charged for personal transfer

[TerraBite]

I have a personal PayPal account, associated with my personal email.

Long ago, I associated a business with the account -- and have a merchant id.  That business is long defunct.

Recently, a friend transferred $3000 to my account to pay back a personal debt.

I was charged a substantial fee on this transfer : almost $90.

Are personal accounts supposed to be charged for incoming payments?  Was I charged only because of the associated merchant id ?

Also, is there a way to now REMOVE the associated merchant id, and get my account back as a purely personal PayPal account ?

Thanks.

[kernowlass]

@TerraBite 

Its down to how the payment was SENT to your account.

1. If they sent using money > goods / services option then paypal would see you as a seller and apply the new seller hold. They would also charge you a fee.

2. If they had sent using the send money > family / friends option then you would have had the payment instantly with no fee. (However that option is not available in every country).