I was a PayPal customer for years with a linked bank account and credit card. Paypal signed me up for a phantom "line of credit" without my knowledge or authorization through "Smart Connect" - a cover for GE Money Bank who issues credit at a usurious interest rate of over 26%, exorbitant late fees and other charges.
Paypal forces Smart Connect as a default - if you are not vigilant and paying attention every time you make a purchase, you end up using "Smart Connect" instead of your linked bank account! No bills are sent - had no knowledge of the 30 dollar charge in January until April when GE's shark started calling. One month later, the $30 charge was now $109.28 with late fees, interest, and other.
I did not remember paypal sign me up with a credit service, when I called they told me paypal smart is a totally different than regular Paypal, however those two services are 100% connected to each other using the same operation.
I WAS NOT AWARE THAT I WAS USING PAYPAL SMART CONNECT, RATHER THAN PAYPAL, until the late fees which amounts to 3x of what my original charge was.
I believe this is pure deception which I was signed up for a line of credit with extremely high interest rate and high fees without my acknowledgement, and also very explicit attempt to force/scam me into using such unethical practice, which in the end causes the customers great harm without them even know about it.
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