Consumer complaint received 2023-09-09
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: MA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Trouble accessing funds in your mobile or digital wallet

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2023, PayPal decided to limit or restrict both of my accounts permanently, even after providing the requested identity verification documents and reasoning of funds transferred. PayPal accepted my funds coming from my bank account just fine to then block me immediately when I attempted to move them out of PayPal, essentially creating a free loan for them of {$7100.00}, as they put a hold on it for XXXX  days without any alternatives or paths to resolution. This includes my multiple requests to simply return the money to exactly where it came from, as they have no rights to keep my money for that extended period of time. 

Their reasoning is due to high risk of fraud for this activity ( despite me proving otherwise that these are legitimate funds and not fraud ) and that they come from legitimate sources from accounts I personally own. They stated I also used a proxy anonymizer, which I replied I don't even know what that is and that the only thing I can think of is XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX being enabled, which comes by default with XXXX and XXXX products like XXXX, XXXX, etc. Other than that, I did not use a VPN with PayPal or even have a VPN set up at this time. The other reason raised was having XXXX PayPal accounts with similar information, and I explained XXXX was intended for personal use and another for my sole prop business. However, never really ended up working that way and both are now showing as personal after their statuses were downgraded/changed, but they were at XXXX point different types so that is why there are XXXX right now. Happy to close XXXX of them, of course, since I do not need XXXX personal accounts. 

Additionally, I explained the funds I own came from my XXXX XXXX account under my name, and those aren't funds where any claims, chargebacks, refunds, or disputes at all can be brought up against it because these are not purchases or transactions related in any way to goods or services. They are solely personal money movement. This already refutes their reasoning to hold funds for XXXX  days due to those same reasons that are not valid in this case. XXXX XXXX also confirmed to me via phone that PayPal is the XXXX responsible here because XXXX already sent those funds to PayPal and there is nothing for XXXX to do here because they now sit with PayPal who is holding those funds without due cause. They said PayPal needs to release those funds on their side, as XXXX XXXX already did their part in successfully sending the verified funds. 

Despite my attempts, PayPal just continues to send copy paste scripts stating the same thing that my account has been permanently limited and that it is final, and that no money can move in any direction for XXXX  days, which is completely unfair and unreasonable in this case, and shows they took no care to understand this case or work with me for a resolution. 

If you look online, this is a common fishy PayPal practice of decades, and many small business and individuals have been affected harshly for doing normal activities and using services as intended, in the end affecting the livelihoods of many in the U.S. and around the world by holding essential funds that could save and protect businesses and human lives.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief