stop using paypal!

[livin4lax09]

Not sure if this belongs in here, but it does relate to photography because its probably how a lot of people pay for equipment and receive cash. but stop using paypal. I never trusted it, and after I found this site, I have even more of a reason to not trust it. check it out, and I promise you won't regret it. most importantly, if you DO use paypal (I still do from time to time) NEVER keep money on your account. always transfer it out via bank deposit or have them write you a check as soon as you can.

www.paypalsucks.com

[walterick]

Careful here. This looks like a site advertising their own "online merchant." Look around a bit, see all the links to their own "PayPal solution." Not saying the PayPal complaints are not legit, but the motives are suspicious, imo.

Rick

[Asylum Steve]

This looks like a site advertising their own "online merchant."...

I always say to myself, consider the source, when evaluating these kinds of things. Yep, this site is promoting a PayPal alternative, so of course they're going to put them down.

I've been both an ebay seller and buyer for many years, and I've also used PayPal for many years as well, and while there are certainly pitfalls and security risks, IMO they are no more or less than any of dozens if not hundreds of online sites and services.

Now, whether their fee schedule is a rip-off is another topic for discussion, but personally, I've never had a problem with them, and I knew the rules and risks before establishing my account and using their services...

[another view]

OK, I gotta ask about the lens for sale in your signature - you'll take Paypal for that? :crazy: PJ has been strict about not seeing classifieds in the forums but I don't think we really have a policy about signatures. Might not be a bad idea to remove it and take out a free classified here.

I've seen that site before. With anyone dealing with money, someone's eventually going to get (or at least feel like they got) screwed over. I don't have first-hand knowledge if any of those stories are true but I've never had a problem even with keeping a balance and pulling it out later. Check always arrives in about a week and a half. Sure it costs money but they're providing a service. It's not like I would be better off to get my own credit card merchant account for the little bit (relatively) that I do using PP. Most people I've dealt with have PP accounts and since I state a fixed shipping charge in my auction, the buyer can pay me immediately. I probably have at least 70% of payments within 15 minutes of when the auction ends doing it this way. Keeps it easy for everybody, and I don't have to wait a week for a money order. Matter of fact, given the choice I probably wouldn't bid on an auction that didn't take PP and required a MO just because of the hassle factor. If enough potential bidders think that way, then the seller is out some money (a few extra bids will more than make up for the PP fee).

There will probably never be a site like www.paypalisprettycool.com because people are so much more likely to post about bad experiences than good ones, but they'd be out of business if that was an accurate cross section of PP users.

[Janie]

I use paypal and never had any probs. I have the business account and use the debit card with it - so anytime there is money in the account, i just go to an ATM and withdraw it, then deposit in the bank as cash!

[Peter_AUS]

I use paypal and it has been very handy with others using it as well.

This thread I think should be deleted, as it isn't in keeping with the nature of this website.

[livin4lax09]

it's really not promoting anything. it's simply stating why paypal isn't a safe route to take. I have had my account frozen multiple times, for no reason. Luckily, I didn't have any funds in it at the time. There was an article in the paper here about a woman who had all her money in her bank account that was linked to paypal, and all of it was withdrawn without her knowledge. I'm just saying be wary of the methods you use. And AV, I've been actually meaning to change that for a while. gotta keep the lens until I get another one to cover those focal distances anyways! Janie's got the right idea as far as using paypal goes. Just be careful about the methods you use, and follow janie's example of taking money out as soon as you have it.

[another view]

Brent, I wasn't trying to be harsh. You're the first first-hand story I've come across of someone having an account frozen, other than from that site. They couldn't tell you why they did it? There must have been some suspicion (not saying that you did anything wrong, but maybe someone you dealt with, etc - or something that raised a red flag). Once they opened the account back up, they apparently had reviewed the situation and found out that everything was OK.

Being careful and knowing the terms of the account are the best thing you can do to protect yourself. I guess I kinda saw your first post about this along the lines of "one airplane crashed so therefore all air travel is unsafe" kind of thing. What I mean is that the common bond at that site is that people have a complaint about Paypal - perceived, legitimate or not; and that's about all...

[livin4lax09]

they did tell me why, but all they said was "we have monitored suspicious activity with your account" and didn't say what. I check all my transactions and nothing had occured, and at another point I had received an e-mail confirming a payment on a pair of women's shoes on ebay, then when i went and checked my account (being very confused) no such payment existed. I actually think i just deleted my first account after it was frozen and reopened a new one with a different e-mail address. I stayed away from paypal for a while, but realized I needed one because so many people use it. I hate the insane payment fees they take from it.

[another view]

I had received an e-mail confirming a payment on a pair of women's shoes on ebay, then when i went and checked my account (being very confused) no such payment existed.

Maybe a phishing email? I've gotten a few of those confirming payment for something I know nothing about as well as a million other kinds of attempts by spammers to get personal info. I logged into my PP acount (not thru that email, thru the web) and since there was no transaction I just forwarded the email to them, spam (at) paypal.com.

[livin4lax09]

yeah thats what I suspected, but could find no evidence of faking. who knows.