This is the first time I've used PayPal to receive money for something I've sold and now I'm on my 5th day and still haven't received a penny of the $1,200 dollars I needed 5 days ago. Typically I use western union which cost more but at least I get my money. I could of received my money through the US postal service by now. This all started when I tried to instantly send my money to my debit card that I have made purchases through PayPal over the last year. My PayPal account was set up around 7 years ago and i never really used it until making purchases in the last year. I've never had a problem with PayPal taking my funds but when I tried to withdraw I couldn't because my phone number didn't match when I set up the account. I got on the phone with customer service and expressed that I'm only trying to send my money to the same card used and linked on their site but they still needed to ask me security questions in order to do this. Problem is questions were from 8-10 years ago and he like what model number car I had then. Options were things like vrnn112 or ps3957 ect... I couldn't tell you that on the car I drove today. Also they didn't tell me my account would be locked if I guessed wrong, so my account was locked for 24 hours. Called back 24 hours later and with the help of friends and family, as well as some lucky guesses I passed the security. But again their was another 24 hour hold before money would be transferred. At the end of that 24 hours I get an email that my card that I had used in PayPal less than a week ago needed to be updated so still no money. I call customer service again and this time they said because I've already done the security quiz twice my account is locked for an unknown amount of time from withdrawing money. I told customer service I need my money now, to which I was told not to worry my money was safe in the PayPal system. Or course that doesn't feed my kids or buy heating oil but it's safe in PayPal. I don't have a bank account, but my email, cards, as number and all other info hasn't changed but none of that matters, PayPal has my money and refuses to give it to me regardless of what I do. I was given 2 solutions. First was send my money to a friend who uses PayPal because it will let me send the money thru the system. (See as long as they can still hold it, and still make interest off it, its ok). So I sent my friend $600 of it, but now they are saying his debit card is a credit card even though it says debit right on it and he's had the card for 10 years and been with PayPal even longer, so he's been trying to transfer to his bank account which surprise will take another 2-3 working days. I already know at the end of this time something else will come out but I had to try. The other option was to buy a PayPal prepaid card and transfer the money onto that. So because I needed the money days ago I search all over the state and finally find a place that sells PayPal prepaid cards an hour from me. Mind you I'm doing this because customer service said it's all they could think of to get me some of my money today, even though you can only withdraw $300 daily in cash. So when I get there to buy the card it not only cost 2.95 to buy yhe card but you have to put $20 on the card to even purchase it. On top of that I also get charged a $4.95 service fee for having the card. Again PayPal sucking every penny they can just because I want my money. I go through all this thinking I can finally get some of my money, but again surprise! When I activated the card the service rep tells me they don't know why PayPal told me that before because I can't transfer funds to that card until the permanent card comes in the mail 2 weeks from now. So now I not only don't get MY MONEY but it has cost me even more I trying to do what PayPal has asked me to do. Today I just transferred the other $600 to my friend so he can send it to his bank but at this point I already know PayPal will come up with another excuse why he can't have the money. He has already said after seeing this he's deleting PayPal and may others that have watched what I have been going thru have said that will never use PayPal and make sure they tell all they know. I've been keep a record of this from the beginning with screen shots and emails, and if they hold up my money again it will be my personal life's mission to make sure the world knows what this company is doing. My friend said his dad sued years ago over a situation like this and won $1,000 dollars, so maybe next step is to speak to the family attorney. Reading through forums and complaints I've found thousands that have had similar problems. I thought I would try PayPal and maybe conduct my future business with them because they made it sound so easy to get my money, but in realty a money order through then us postal service would have been faster, less stressful and a far smarter choice. Please people believe me when I say stay away from PayPal if you need your hard earned money! If you don't mind it sitting in a PayPal account drawing interest for PayPal then by all means use their service. For me, my wife, and friends that have watched me go thru this, it had been the worst experience of my life just trying to get my money.
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