Can't remove bank account

[uberchar]

All my payments have been processed by my bank already, yet I still can't remove my bank account.

The error im receiving is this:

You cannot remove this bank account because it currently has a pending transaction. This transaction may take up to 6-8 days to complete, at which time you will be able to remove the bank account. Please try again after the transaction has been completed.

This is the 3rd week.

[sjwilliams1193]

Hmm, you'd think that one of the leading online payment methods would allow the use of its online tools to be able to perform one of their basic functionalities.

My advice: PayPal should devote some time to fixing this bug instead of forcing their customers to use a work around.

[aebuell]

I have this problem too. The bank account in question doesn't have any pending transactions. In fact, it's been closed for over 6 months. And I had completely stopped using it for several months prior to that.

I also have another bank account, which is still open, but I've stopped using since switching banks. Same problem, I can't remove it. I really want to clean up these old accounts, but I wish I didn't have to waste my time with phone calls. This is a software bug that they ought to address.

[KenLinder]

Paypal has had this issues since at least 2009. It seems to effect older accounts most often.

A web search (I tend to use duckduckgo.com as they don't track you li google does) for :

    Paypal “You cannot remove this bank account because”

will yield peoples complaints on this (both on and off of the paypal forums) from at least as far back as 2009. The same thing also happens with credit/debit cards. This seems to effect older accounts the most, and it really does seem to be the age of the PAYPAL account itself, not how long that bank account has existed 9or been known to PAYPAL), or how long you have had the same card number,etc. It is entirely a PAYPAL thing.

PAYPAL has even been reported to the Better Business Bureau concerning this issue (in 2010 for certain), but it is still there annoying people. The only way get rid of it is to close you paypal account totally and open a new old. The reason this can work is the issue is in the way their code deals with older accounts.

* MY STORY *

About 8 months back I had some trouble with PAYPAL. I use them a great deal. Suddenly one month nearly every charge ,made came frim the wrong source (there was more than enough cash in teh right place). This kept happening and the account they used was not even a backup for anything.  I called them up about it and was told they have no obligation to charge any specific source when you pay for something! So whenever you buy ANYTHING using PAYPAL, they essentially reserve the right to charge any account or card that is in any way associated with that PAYPAL account. If their system just plain screws up... say that you buy somthing on ebay and tell paypal to use "CARD A" - then can just charge "account B" even if it is not the backup. This can cause the payments you normally make on that account to all bounce, rack up charges and get you in trouble). They don't care in the least.They won't even file a ticket.

* MY ATTEPTED SOLUTION *

After my usless (expensive) phone calls to (lack of) support they did nothing. My repose was - “well then I will just take that debit card off of my account so they can't charge it again”. The PAYPAL web interface (however) said no, insisting that card was the backup account for “pending charges” (no such pending charges existed and it was NOT the backup account anyway). The card is still there on teh account. Customer (dis)service did nothing (as usual). I doubt they will ever fix this. It is the penalty you pay for having been a loyal customer for a long time.

[CommonEra]

Also had this same problem and had been trying for some time to remove an account from my Wallet section, only to get the "Transactions pending..." response. Thanks to this thread I just called Customer Service and within 2 mins the account was removed.

Shame that the online problem hasn't been resolved by now, but it was a quick solution in the end. Nice thing is that the call is also free from a UK landline - something that not all Customer helplines offer!

[stevessss]

I've had trouble removing bank accounts before... I think any banking regulator will agree that you have the right to refuse future transactions to any of your own funding sources such as direct deposite, or credit or debit card...    if you click remove on a card, ask support to remove it, and it gets charged instead of your prefered funding source without your explicitly telling paypal to use your card as a source this may constitutde an unauthorized transaction on the card eligable for a chargeback through mastercard, visa or your financial institution issuing the card.    there may be a case for a class action lawsuite against paypal for fees associated with not asking a user which funding source to use, or not honoring a users decision on what funding source they want to pay for a transaction.   I'd contact a class-action attourney about this, and your credit card issuer for any charges where you intended it to be on one card and paypal charged another, to get chargeback and dispute those transactions.. unauthorized transactions are not subject to overdraft fees, and wil cause paypal to pay unauthorized transaction fees , likely resulting in their credit processor calling into question how these occured.

[Lubbock]

Customer service couldn't help me either. Said I have a pending transaction from 2014. REALLY??? I'm going to close my Paypal account. Sends big red flags when the company cannot fix the problem......

[selinhall]

This problem still continues. Even though I do not have any pending transactions, they are refusing to remove my checking account. The person on the phone was not helpful at all. I asked her why can't she remove my account if there are no transactions and she was not able to provide me with an answer. Can someone from PayPal please help?

[MarkLB]

I have accidentally found a solution to this problem. I have had the same error message for 2 years for a bank account that has been closed for that time. The other day I accidentally sent someone money from the closed account. The transaction was obviously declined so PayPal removed the bank account from my PayPal account. Finally.

So if the account is closed just send someone money from the closed account. It'll bounce back and PayPal will remove the account. 🙂

[amitynyc]

How do you go about removing a bank account?

I googled and this is what I got:

1. Log in to your PayPal account.
2. Click Wallet at the top of the page.
3. Click the bank you want to remove.
4. Click Remove Bank.
   
   
   I don't see remove bank option anywhere?

[Speedology]

---

@amitynyc wrote:

How do you go about removing a bank account?

I googled and this is what I got:

1. Log in to your PayPal account.
2. Click Wallet at the top of the page.
3. Click the bank you want to remove.
4. Click Remove Bank.
   
   
   I don't see remove bank option anywhere?

---

There should be a big button for you to click which says "remove bank account".

Problem is when I try that it tells me I can't remove the account due to a pending transaction.  

So I have been into the Help section and sent them a message.  Hopefully it'll get sorted.

Not good enough Paypal!