Account Limitations: What You Need to Know

[PayPal_Mark]

Keeping your business and customers safer

To ensure PayPal remains a safer place for enabling payments, we regularly review all accounts. Sometimes, limitations may be placed on your PayPal account, which could restrict you from completing certain actions: such as withdrawing, spending, or receiving money. Limitations are in place to help protect all our customers, and in some cases to meet our regulatory obligations. Protecting your account and money is important to us.

Account Limitations: What might cause it, and how to help avoid it?

If your PayPal account is limited, you may be unable to withdraw, send or receive money. There are a number of reasons why your account could be limited:

Suspicious & unusual activity

• We suspect someone could be using your account without your knowledge.
• Your bank alerts us that someone has used your credit/debit card linked to your account without your permission.
• There are unexpected changes to your selling activities such as a sudden increase in your typical sales volume.

In such cases, we do what it takes to protect you from potential fraud prompted by the unusual activity– through limiting your account, and investigating.

You can safeguard your personal information and help protect yourself against fraud through some simple measures.  For example, don’t enter your personal or financial details when describing items for sale or in response to emails, and log out of sites you’ve entered your personal information into.

Regulatory reasons or business is not compliant

Your account could be limited for regulatory reasons. For example, India PayPal sellers need to include additional information to be able to accept payments in their account. Also, reaching a certain transaction value in your account may trigger a limit, which can also be removed by providing information required to PayPal.

There are also restrictions on what a PayPal account can be used to accept (and make) payments for. For example, PayPal doesn't allow the sale of counterfeit goods or banned items. So, ensure that your business is compliant with PayPal’s Acceptable Use Policy .

Increased buyer issues

An increase of complaints, claims and chargebacks from buyers can lead to account limitations.

Following some simple guidelines can help you improve your performance and reduce the likelihood of limitations. Overall, communication is key. You should:

• Provide detailed product descriptions and photos.
• Be upfront about policies such as shipping and returns.
• Ship orders promptly and track shipments.
• Respond quickly to any messages from buyers.
• Work to amicably resolve any problems.
• Ship to the address provided in the transaction details page.
• Use quality shipping materials to prevent damage.

Removing limitations

 If your PayPal account is limited, here’s what happens:

1. We’ll email you to let you know –  we’ll ask you to log in to your PayPal account and go to the Resolution Centre for details on how to resolve the issue quickly, usually by providing information.
2. Once you’ve submitted the information required, we’ll review and reply via email.
3. We’ll remove the limitations once we have verified your account. At times, limitations can be removed by simply changing your security questions and password.

Here are the types of information and documents we may need from you:

- Supplier’s invoice with contact information

This helps us determine the inventory source and validate that you have the items that you’re selling in stock.

- Payment information

When an invoice is unavailable, we’ll review the following information about your payments:

• The item or service that was sold
• The buyer’s name and shipping address
• Proof of shipment to verify that an order was delivered

- Shipping or Tracking information

This helps us to verify that customer orders are being fulfilled.

- Proof of business
This provides evidence of a valid business registration and business ownership.

- Information for India sellers
This is to comply with our India regulatory obligations. Provide a valid PAN, a local bank account and the purpose code in your PayPal account task board.

- Proof of address such as bank statement or utility bill, Proof of identity such as passport or driver’s license
This helps us verify your identity when there is unusual account activity or to comply with regulations.

Once you’ve submitted your information, look out for any more emails from us as we may need additional details. We’ll do our best to confirm your information and remove the limitation within 2 business days, but sometimes it can take a little longer.

Quick Tip: If your PayPal account is limited, don’t open a new account. It could be traced back to the limited account.  It’s always best to resolve the limitation. We will guide you through it and restore full access to your PayPal account as quickly as possible.

[DebbieMoli]

They have done the same to me stolen £3680.40 transferred it to themselves 2 days before the 180 days was up.

[Kriptololo]

hello, i need help sorting my issue out

[DMJohnston1]

I just want to add that PayPal has a very sick sense of humor. I just opened my account - the one that's permanently locked, with money that I can't access and financial data I can't remove, and I see this:

It was a crypto purchase that resulted in me getting accused of hacking my own account (at least I think so - all I ever hear from PayPal is "a number of factors that, when viewed together" etc). That you're promoting it to me now is depraved, but again - I've been banned for life for using a feature that PayPal is continuing to promote. Guys, if you don't trust one of your own features, if you really think it's that a big a risk for fraud, then remove it.

[Dizzyd024red]

My accountwas 14 ears old and I did all the steps to resolve the limitation to no avail I contacted PayPal that was a whole different issue just to get someone on the line after 45 mins finally get someone she asked me my name i gave it to her and she showed yes acct limited then mood changed as she had no reason to assist me telling me nothing could be done once its done its done. After 4-5 more (rude, obnoxious and absolutely disrespectful) escalations finally this person says he is a customer account manager he's the 1st person to ask for real verification email address phone # name and last 4 of ss#. F.y.i 4 hours on the phone at this point being talked down to and argued with and yelled at I have been calm through everything I state the issue. He says do you mind if I place you on a 1-2 min hold so I agree thinking finally someone that is going to actually look into this and I can get it resolve. At exactly 120 seconds on hold I hear click and the line was dead I gave him all my info and my call back number never got anything resolved other than finding out that by applying for PayPal prepaid debit card is the reason my acct got locked stating that my ip address was a blacklisted ip address which is impossible using my paid VPN that will not allow a blacklisted ip from any server region to be used.

[WhatOnEarth]

At last, something that might explain their limitation of my account. I have never ever broken their rules, been a great customer for years and Synchrony Bank (PayPal Credit) has no issues with me but... I too got no answers despite endless calls, e-mails and requests on their Facebook page. I did, on a couple of times, log onto my PayPal account whilst operating a VPN which I use for my business (it's actually required by my work) so perhaps that's the issue?

Isn't it odd how every contact is with someone with a name that does not sound American, and whom you can never reach if you call back? And I too have had the run around followed by the disconnect - twice. They are a hateful bunch.

[Anonymous_User]

I hope everyone truly knows why paypal is worse than Comcast and how they conduct business now? They weren't making a profit. People weren't using their services as much. So they add in all these vague arbitrary rules, ban people for nothing illegal (I have proof I did NOTHING illegal), but then start using terms such as "high risk customer" or other stupid terminology to hold people's money. And for a company to not explain why you were banned? It's like the old days when the mafia controlled gambling casinos. They will not let you just unlink your bank account or card, close your account and still monitor you while you can't even use their services. To get them off your **bleep**, go to your bank, get a new account and debit card and credit card associated with the NEW account. Leave your other account open with just enough money to have one open (depends on bank) or close it all together. That might affect your credit more. Opening a new account I dropped like 3 points. That's it. Either transfer all your money to the new account and close the linked one or leave it open with $50. Nothings linked but an account that is never used. **bleep** you paypal. Spying, lying, extorting, and will be filling bankruptcy IF PEOPLE STOP USING THEIR SERVICES. DO NOT LINK ANYTHING. THEY STILL SPY ON YOU EVEN AFTER BEING BANNED. Find another company. And if certain places only allow paypal, they just lost a sale. I still buy on ebay...etc. Setup extra security on your new account as well. I wouldn't put it past them to be calling my bank phishing for answers. Evil company.

[ALIMIL]

Why my message not available

[Shaba32]

My account has been limited for over 3 years and despite following all the procedures, provided proof of identity and proof of residency, my account is still limited to this day, 2021. I haven’t received any contact, nothing in the resolution center and no emails regarding the situation. Im very disappointed in the customer response team since i haven't gotten any service despite my many emails and feedbacks. Kindly help me resolve this once and for all so i can get my money and close the account permanently.

whatdo i di?

[urbaknight]

No one is going to review your account and case if you do not initiate a legal enquiry. Just approach any free legal clinic or get a free consultation with a civil lawyer to find out how to initiate the process, assuming you have money taken away from you. 

Once your account is suspended for certain User Agreement violation, none of the customer service officers will be able to open the case again. They may promise you a reply but that seems to always eventuate in non-response. 

[DebbieMoli]

I have sent head office a final letter before court. Nobody has replied. It’s terrible going through this when no violations have been committed. I have proved to them I was sabotaged. PayPal need to act in this instead of ignoring