Paypal Holding My Money and won't review for 180 days? This can't be legal!!

[DisappointedAP]

So, I'm a 20 year ebay/paypal customer with a 100% rating. I sold a valuable item to a customer overseas by ebay. The customer has received the item, it's signed for via Fedex and tracked all the way. Customer has emailed me saying they are delighted. Yes it's valuable and I'm not placed on hold and after many phone call conversations with paypal, I'm being told they won't even review this for 180 days+ . This is outragious. It's my money. 

Need another means to communicate with someone there to have my money released. Not sure how. What's another way?

[kernowlass]

@DisappointedAP 

Normally they only hold funds for 180 days if you have been permanently banned from using paypal so has that happened at all?

[DisappointedAP]

Never been Banned. Never had a problem before. Have previously had similar size transactions as well for the last almost 20 years. 

[kernowlass]

@DisappointedAP 

I've never known it to be put on hold that long if you have not been banned.

Why not see if its a mistake?

Click on the words "Help / Contact" at the bottom of paypals pages and use the phone option in the blue band at the top OR very bottom of page dependent on what country you are in. Scroll down past the list of help questions and click on 'Call us' bottom of that page. Log in and get the code.
OR
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.

[DisappointedAP]

Hi, yes I've called paypal 4 times and talked to 4 different people. 1 person said it was on hold for at least 90 days, I asked to speak to their manager. That person said it's 180 days before even a review. I asked for another escalation and they refused and wouldn't transfer me to anyone. I am looking for a backdoor to some in the "Paypal Account Review Department" to review my transaction. My close to $20K US is behind held hostage at the minute. If you know another backdoor, that would be useful. 

[Ismellelephant]

Money paid to me for ebay sale on hold. All the reasons given don't apply, I created a shipping label, I supplied a tracking number, and the item has already been delivered. According to paypal the money would be released 1 day away from shipment delivery date and that didn't happen. Tried the chat, you don't get a human and just the same unhelpful "solutions" that don't work . Tried the phone, no human, and same useless info all over again. Wait time 4 hours on chat BTW.  I don't see how these type of actions would encourage people to use paypal and ebay. I know I am done with it and feel fortunate I only lost $50.00 before I learned this lesson. 

[kernowlass]

@Ismellelephant 

Ebay and Paypal are 2 separate companies and have 2 separate policies for holding funds for 'new sellers'.
If yours was an Ebay transaction then its an Ebay hold and Ebay authorise when paypal can release the funds.
Every new seller has to go through this policy but it does not last long and then payments are instant.

Normally for Ebays hold funds are released when tracking shows the item as delivered + 1-3 days (country dependent) (if you use Ebay / paypal postage).

Info in this Ebay link below about Ebays hold. (had to give you the US link as you have not said what country you are in).
http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/payments-and-fees/funds-availability.html

[DisappointedAP]

So, ok problem now solved with a back door and many hours on the phone. But the context of this is, 3rd person I talked to said it was on hold for 90 days, asked to speak to their manager who said it was on hold for 180 days and neither she or I could do anything about it and there was no one I could talk to to resolve. So WHY Paypal would you put long term customers through this??? There was no empathy, no service. Very disappointing Paypal!!

Back door. I resolved this via facebook messenger on paypals page. My 2nd transfer on messenger got to someone who reviewed my account, and then read the email correspondence that I was copied on from the Buyer to PAypal saying they were delighted with the transaction etc etc. 

Anyhow, that was the backdoor that worked for me on this instance. 

Bottom line!! Not Happy Paypal. 

[kernowlass]

@DisappointedAP 

Glad you sorted it but i did give you the Facebook option in my second reply.

[DisappointedAP]

Yes you did. Thank you for the advice