<p>I have a Paypal account because I sometimes use Ebay. They require a bank account on file. I always use a credit card, with the bank account as backup (they make it inconvenient to do this but I get free miles from using the cc so I always use it). This morning, I received an email informing me that Paypal had withdrawn $50 from my bank account. I’ve just spent half an hour figuring out what happened and trying to resolve it, both by online chat, which I quickly abandoned when it became apparent that an automated answer-finder was on the other end of the chat, and on the phone. </p>
<p>They say that a “glitch” caused their “balance manager” to be activated on some accounts - I have never use this, but somehow it was set up so that when my balance (I never have a balance) falls below $50, a transfer is set up. It is going to take more of my time to resolve this, because I have to wait for the transfer to come through and then set up a transfer the other way.</p>
<p>I am angry about the time and aggravation, and I’d like to punish them somehow. Basically, this was a theft. Any ideas?</p>
<p>^^ good point … I have never had a problem with PayPal, but I have received several phishing e-mails regarding my PayPal account. They try to get you to click on their link and get you to enter your information so that you can verify something, etc. … It’s always best to avoid these e-mail links and go straight to their site to see if there is actually a problem.</p>
<p>I second to all the above. I have been using ebay since they started in 1996 and started to use Paypal few weeks after they started, I some times have balances some time don’t have balance on two accounts and never have a problem like you described. You should never believe an email regarding your account anywhare, bank, paypal or otherwise.</p>
<p>Yes, I’m sure it happened. I went to the site and saw the balance manager and pending transfer in my account, then I called them and got their excuses about computer glitches.</p>
<p>How did you avoid giving them your bank account info?</p>
<p>I would cancel, but I use Ebay quite a bit and need it for that reason.</p>
<p>Well, I joined PayPal about two years ago and I don’t remember how I avoided giving them my bank account information, I just did. They have my credit card information, but I really don’t think I gave them any bank account information. But my memory isn’t what it used to be, it’s possible that I did and just don’t remember.</p>
<p>I must have a different type of account than what you are describing because I don’t have anything like a balance with PayPal. When I buy something and pay for it with PayPal they just charge my credit card.</p>
<p>I’ve never had a balance with them, either, and previously I’ve just bought things and they’ve charged it to my credit card (after I go through some annoying steps to change from the default, withdrawal from my bank account). I’ve always had a zero balance, as you probably do, too. I only learned about the balance manager this morning.</p>
<p>I had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago. Two separate $140 charges to my PayPal account. I IMMEDIATELY filed a dispute (via PayPal’s website, NOT via the e-mail I received), filed a dispute with my credit card company, and within one hour, it was reversed, and noted as “an error” no further explanation. </p>
<p>Oh, and they told me that they would pay for any overdraft or non-sufficient funds charges that my bank applied. This is not going to be an issue for me, but clearly they’ve worked out a response. I wonder how many people were affected?</p>
<p>Like Pea, I signed up with PayPal several years ago (before their acquisition by eBay) and never gave them my bank account information. Works just fine without, so I ignore regular pleas to “get certified.” And like Sudluhs, I’ve had numerous phishing attempts over the past couple of years.</p>
<p>IMHO, “No I won’t give you my bank account information” is much preferable to “You’re telling me I authorized this withdrawal but you can’t tell me what the withdrawal was for or who you sent it to?”</p>
<p>This isn’t a transaction, or an unauthorized charge. Once the bank transfer goes through, my Paypal account will have a balance of $50. Apparently some people keep money in their Paypal accounts. The bank transfer was set up by Paypal themselves, not by a seller using Paypal, because a “glitch” in their system set my account up to keep a minimum balance of $50. I had no chance to “allow” this or authorize it.</p>
<p>I didn’t see anything about PROpay on the Ebay site, and they own Paypal.</p>
<p>I had to give them a bank account because I have sold books on half.com and on Amazon and the money I make gets deposited in this account. I opened up a separate account that is only used for these purposes. I keep $100 in it. It makes me feel a little safer.</p>
<p>Sounds like I was lucky - most people were taken for $200! Some posters there are pointing out that, although we will be able to transfer the money back to our bank accounts, it will take over a week to accomplish this. Meanwhile, Paypal has the use of that money.</p>
<p>I am thinking of calling my bank, telling them to reject this as an unauthorized transfer, and report it as fraud.</p>