Preferred Payment Method isn't being used

[BH31]

Hey All,

I have a credit card and debit card linked to my account.  My credit card has always been my preferred payment method. My debit card is only on there because they make you.   

Anyways, the original credit card was cancelled due to fraudulant chargers (not paypal related). So i logged in, deleted the card, and added the new credit card and marked it as preferred payment method. Sounds like i should be all set to make purchases through paypal expecting it to take the money from my credit card not my debit card, right? Well, this isn't happening.  I use a Mapco Gas App that is linked to my paypal account to make gas purchases. (It saves $0.05 off a gallon, lol) Well, I have used my Mapco app twice sense updating my new card/preferred payment method and it keeps taking the money from my debit card.  Unfortunately I dont ever use my debit card so i keep a very low balance. Thus, when I used this app 2 times it caused an overdraft in my checking account each time, costing me $25. I attempted to reach out to Paypal regarding this. I had to make a ticket, not knowing which drop down selection to choose i just picked one and then explained my problem in the notes.  Well, i just got an email from paypal saying claim denied!  No, explanation, no tips to keep this from happening again, nothing.   Not sure what else to do.   Has anyone had this happen to them before?

[MinecraftGod]

I chatted with PayPal support, and they said it was because the charges were from subscriptions or automatic payments, which can have different preferred payment methods than your global preferred payment.  Here is the full response below, along with steps of how to fix.  Hope that helps someone who ended up here like me!

A Billing Agreement lets you authorize a merchant to withdraw money from your PayPal account whenever you make a purchase on their website.

If a merchant offers Billing Agreements, you can sign up during checkout. The merchant bills you based on the terms of your Billing Agreement. We don’t share your financial information with the merchant. (Please note that not all merchants offer PayPal Billing Agreements.)

If you are able to use your PayPal account balance to make purchases then it is always the first payment method we use to pay a Billing Agreement. If you do not have enough money in your PayPal balance, we use your preferred backup payment method.

Here's how to change your backup payment method for a Billing Agreement:

1. Click the Settings icon next to Log out.
2. Click Payments.
3. Click Manage automatic payments.
4. Click on the merchants name.
5. Click on the pencil icon next to "Payment method".
6. Choose your method of payment.
7. Click Save.

If you haven't selected a backup payment method or funds aren't available, we use another funding source on your PayPal account.

[meilinli969]

Yeah everyone who's having this problem should definitely check your automatic payments. I don't remember setting it but paypal seems to decide which card to use next time you purchase items from certain website based on your previous purchase history or something. If your automatic payments said using card A to pay lyft (for example), even if your preferred payment is card B, it's still gonna use card A to pay. So check automatic payments, cancel them, then you'll be good to go.

[komputergurl]

I had this problem and updated all my automatic payments and set my preferred card. HOWEVER even with NEW vendors (that I have never shopped with) I am getting the wrong credit card option showing up, with neither of my other two credit cards selectable. I've deleted cookies, double checked subscriptions and card settings. It makes no sense since all these three credit cards are from the SAME provider.

It's purely a PayPal bug and super annoying -- I'm specifically trying to use one credit card because they have rewards for using it through PayPal this quarter, but I can't get it to show up anywhere despite having it set as my preferred payment method on PayPal. I've even then bothered to hit the "add new card" option in the PayPal popup dialog (even though... this card is already in my account) and even THEN it will return to the dialog WITHOUT the preferred card shown as an option (again, all three cards from the same provider, so there should be no issues w.r.t. international conversion or whatever).

P.S. I first had this problem when PayPal was charging my company card for autopay recurring payment transactions EVEN THOUGH I had never selected that company card for anything, definitely not preferred card. I checked everything multiple times but in the end, the only way to fix it for sure was to completely remove my company card from PayPal. Their preferred card and "autopay" management is all messed up, super freaking annoying.

[HungryRobot]

Good luck, I Finally filed a lawsuit against them and a kids happening for a day ago actually either put in writing or respond to something giving a basic admission to it now working the way it does somewhere else can you still just keep going in circles.

[triskit]

So the times they used my unpreffered. It was a one off purchase not a subscription. My theory is Paypal is owned by mayor Credit card companies and they make a percentage off of sales made on their cards. Then add people who are not as financially responsible. Make them think they paid using cash they actually had. Meanwhile they now owe you money but don't actually know it. The credit card company charges interest.

[HungryRobot]

Lost count of the days and, as far as I know I'm not using a third party all like you are But a handful of Uber eats has left me with -$660 dollars. It's nice you know, knowing when unemployment ever kicks in (hahahahahaha) it will all be ate by the poor tax we charge people for a computer saying a check isn't good instantaneously. First I called the credit (preferred payment. Confirmed all good in good standing and more than $54 available. (After ignroing the issue saying that it was just being taken from the bank I stead) Then called them and they told me it was credit and ignored me completely that I had called them until I called credit again. Credit is still fine. But, still using the empty bank account even though I have told them for days to stop that **bleep**. Randomly, they decided to blame a THIRD (Google pay) but no reason or explaining. (Probably they just heard me say the term to some one else and that sounds good!)

[Jonzilla]

The same thing is happening to me with preferred payment method not being used! In my case, my linked bank account isn't being used and I'm constantly being told to connect a debit/visa card. It has worked only ONCE when trying to make a payment through PayPal with my bank account and now it won't use my bank.

[Temp20230525GD]

It just happened to me too. I set my liquid debit card as my preferred payment. I even went to the bank and put money in that account to cover a certain bill. Then I paid the bill using PayPal. But PayPal did not honor my request to takeit off my debit card-without my permission they took the money out of my checking account, which cost me an overdraft fee and a returned pymt fee from the company I owed. What gives with PayPal??? They've done this before. Now I have removed my bank account and main account debit card from PayPal and only let them use my credit cards and liquid card. At other times I've attempted to order something on a credit card but didn't have enough credit. So without my permission they took from my bank account, which caused an overdraft. Grrrr. And no, PayPal will deny your claim, so there's no use trying to be reimbursed.

[Bahamapoppyseed]

Thank God I'm not the only one. I have the Paypal credit card preferred but it keeps going to my basic paypal balance and then directly to my checking account. I'm grateful to have money in there, but now I missed an opportunity for the 6 months no interest payment.  

[jmwillis2]

Okay, this is the third time this has happened to me. This time, I had no option to pick which of my PayPal accounts to use, nor to confirm my default payment method. I paid my bank $30 to deny payment. I filed a complaint with the PP Resolution Center. They cut off several things unrelated to the checking account. They want me to confirm my bank account even though I clearly explained their issue to them. 

There is no way I am going to confirm my bank account for payment unless it has only $50 in it for a monthly payment. Otherwise, I have no assurances whatsoever that they will not submit the $1,400 debit again.

But since they chose to break other stuff, you know, I've just had it. Class actions suits are needed. I will not join one however. What I will do is my very best to stop sending money their way. If everyone else that has been wronged and not get satisfaction sues and/or stops sending them business, sooner or later something will happen -- CFPB/FTC action to get their house in order, or maybe bankruptcy. I don't care which--I'm done.

I refuse to wait on hold for an hour again only to have to hang up and not get anywhere.

Have a better day! 🙂