.
It's: https://www.facebook.com/PayPal and @AskPayPal for Twitter.