Consumer complaint received 2023-03-29
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: RI
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Unauthorized transactions or other transaction problem

Complaint:
On XX/XX/ at XXXX  XXXX, PayPal processed my monthly XXXX credit card bill payment, as scheduled through their " Bill Pay feature, resulting in a {$800.00} debit from my XXXX bank checking account. 

After that, two different issues arose which have yet to be resolved, despite the fourteen hours over the past seven stressful months I have spent on the phone asking for a resolution and following every direction given by PayPal. 

The first issue arose minutes later. Following the first {$800.00} debit, PayPal made a second, third, and fourth {$800.00} debit from my checking account at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX debiting {$2400.00} more from my checking account than I had scheduled. 

After being notified about these transactions, I called PayPal aXXXX XXXX XXXX  and while I was not provided an explanation for this error, I was assured that there would not be any more redundant transactions. Of note, I received two emails as receipts for two of the {$800.00} payments but never received any for the remaining two. 

The second issue arose days later. After waiting until XX/XX/XXXX, I saw that the four {$800.00} transactions had been posted, for a total of {$3200.00} debited from my XXXX bank checking account. However, only {$1600.00} had been received by XXXX from PayPal in the form of two {$800.00} payments. 

I called PayPal on XX/XX/XXXX, spoke with a representative, and explained that only half of the money taken from my checking account was received by XXXX. The PayPal representative claimed that the transactions appeared to have been successful from PayPals end and directed me to contact XXXX and request a trace performed to find the remaining {$1600.00}, which I did. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, my wife ( the primary account holder for the XXXX credit card account ) received a letter addressed to her regarding the investigation to trace the payments, stating that only two payments of {$800.00} each were received on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX and was provided the same information over the phone. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called PayPal and spoke with a representative about the errant and redundant transactions on XX/XX/XXXX, the missing {$1600.00}, and XXXX response. I was then directed to contact XXXX bank and request a chargeback for all four unauthorized {$800.00} transactions, which I did. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from XXXX stating Based on our investigation, we do not find that an error has occurred. Therefore, no funds will be credited to your account as a result of your claim and this matter is considered closed. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called PayPal and spoke with a representative about the results of the XXXX investigation. I was directed to appeal the results and that PayPal would communicate directly with XXXX bank about the investigation into the unauthorized transactions, which I did. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called PayPal after not seeing any changes to the status of the XXXX claims opened up as part of the investigation. I was directed to wait until 75 days had elapsed after the claims were opened, which I did. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called PayPal after more than 75 days had elapsed after the claims were opened and they directed me to contact XXXX as there were no updates to provide. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX and was told that there was no further documentation provided by PayPal to change the result of the investigations opened in XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called PayPal and requested that the claims be escalated as I had done everything I was directed to by PayPal representatives and I still did not have my {$1600.00} back. I was told I would receive communication about the claims after escalation, but I did not. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called PayPal and explained that I had not received any communication about the escalation of the claims, and was told the claims would be escalated again, but I did not receive any further communication. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called PayPal and spoke with a supervisor in the chargeback department. I was told that a trace could be performed by PayPal into the two {$800.00} payments to XXXX that were never received by XXXX. I was told I would receive communication about the results of the trace within XXXX hours, but I did not. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called PayPal and spoke with a supervisor in the chargeback department. I was told that the trace into the missing payments would not take 40 hours, but instead would take 5-7 calendar days and a maximum of XXXX calendar days from XX/XX/XXXX. I was directed to call back if I did not receive communication about the results of the trace. I did not receive communication after more than 30 days. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called PayPal and spoke with a supervisor in the chargeback department. I was told that the trace was not performed and I was directed to contact XXXX bank and ask to again appeal the results of the claim opened in XXXX and to provide an updated reason code of duplicate instead of unauthorized, which I did. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from XXXX bank where, despite my appealing the XXXX case on the basis of an updated reason code, the final determination remained : we still have concluded that no error occurred. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called PayPal and provided this information to a representative who explained that a supervisor in the chargeback department was unavailable. The representative said that they would provide this information to a supervisor and that I should receive communication from them with further direction. After two weeks, I have not. 

It has been over 200 days since PayPal debited four times the amount I requested and failed to deliver half of that money to the intended recipient. I have not seen the missing funds, despite my taking every action PayPal has directed me to.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief