Consumer complaint received 2020-08-17
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: AZ
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Virtual currency
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
In XXXX we had 2 large ACH withdraws out of our XXXX business account totaling about {$11000.00}. We WERE able to go INTO the branch and file a fraud complaint resulting in getting our funds put back into our account. 

I had most of our money in our new savings account which is an account we do NOT typically have activity in because it just sits holding money. I more closely monitor our checking account because that one has activity in it. I did not notice the {$2.00} ACH from our savings XX/XX/XXXX then in XXXX {$2.00} XXXX and {$2.00} XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$3.00} XX/XX/XXXX {$3.00} XX/XX/XXXX {$1.00} XX/XX/XXXX {$9.00} XX/XX/XXXX {$3.00} XX/XX/XXXX {$9.00} At first I glanced at these smaller amounts because so minute I thought dividends and it did not register. Then on XX/XX/XXXX as the country was facing a pandemic and things were shutting down larger amounts started coming out. I was like most people dealing with job loss, children having to learn online education to keep up with schooling. My husband was trying to retain the clients he had by offering free services so that they might return when businesses opened up again. Not normal circumstances for anyone. All of these transactions were from PayPal. I was receiving emails from PayPal however they were telling me that my account was temporarily on hold, that I needed to respond back to verify it was me. I never completed the action steps they were asking me to do. I did however check my PayPal acct and there has not been activity in over a year. I called PayPal they said they would contact me through my acct. 

As we sat struggling through quarantine, the hackers successfully removed {$7400.00} from my savings in 10 transactions between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX all labeled PayPay ACH transactions. I was notified that I reached the withdrawal limit that's when I noticed the activity and filed with XXXX fraud that moment. Because they were so helpful the first time this happened I had no doubt that they would see this fraudulent activity and we would see our money again. 

I understand that this is spread over a period of time. What they need to understand is the situation itself. This is an account that we let sit we did not check on it as often as we should. The actual time frame with the most money stolen was during a worldwide pandemic which everyone 's focus was all over. The vendor name on the ACH transfers was one we are familiar seeing because we use Pay Pal however this is not actually PayPal. Even that did not put up a red flag at first glance.

There is information I found when looking at regulation E which was written back in the 70 's when we did not use online banking like we do now. Perhaps that should be updated. Apparently there is only a 60 day window from the first transaction which there was only one XX/XX/XXXX for {$2.00} then nothing until XX/XX/XXXX so nothing else is even considered even though it is straight up theft any way you look at it. I do take responsibility for being in a terrible situation along with the entire world, country, and state and I do wish I would have caught this. If it was in the checking which we use daily it would have been caught ASAP, first attempt. 

I filed a complaint and heard from chase. They claimed to be advocating on our behalf with PayPal. They claim that if they can not get PayPal to anything we were XXXX. 
XXXX returned the two most recent transactions. Although the claim was made XX/XX/XXXX I stated that any PayPal transaction were not authorized and fraudulent. They go back to the first {$2.00} XX/XX/XXXX and 60 days after but there was nothing until XX/XX/XXXX We were cheated out of our money under PayPal and through XXXX. We would really appreciate someone taking notice of this and helping us get our money back. We are in the same boat as everyone else during this pandemic and are not willing to have {$7400.00} stolen from us. I have all correspondence if I need to provide it. 


Thank You XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation