PayPal
Funds Held Because Step Brother's Account Had Negative Balance

Where to start?

First, I am a small seller on eBay, and also a buyer since October.

I recently sold a PS3 on my account and was in the process of transferring the money. I checked a day later, and it had been reversed and my account limited.

With auctions still up, I had buyers asking, "Why can't I pay for the item?" I was clueless to the fact that my account had been frozen. I replied, "Just hit the commit to buy button."

I checked my email, and a message from PayPal said my account had been limited due to a link to another account. I kept thinking and had no idea whose account.

So I proceeded to call PayPal and fix the problem over the phone. The first person I talked to started telling me they had been putting holds on accounts due to PS3s selling on eBay. They told me, "We just want to verify who you are for security reasons, making sure this was not a fraudulent sale," which I totally understand, because I think eBay needs to be a safe buying and selling environment, not only for sellers but for buyers also. At this point nothing was mentioned about the email I received. Honestly, I may have checked it after this call, but I am not sure.

So we proceeded into what information they needed faxed to them, ran through it all, and I made a list for myself. I rummaged through old bills and bank statements and faxed everything in.

I called again and spoke with another customer service agent. He told me they had received the information and everything seemed to be cleared up except for this person linked to my account. Until this point I thought it was a fake email or a scam to get my information. So at this point I found out it was my step brother's account, who lives in the next apartment in the duplex we live in. He told me the account needed to be cleared before they would release my funds.

His bills are not my problem! I told the guy that, and he agreed, but that is their policy. I was told to have him handwrite a document saying that in no way is his account linked to mine, and that it is my account and my account only. So we hung up, and I agreed to do more inconvenient tasks of sending more information in to them. He told me to just scan it and send it in an email, which I did, no problem.

Now up to call number 3 or 4, so many I lost count!

I called, assuming I would get the funds cleared and finally pay my bills, which have late charges being added. First I spoke with the agent, and she told me they cannot receive attachments on emails and that the guy I spoke to was wrong. I was furious by now! She started telling me that my step brother's account needed to be cleared up first. I was very furious now! They told me it is the same address, which it is, just not noted as apartment A or B, because it does not matter who the packages come to; we always sign for each other on packages or mail. We see each other all the time and always get it from one another.

Well, she told me basically that he has to pay the bill between them and they will un-hold my funds.

I asked how they could hold me accountable for a bill he has. Once again it went back to, "Well, you have the same address." I explained how we live in a duplex and it is either apartment A or B, but it did not matter. I was pretty heated by now, sitting on hold for about 20 minutes and not getting any help from this lady. I asked to speak to her supervisor, and she said, "They will tell you the same thing."

So back on hold for another 10 minutes until her supervisor came on the line. I once again explained the situation and got basically the same answer. I told them I would send a picture of our building to prove it is 2 different residences, but oh yeah, they cannot get attachments!

So I told him that if I have to, I will go to small claims court to get the money. I should not have to; PayPal is a service for me, therefore I am their customer! I feel that they are breaking some extent of the law by holding my money with no legitimate reason. I asked whether, if my step brother owed money to a credit card, they would put a hold on my card or account. Still he told me he could not help me, and I insisted on talking to his supervisor.

Back on hold, who would have guessed?

So I spoke to a guy named Adam at PayPal, who implied that he is at the top of the department which handles these cases or has the power to change the account status. He told me the whole same thing about my step brother's account. He told me that since we are an internet business and not a face-to-face business, we cannot verify that you live separately and this and that. I referred to credit cards once again, and how they would not hold my account for my step brother's negative balance. When I think of it, credit card companies do not either!

I kept insisting on seeking legal advice or a class action lawsuit, but he thought nothing of it. He looked at my account and told me he would release the PS3 payment on proof of the item being received, which still had not shipped because I did not know why the money was held. He also informed me that since it was more than 7 days after payment, it would not be covered by their protection policy. Great!

I agreed to ship it that day with overnight shipping and to provide the tracking number later that day so they could verify it when it got there. But that is still only the money for the PS3, and I do not even know if it is true whether I will get my money or not. Who knows? At this point I have been told a few different stories and lies by people at PayPal, and I do not know what to believe! Not to mention the other money in the account from different items that were sold. He never mentioned anything about this, now that I think about it. So I guess I have to keep hounding my step brother to pay his account, but I cannot force him. What if he never pays it?

I never get my money?

Or six months later?

After this whole ordeal, my bills are still racking up, and PayPal still refuses to unlimit my account.

There is so much to this story, and it has not even been resolved yet, so I hope I included everything in this long story. Sorry for any typos or errors.

If any class action lawsuit is started, I will be sure to put my name at the top of the list. This so-called "service" from PayPal has gotten me behind on bills, and I cannot thank them enough. As the main source of payments through eBay, I will continue to let them charge me high fees (42 cents on 3.99, crazy, huh?) because if you do not accept PayPal, you might as well not list your item.

We need to do something about this monopoly over PayPal buyers and sellers. After the fees went up again, I am sure the president of eBay is enjoying a drink on me!

I cannot even go on about this company.

Hope this info helps you in some way.

Company: PayPal
Country: USA
State: Nationwide
Phone: 18882211161
Site: paypal.com

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