My account was permanently limited with no notice?

[TheaVT]

I've been using PayPal for nearly a decade now, with no issues - I purchase things using PayPal on a regular basis, including on sites like Patreon, Steam, and others. Out of nowhere, my account was limited on Thursday, with no warnings, no notices, nothing! The only reason I even knew is because I checked my account with the intent of sending somebody payment for a commission (after they'd finished it, too!!!!), and the big red "YOUR ACCOUNT HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY LIMITED. click here to find out more!" banner was at the top of my page.

As someone who sends well over $1,000 per month using PayPal over the course of dozens of transactions, and has been for several years, I'm at a loss as to how come I - and a number of other streamers I know, for that matter - have been permanently limited with no email, no warning, or anything to tell us that it happened until we checked our PayPal accounts.

If I try to get help through the chatbot on the website, it gets stuck in a feedback loop and refuses to connect me to an actual person that might be able to help, and when I talk to an actual person elsewhere, they state the following:

While I understand that you don’t agree with the outcome, this is something that would have been fully reviewed and we would be unable to change. For security, no further information as to why the limitation was placed can be provided since this information is proprietary and its release could impair PayPal's ability to operate the business in a safe and secure manner.

Which, quite frankly, I REALLY doubt is the case!! I doubt any actual human has looked at this situation, and claiming that they can't say anything about WHY my account was limited (along with a statement that I'm not allowed to remove my bank or card information from my account anymore, and that I'm NEVER allowed to make a new account), citing SECURITY reasons?

I don't buy it!

And now I have to find another payment processor similar to PayPal that I can use in order to send payments securely!

[sharpiemarker · Accepted solution]

@TheaVT 

File a complaint at bbb.org under PayPal San Jose, CA to request another account review to try to restore account with PayPal executive escalations office. Sometimes the system my perm limit accounts in error/false positive. Can’t tell you how long it will take though to resolve though as it can vary wildly.

[TheaVT]

Thanks for the advice - I went ahead and did exactly that, because this is seriously not an OK situation in any way, shape, or form.

[jsrpds]

Hi, I have the same problem. I just want to ask if you got your account back? Thanks

[PayPal_Ayesha]

Hello @jsrpds,

Welcome to PayPal Community Forum and thank you for posting!

I'm sorry to hear about permanent limitation on your account. I know that can be frustrating, but these decisions are not something made lightly. Typically if an account has been permanently limited, then some part of our user agreement has been broken. If you believe that there was a mistake, you can contact Customer Service and request a second look at the basis for the limitation decision and review if there is anything that was missed. If there is a mistake found, it can be corrected. If the decision is upheld, there would be no further avenue for appeal, as a permanent limitation is final.

Regards,
Ayesha

[TheaVT]

I tried contacting customer service, but any time I did so without needing to talk on the phone (my work hours keep me away from being able to call Support), I never got a response - either after explaining the situation to an actual person, or after the Automated Messaging System received my information.

I eventually DID get some information about it, however - a claim that I had been selling NSFW content with my PayPal account (which is easily verifiable as Not True, due to the fact that I have not received any money through PayPal in several years, and the only times there HAS been during that time has been because of either a refund, or a $5 donation that occurred a single time), and the apparent statement that using a VPN is a violation of the Terms of Service - which should REALLY be mentioned anywhere on the site or in the app. Because if you're able to see that a user is using a VPN, you should be able to have a notice that says "HEY, WE SEE YOU'RE USING A VPN! TURN IT OFF. IT IS A VIOLATION OF THE TERMS OF SERVICE TO ACCESS PAYPAL WITH A VPN. WE CLAIM IT'S BECAUSE ONLY SCAMMERS AND FRAUDSTERS USE A VPN, WHICH IS PATENTLY UNTRUE."

I would LOVE to be able to use PayPal again, simply because of the convenience of the service, but I feel like I will never be able to again, due to a false statement and due to something which is never visible outside of looking at a change in the Terms of Service that had no shortened version with just the changes in it.