Date Received: 2023-09-18
Issue: Managing, opening, or closing your mobile wallet account
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I've asked PayPal to delete my account through the customer portal. And the account was frozen despite having very little to no funds. The only way to unfreeze the account was to speak to a PayPal customer representative. The customer representative stated that an identification such as Driver License or a Passport is required to delete the account. I tried to reason with the representative stating that I had an authorized phone number and email address and that the account did not have much funds if any at all. But the representative still insisted on a valid identification and making it as difficult as possible to delete the account. The account has never been used maliciously in the past, so arbitrarily freezing the account and requiring an identification such as a Driver License and Passport to continue using it violates the end users privacy. An identification should not be required to close an account holding less than {$10.00} and has no pending transactions. This is clearly an attempt by PayPal to bring in and retain end users on the platform. Something similar occurred with XXXX XXXX creating fake credit card without the end users consent. And XXXX XXXX made it very difficult for the end user to remove those credit cards off their accounts. However, they were eventually prosecuted and fined by the government. I hope that you handle this matter accordingly based off past precedents.
Company Response:
State: TX
Zip: 75035
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-18
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-18
Issue: Other transaction problem
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I was out with my kids and lost my phone and cards. I filed a dispute about the unauthorized charges and cutting off my card. They agreed to the disputes and put the money back in my account and reissued my card. I didn't check my account until I received the new card and found out that whoever had my phone and cards had transfered the disputed money along with requested and received money from others and then transfered it to another one of my cards that they had. I wasn't able to close that card as there were open transactions on it. Venmo then put a security hold on my account for about a week. They then notified me that because the card the money was transfered to was already on my account that they closed the dispute and wouldn't take it any further. After I responded to them that it made no sense since it was all part of the same situation and the charges to the venmo card were accepted and refunded but the money that the person transfered out wasn't all because the account was already on there. They told me that the case was closed and they could not do anymore. They then made me change my password again and I had to send them proof of identification in the form of a picture of my driver 's license and then a picture of myself holding my license before they would take the hold off my account. So the dispute was denied but I still had to prove myself to get the hold off my account if the charges were considered authorized why did they keep the hold on my account until I proved my identity. The whole situation is a mess.
Company Response:
State: OH
Zip: 45036
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-18
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-18
Issue: Trouble using the card
Subissue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online
Consumer Complaint: A prepaid Paypal XXXX. I tried to activate it and it asked me to call ( XXXX ) XXXX when I called this number they said they were unable to activate the card, link the card to my Paypal account, give me a refund he told me he worked in a call center in the XXXX. This card goes to XXXX. XXXX card was offered to me once when I went to a check cashing to cash a check. When trying to cash a check they asked me to register with that location so I could cash checks I gave them my social security number name address and they also registered me for a XXXX I refused the XXXX put charges to a card I refused and to this day I'm in their system. I need XXXX to clear this up and remove me from their system. I never used XXXX.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 902XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-18
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-19
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Subissue: Money was taken from your account on the wrong day or for the wrong amount
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX, Paypal suddenly taken entire funds from our account. Totalling US XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Previously we were selling digital items on paypal. Until on XX/XX/XXXX they stated we " can no longger do business on their platform XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ), or in other words being permanently limited, in which they also stated remaining balance will be hold " for the moment '' and will be available for withdrawal " after 180 days '' ( XXXX XXXX ) Waited quite some time, we finally received notification email from them on XX/XX/XXXX saying the funds status are now " eligible for withdrawal '' ( XXXX XXXX ), in which we tried to withdraw but always failed. We keep getting " there's a problem with your account '' error Knowing that we have been " eligible '' but still unable to withdraw, we tried contacting paypal through their support chat in which they replied will escalate the situation ( if we remember correctly- as the message sent and received there get cleared soon enough ), yet after more waiting and several times trying, we still unable to access the funds Then, on XX/XX/XXXX, all of sudden we got ANOTHER EXACT SAME email saying that we " can no longer do business on paypal '' ( XXXX XXXX ), which is weird as we've received got this same message before. How could account that have been closed, got closed again? No way we have to wait another 180 days. Sending to support ticket, few days later on XX/XX/XXXX got email saying the funds are now " eligible for withdrawal '' ( XXXX XXXX ), yet again and again, still unable to perform the actual withdrawal Our peak disappointment happen during that XX/XX/XXXX when they decided to just flush away our funds like that. We've tried to do the right thing by refunded all those who disputed the transaction, and yet paypal still took our {$25000.00} under nonsense " XXXX XXXX '', which we think unfair. If, we indeed did damage to paypal other than what has been refunded, the fair resolution would be taking that equal sums ( then showed us refunded to which customers so we can address to them personally ), and not ENTIRE ONE!
Company Response:
State:
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-19
Issue: Trouble accessing funds in your mobile or digital wallet
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: XX/XX/2023 I used my venmo card when I checked in at pechanga hotel for the {$100.00} deposit for incidental. That {$100.00}, can also be use towards in room charges. I checked out on the XXXX, and per pechanga hotel, they released the hold on the same day and sent venmo the final bill which is only for {$32.00}. Where that should have been processed and posted by venmo on the XXXX and release the rest of my funds as well. However that's not the case. Up to now they still haven't processed the {$32.00}, in which one of their customer service verified that they're already showing it ad being received on their end, but she doesn't know why it hasn't been processed and my funds are still on hold. So she transferred me to another debt. The lady I spoke with told me that it can take up to 12 days for them to process that and the funds won't be released until its processed. I asked her, even they already received the final bill? It takes that long? That's a no brainer. I Told her that it is a scam, that we all know that it would only take one business day to process the transaction. Or at least that's the usual banking standard time frame. And I won't take that long. I mean, yes, I get it that it can take. Thirty days for them to hold on the funds if there's no final bill from the company that sent the authorization. However, my case is different since the company have sent them the actual bill of the final bill. And yet they're still holding on my funds. This is not fair for the consumers. Are they paying us interest for the time being they have our money? No. I think these company such as venmo should have a reasonable time framed aligned with most financial institutions in this country so that they won't abuse their customers and their money.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 90620
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-19
Issue: Trouble accessing funds in your mobile or digital wallet
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I am unable to log into my venmo account. I get an error code every day. I have submitted my id & a self with my id like I was asked. I need access to my account on demand. Not whenever venmo things I should be allowed.
Company Response:
State: NJ
Zip: 07470
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-19
Issue: Managing, opening, or closing your mobile wallet account
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Details of the Experience : Starting sometime around 2023, whenever I logged in to access my Paypal account online through a web browser, after entering and verifying my credentials, I would be blocked from progressing to my actual account management by a " Add your phone number '' screen. This " add phone number '' page had been popping up prior to 2023, but previously there was always a small " skip '' option provided ; whereas now there is no way to progress without entering a phone number. This means I can not access my account at all unless I give Paypal a phone number. I have had this account for many years, possibly a decade or more, so long that I can not remember even the number of years, and in all that time I have always made use of Paypal 's services through a web browser without the need for a phone number, nor do I have any desire to provide XXXX to this company. Yet now they are forcibly and illegally violating my rights and the rights of " hundreds of customers '' ( in its own representative supervisor 's words ) by blocking access to their customer 's accounts unless a phone number is entered. In addition, knowing that this is illegal, they are lying about this when being asked by their customers. Without the means to access to my account, I am blocked from everything including online customer support. The only recourse Paypal left to me was the XXXX hidden on their website, through which I contacted them. My first call and second calls were disconnected halfway after an automated answering service picked up, before I could even talk to an agent. On my XXXX call, the very first thing the automated service demanded is " the last XXXX digits of your social security number ''. I want to make it clear that I have never provided my social security number to Paypal, and due to security and privacy concerns, wished to provide this to them EVEN LESS than my phone number. However, just like the " add phone number '' page was illegally blocking total access to my account, this " XXXX digit SS # '' demand by the answering system was illegally blocking total access to customer service. It is literally the first thing that the automated system demanded when the call finally went through, and I was offered no option to bypass or speak with a representative. Since the XXXX number was the last and ONLY option left to me to even contact Paypal after my access to my account was blocked by the " add phone number '' page, I was forced to capitulate and provide the last XXXX digits of my SS #. Then and only then was I asked for other information to identify my account, including the last XXXX digits of a credit card that I had used or is using with Paypal on my account. After providing both my bank account and credit card number that I had on file with Paypal, I was abruptly forwarded to a representative, " XXXX ''. When I explained that I was blocked from accessing my account by the " add phone number '' page, and very clearly stated that I do NOT wish to give Paypal my number, she tried to stonewall me by saying, there is nothing she can do to remove the page block because " that's the system ''. When I stated that without access to my account, I can not do anything, not even close the account, she tells me that she can close the account for me over the phone. I reiterated I would need to manage my account first to arrange payments before I can close it, she finally said she'll check my account and see if there's anything else she can do, then mentions that there is a " security check '' placed on my account. She informs me that I need to answer some questions with " publicly available information '' to bypass it. Due to past experience, the ambiguous wording of her " security check '' misled me to think that she was asking the questions to verify that my caller identity as the actual account holder. Naturally I raised the question of why the previously provided bank account and credit card numbers were not enough to identify me as the account holder, and she merely brushed the question aside by stating that's how the system is setup and I would need to answer the questions or there is no other way. When I pointed out the security risk and sheer inanity of using " publicly avaiable information '' as a way of verifying account holder identity, she again used " the system '' excuse and reiterated she will not provide an alternative. Thus I was misled into thinking that I needed to answer these questions in order for her to check my account and be able to provide service to me at all. Thinking I had no choice, and under the false impression that I was merely verifying my identity as the account holder, I again was forced to capitulate and proceed with the questions. She the started to ask me a series of questions, though really it was all along the lines of " which of the following information is associated with you ''? Each time I was given a group of answers and asked to choose the one, if any that had any association with me. The first and second group consisted of street addresses, then there was a question of a person with a name I didn't recognize, and information presumably related to them. After XXXX of these groups, in which over half of the information I did not associate with me, the representative informed me that I had failed the security check and she still could not remove the phone number requirement for my account. When it was obvious I wasn't going to give up easily, " XXXX '' stated she will forward me to a supervisor who might be able to help me with this. After more waiting, I was forwarded to a supervisor who provided his name as " XXXX '', ID # : XXXX. It was obvious I wasn't the first person who had called in about this issue, and he was used to dealing with it. Immediately and without my prompting, he stated that he was aware I was calling about my inability to access my account without providing a phone number and " yes, I know this is a discrimination against handicapped people and against people who can not afford phones ''. And indeed, Paypal 's practice of forcing phone numbers and blocking account access was also violating the rights of said people, in addition to my privacy violation. It's clear someone else already informed him of those things, and he and Paypal is well aware of the violations, yet is purposefully carrying on with the practice. When I informed him of the additional privacy violation, he immediately agrees to that as well, and then proceeded with lying straight to my face, by telling me that the " add phone number '' page blocking account access is actually a " technical error '' that they " don't know how it happened ''. He admits that it's " been going on for months '' ( consistent with my personal experiences ), and when I questioned why it took months to fix a simple " error '', he perpetuates the bald-faced, flimsy lie by stating " Do you know how many customers we have? We have XXXX of customers, it will take a long time to fix this ''. I was temporarily speechless, stunned into silence while deliberating which I should point out first : his sheer lack of intelligence that made him think that I would believe such a poor lie, or his sheer lack of respect in repeatedly, flat out lying to my face. He wants me to believe that Paypal unintentionally removed the " skip '' button on the " add phone number '' page that forcibly blocks customers ' access to their accounts and it would took literal " months '' and they still haven't fixed it for everyone affected because Paypal has " XXXX of customers ''? Never mind the fact that it takes a mere second to add or remove XXXX line of code, all of this is in direct contradiction to what " XXXX '' the representative before him just stated to me. Before I could do either however, he attempts to mollify me by saying that because I have now contacted them about this, he will now " elevate my account to the front of the line with the technical team '', so the issue should be fixed for me within " XXXX hours ''. When I verified with him that this means I would be able to access my account without providing a phone number after XXXX hours, he then changed tune and said, " well XXXX hours *at least*, give it a week. '' Then he told me to call them again if it's not fixed. It has now been well over a month since that phone call. I have checked after XXXX hours, after a week, after XXXX weeks, and today. Nothing has changed. The same " add your phone number '' page still pops up in the exact same place after verifying my login credentials, and there is still no way to bypass it without entering a phone number that they will accept. I should state that I have actually tried to enter a phone number, the same phone number that I called Paypal with that day, which was my secondary phone number when I didn't wish to give out my primary, and Paypal 's system will not accept it. I informed the representative " XXXX '' about it at the time, and her only response was a mere " mmmmh ''. Before I ended the call with supervisor " XXXX '' that day, after he promised the " XXXX hours '' resolution to the " add phone number '' issue, I had also raised the issue with the phishing questions that were asked to me by the previous representative. At the time I had still believed that the questions were meant to confirm my identity as the account holder, and so I only pointed out the illogical and dangerous problem with using " publicly available information '' to confirm account holder identities. I asked why it wasn't enough that Paypal already had my bank account and credit card numbers and that I had already provided those when the system wanted them to verify my account holder status. And like " XXXX '', " XXXX '' obfuscated the issue and did nothing to clarify the misconception -- -that none of the information used in the so called " security check '' questions were really needed or used for verifying my account holder status, and he ultimately did nothing to clarify their true purpose to the customer. It was only after the call, I belatedly realized how deeply suspicious and illegal these questions were, that it was all a phishing scheme to pinpoint my personal identity, far beyond what I had already provided to Paypal and beyond what was necessary to provide their services, with information that I never provided and could not even be reliably attributed to me. I do not know the true illicit purpose of these privacy violating phishing schemes and information extortions that Paypal has going on, but I do know that it is deeply illegal and I am very angry. Summary of Violations I am writing to report the egregious violations by the company providing the virtual wallet payment service known as Paypal, primarily consisting of XXXX issues : XXXX. Illegally extorting and extracting personal information and violating privacy rights and financial rights by blocking customers ' access to their accounts unless a phone number is given to Paypal. XXXX. Denying any access to even reach a customer sesrvice representative or contact the company about account issues unless the last XXXX digits of their Social Security number is provided. XXXX. Using misinformation and outright deception to get the customer to answer phishing questions regarding personally identifying information that XXXX or XXXX not be theirs, and misrepresenting this as a means to " pass security check '' to allow access to their accounts. The personal information used in the questions was never willingly provided by the customer, and likely obtained through the aforementioned Social Security number and background checks. It is information that they can not even be sure is accurately associated with the customer they are asking, hence the phishing. By their own words, they are using " publicly available information '' in the questions. The exact purpose of these questions was never accurately explained to me by Paypal 's customer service representatives, instead they simply used vague and misleading words like " to pass the security check '' and states that this is the only way to return access to my account without obtaining my phone number. Meanwhile, the entire time I thought the rep was asking the questions to verify that I was the account holder. Even though I repeatedly pointed out the sheer illogic and security risk of using " publicly available information '' to verify if a caller was the account holder, especially since the information in said questions was never provided to Paypal as the customer in the first place, all the representatives merely continued to stonewall and offer no reasonable explanation or alternative. # # Note to CFPB # # Please do NOT provide the phone number I have given CFPB to Paypal as it is my primary phone number and would defeat the entire original purpose of this complaint.
Company Response:
State: VA
Zip: 222XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-18
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Problem accessing account
Consumer Complaint: XX/XX/23 Have a XXXX balance in my Venmo account Transfer out XXXX using my Venmo debit card ( receive email receipt ) Remaining balance of XXXX XX/XX/23 at XXXX Recieved an email that my Venmo account has been frozen and that I should have received a separate email with more information. I did not have not to date received that email. XXXX - I replied to the email as instructed asking for assistance in removing the freeze. Submitted a ticket online with XXXX to ask for assistance removing the freeze. Received a general bot reply to my online ticket with a link to XXXX XXXX that might solve my issue. Non were applicable. Replied to the ticket as instructed letting them know those XXXX XXXX did not fix my issue and to please contact me. I called Venmo and was told there was nothing she could do and I have to communicate through email and the tickets. I was told I could not retrieve my funds until the freeze was lifted, which could take over a week. I was told she could not provide any details or explanation as to why my account was frozen. XX/XX/23 My ticket online was deleted. Not just closed, completely deleted and not showing on my account, however I have the email that follows after you submit the ticket. I submitted another online ticket with the same information asking for help again Received the same generic XXXX email, replied to it asking for more assistance A service rep responded named XXXX, Please see my uploads. She told me she can not help me and I would have to wait for the special services team to contact me, that they only communicate through email, and that they can take 7-10 business day to contact me and even give me an explanation of why my account is frozen, much less what I need to do to have it unfrozen. I let her know I need the funds from my account as I'm a mom of XXXX and starting a new job this week and that is all the money we have until my direct deposit arrives. She advised that because I have a Venmo XXXX card I can use it at the ATM to retrieve my funds or use it to make purchases. I let her know I had tried a purchase and it was declined, and that I was told conflicting information on the phone by Venmo earlier in the day, and requested clarification. My ticket was CLOSED without any reply. I submitted ANOTHER ticket asking for information on all of the above, including why my ticket was closed without reply. No response received, not even the generic XXXX email this time. In desperation I drove to the ATM from my home in the country to try what I was told would work to withdraw my funds. Declined, XXXX times, with XXXX different error codes on the receipts for what Venmo was reporting back in their system. XX/XX/23 Screenshot and recorded all communications with Venmo and declined transactions and current status and balance shown in my app. This has been a nightmare. Here are the details I submitted to a law firm for consultation below just few minutes ago. Much more prose and emotion in this, but it explains the full story for additional details. ( sent to XXXX XXXX XXXX for review and consultation on XX/XX/23 ) Venmo has frozen my account and provided no reason for doing so. I have spoken to them on the phone multiple times, and in support tickets multiple times. They continue to say that their special services team should have emailed me regarding why my account was frozen. They have not! They have said it could be XXXX days before I even receive a reply on why my account was frozen. My account is fully verified, and I have a XXXX balance that I CAN NOT access. I am a mom of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, and this XXXX} is all I have until I start employment with a new company later this week, then still need to make it to my first paycheck. I was told on the phone with Venmo that I can not use my Venmo debit card even to access my funds. Then in a XXXX ticket later that day I was told I can use my Venmo XXXX card to access my funds at an ATM and to make purchases with my physical card. I asked for clarification because I had tried a purchase already and it was declined, and I was told conflicting information earlier on the phone. They CLOSED my ticket WITHOUT RESPONDING! I created another ticket and continued asking for information and clarification. In desperation, I drove XXXX miles from my XXXX home to an ATM to try to withdraw my funds as I was told I could, and no surprise, it did NOT allow me to. My XXXX tickets continue to be closed and go unanswered, and phone support continues to tell me there is nothing they can do and provide no explanation to why my account is frozen. I have read Venmo 's terms and have violated none of them. My XXXX sent me XXXX, and in the past had sent me $ XXXX XXXX multiple times, including XXXX XXXX weeks ago, and I have never had an issue. I was able to transfer XXXX out of the XXXX he sent to my bank, then Venmo froze my account. No explanation, no email, no timeline for fixing the issue, no communication, no sympathy, no solutions, and their elusive " special services team '' I was told only communicates through email, which I was not given. I have screenshots of every ticket and the conflicting information I was given, the questions I asked and where my ticket was closed without a reply, phone records of each time I called Venmo and the length of call, the physical ATM receipts showing where my Venmo XXXX XXXX was rejected XXXX times and XXXX different ATM error codes for the information my bank ( VENMO ) kicked back to them, and every email of failed transactions and communication ( or non communication ) with Venmo since the account was frozen. I have been vigilant and unrelenting and have not been helped at all. I need this XXXX out of my account desperately for my family to bridge the gap this week. I even asked Venmo if they could transfer my balance to my linked and verified XXXX XXXX account that is on file with them in my account ( and has been for a while ), while I wait for their team to decide why my account is frozen. ( If I can supposedly use my Venmo XXXX card still as they said ( i can not ) then why can they not manually, on their end, transfer my funds to my already linked and verified bank account? This is ridiculous, and should be a crime to hold someone's funds without cause! and to not be able to speak to their special services team and have to wait for THEM to contact you through EMAIL whenever they feel like it is asinine and should be customer fraud. Please help me. Any advice or suggestions you have would be so greatly appreciated. I am in the process of submitted a complaint to the CFBP and Texas Attorney General.
Company Response:
State: TX
Zip: 766XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-18
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-17
Issue: Fraud or scam
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I attempted to purchase a product from XXXX. i paid someone via PayPal and they told me they were unable to receive the funds so i opened a case w PayPal to fix it and the funds stayed with the initial recipient. i then navely sent a total of {$300.00} to different addresses given to me from a person on the website to cover what they called security and stamp deposits that would be refunded me upon delivery. the package was supposed to be delivered several days ago and still hasnt been delivered. i realize now {$400.00} later that i was scammed and would like my money back or at least for this to not happen to anyone else.
Company Response:
State: AR
Zip: 72404
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-17
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Subissue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Consumer Complaint: On XXXX XXXX XXXX I booked a reservation with XXXX XXXX for a trip to XXXX, XXXX. I used my XXXX credit card ( ending in XXXX ), linked to my PayPal.com account, to make the payment. However, on XX/XX/, I had to cancel the reservation, but the hotel didn't respond to my cancellation request. To resolve this, I opened a dispute with PayPal for a refund. Regrettably, PayPal closed the case in my favor but refunded only a partial amount of {$140.00} XXXXXXXX XXXX to my XXXXXXXX XXXX. The correct refund should have been {$140.00} USD, not XXXX pesos. Despite my efforts to rectify the issue with PayPal, they have refused to correct it, saying that I need to take this matter to small claims court as they are no longer going to assist me. I provided all the necessary information for the dispute and canceled the reservation within the stipulated timeframe. This situation should have been straightforward to resolve, but I find myself caught in a frustrating predicament. Original Transaction ID for the purchase of {$140.00} : XXXX Second Transaction ID for the incorrect {$7.00} refund from PayPal : XXXX
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 91945
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A