PayPal auto-converted a foreign currency payment and charged me a fee

[JaneCShearer]

Has anyone solved the problem of PayPal automatically converting a payment to the primary currency, even when you have your preferences set to not convert foreign currencies? I received a payment in CAD which was automatically converted then a large fee deducted.

I have scanned existing questions but not found a solution.

I can't contact PayPal because I am overseas and the phone number provided is toll free in New Zealand. There is no person on the chat, only a useless automated system. 

[78qc]

This never happens before, and my account could receive USD as I set USD as my primary currency, but recently the USD fund will be converted to local currency automatically. Wondering is this a new rule & regulations? I couldn't find any info on Google either.

[PayPal_Shradha]

Hello @78qc,

Welcome and thank your for posting your concern.

We are sorry to hear that about the withdrawal in your preferred currencies. Request you to kindly reach out to our customer support team to know what can be done next or to get an understanding of the possible solution to the issue raised. Please reach out to our customer support team during business hours by clicking the Contact option at the bottom of PayPal page. When you click on Contact option in PayPal website, you will get an option to contact via chat and phone. 

Hope this information is helpful for your!

Warm Regards,
Shradha 

[78qc]

@PayPal_Shradha  Thank you for helping, nothing helps at the moment. 😞

Mine problem is a bit different to @JaneCShearer , the USD fund sent to my account will automatically be converted to my local currency even I have already set USD as my primary currency. This is quite annoying when I have to pay in USD for online purchase, but I couldn't now. 😞

[GwynethLlewelyn]

Hi @JaneCShearer,

It's been almost half a year since your original question; I wonder how you did manage to get PayPal to receive and pay from different currencies separately as opposed to getting everything converted to your primary currency...

It's just because I have the same issue, too, and I would love to have an answer that works in 2024 😊

Thanks!

[sethzhangjs]

I discovered this issue recently as well.

Previously, choosing "convert with the bank" worked fine. However, now, if your card holds any non-USD currency, regardless of whether you also have a USD account, PayPal will forcibly use its exchange rate to deduct non-USD currencies.

[JaneCShearer]

I didn’t get a solution or an explanation! I now use PayPal as little as possible I am so unimpressed.

[sethzhangjs]

I have same problem!

I am using PayPal in the U.S. I also asked my friends in China and Japan to try, and despite selecting "convert with the bank," the final bill was still converted using PayPal's exchange rate.

[78qc]

@sethzhangjs  thank you for the new information (to me, it is )! do you have any ideas, would I still be able to shop online and pay in USD as usual?

From the case you shared, I am guessing it will be like, received fund being automatically converted to my local currency (the currency of my bank acc.) and transferred in to my bank acc.. If I have any oversea purchase, PayPal will deduct the amount via my linked bank card, again, convert my local currency to any currency I am paying...🤢