I don't know whether to be infuriated or heartbroken. ●Obviously, anger is not an unreasonable response toward Paypal when they bait members into choosing their Pay After Delivery option, clearly indicating it will create a 14-day lag between checkout and bank debit, and thereafter, simply swoop in and take your cash anyway. Or when it functions properly for a time, then suddenly disappears. ● But once you've spent some time researching PAD problems, RIGHT HERE IN PAYPAL'S OWN FORUMS, and you come to understand that it's not just you, or a few random, unfortunate members besieged by a bug or glitch, but rather, an ongoing, pervasive problem for which PayPal has offered no explanations, nor taken any accountability, nor EVER provided any compensation for the thousands upon thousands of dollars lost by members acting in good faith...well, THEN it becomes heartbreaking. ● Further, it appears that rather than attempting to fix the code, or change the policies, Paypal has elected instead to blame members, and assert these problems can ONLY be due to some error on our part. ● And finally, and most shocking, is that even after being fully aware of the dysfunction of the PAD system and the harm it does to members, instead of repairing it, or at a minimum, quietly phasing it out of use, they CONTINUE TO OFFER IT, PROMOTE ITS ADVANTAGES, AND ENCOURAGE ITS USE!! ●● ●WHY? REALLY, WHY? Well, lets follow the money. On its face, it's a no-fee, short-term line of credit offered to members to encourage them to spend more, and the more we spend, the more money Paypal makes on transaction fees to vendors. But is there something else? Let's not wander too far into paranoia, but...maybe kickbacks on NSF fees they singlehandedly caused to be assessed against members? Because why else offer it? If it's just a dysfunctional program that has been causing customer complaints, ill will and financial damage for years. Where's the business model that shows how THAT can be a good thing? Or is there something else the program does for paypal covertly, under cover of merely offering a benevolent extra service at no benefit to the company itself?? WHAT DOES PAYPAL GET?? If you're like most folks, you don't really care, as long as it's not coming out of your hide. Soooo, knowing the trouble... ● PROTECT YOURSELF--If you're in here trying to find out why things went wrong, you are probably like 99 percent of members who simply took the company at its word on how the option would work; and thus, your chance to prevent damage or merely frustration has already passed. If you are perspicacious enough that you are doing research in advance, good job! I trust you've found enough tales of woe here to STEER CLEAR OF PAD ALTOGETHER! If you're among the 99%, however... ● MITIGATE YOUR HARMS-- ☆First, If you've already chosen to use PAD, do not use it as a line of credit. Paypal's promotional language about it is very squishy, sometimes representing it more as a buyer protection tool, but also touting it as a payment flexibility option. Classic bait and switch, so buyer beware. Yes, it is, in essence, a line of credit (the terms of which are deliberately undefined), but if you don't have cash elsewhere to cover the surprise debits to your bank account when they suddenly arent waiting two weeks anymore, you will be liable for your NSF fees, and Paypal will give you little, if any, support in negotiating waiver of those fees. They offered me a "bank letter" the first time to help me explain the situation to BofA, but basically all it said was that I had accidentally chosen the wrong payment option, so feel sorry for her and refund her fees. It was a flat lie, and would have given the bank no reason to waive. ☆Second, if you're using it and have not yet become a victim, read carefully in the forums all the many ways PAD suddenly goes sideways on members, and remember these two words: SCREEN SHOTS. Be proactive about protecting yourself from the accusations of operator error and negligence that have been Paypal's answer to those harmed. You have zero defense against their techs going in and sanitizing your account or revising your records. Sound paranoid? I was persistent in asserting it was Paypal's error, and reminding them that I didn't need to "choose" PAD as my payment option, because--just as it promises in the terms of use--once you use it once, it becomes your DEFAULT payment method, and you have to choose to turn it OFF. Then, remarkably, as my issue was "escalated" and I was transferred to yet another "specialist," I was told that not only did they not show any record of me USING the PAD option, there was no record of me ever signing up to try it at all! Maybe THEY had no record at their end, but while we were still on the phone, i went into my paypal wallet at the user end of my account, and it clearly shows PAD as my "preferred payment method." I took a screenshot. Then I clicked the arrow to the right that opens the promotional blurb telling me I won't be debited for 14 days. I took a screen shot of that. Then I opened the Terms of Use, and took shots of all that verbiage. And two days after being told I never even applied for Pay After Delivery, it's still showing as my preferred method of payment. I believe I've exceeded the word limit here, and I have better things to do than fight a giant, unaccountable financial monopolost, but do be careful. Read the forums thoroughly. It's not an anomoly, your problem. It's business as usual at Paypal.
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