Consumer complaint received 2022-07-20
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: CO
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX I went to the Venmo website to look into starting a venmo account. The site advertised giving {$10.00} if you open an account with them. I'd never used venmo, but heard of it and decided receiving the {$10.00} made it worth my time. I opened the account and added my checking account from my bank to my new venmo account and figured I'd sit back and see if they would really honor the {$10.00} offer. On Monday the XXXX I got an email from them saying the account was frozen due to activity that violates the user agreement, and that I needed to send them a copy of my ID to verify who I am in order to unfreeze the account. I immediately suspected a lie, mainly because there had been NO activity, let alone activity that violated the user agreement. I complied with their request right away and sent pictures of the front and back of my state ID to the link they provided in that email, within just a few minutes of reading it. Their email said if I had any questions I could reply to that email. So I sent a reply outlining my suspensions that they were just attempting to get out of the {$10.00} offer. That there had in fact been NO activity on the account since I signed up, let alone activity that violated the user agreement. I asked them to respond to my email with exactly what activity they were talking about. They did not. They responded saying they couldn't give out that information and that I wasn't eligible for the promotion because it expired in XXXX, and I signed up on XX/XX/XXXX. I closed my account. It was a bait and switch. 

This is a copy and paste of my emails to them.

1st email " I received an email saying my Venmo account had been frozen. It said something about violating the user terms. It asked for my ID. I went to the link and uploaded pictures of the front and back of my state ID. I just started this account because your company offered me {$10.00} to join. I figured I'd wait until I got the {$10.00} put into my account, as the invitation stated, before using Venmo, just to see if it was a real offer. So, there's been no use of the account that would violate your user agreement. Just me joining, downloading the app, and having Venmo verify my checking account. So, what violation took place? Will you still be depositing {$10.00} into the account within 30 days? I'm suspecting this is Venmo 's way of getting out of the XXXX dollar offer, by saying somehow, because the account got frozen during the first 30 days, the offer is no longer valid. We'll see I guess. The question still remains though. What violation caused my account to be frozen? Please email me with a response, or call. '' 2nd email " You'll need to contact me with the specific reason my account was frozen. You asked for my ID, so I sent pictures of the front and back. The account hasn't been used. I wasn't going to use it until after I saw the {$10.00} deposit into my Venmo account that I was offered by Venmo to join up. I'm suspecting this is Venmo 's way of getting out of that obligation. I'll wait and see. 

This is the request I just wrote to your support team, and then got an immediate reply that didn't address my issue. 

" I received an email saying my Venmo account had been frozen. It said something about violating the user terms. It asked for my ID. I went to the link and uploaded pictures of the front and back of my state ID. I just started this account because your company offered me {$10.00} to join. I figured I'd wait until I got the {$10.00} put into my account, as the invitation stated, before using Venmo, just to see if it was a real offer. So, there's been no use of the account that would violate your user agreement. Just me joining, downloading the app, and having Venmo verify my checking account. So, what violation took place? Will you still be depositing {$10.00} into the account within 30 days? I'm suspecting this is Venmo 's way of getting out of the XXXX dollar offer, by saying somehow, because the account got frozen during the first 30 days, the offer is no longer valid. We'll see I guess. The question still remains though. What violation caused my account to be frozen? Please email me with a response, or call. '' So again, I'll await a response. The way this is handled will help determine if I'll be using Venmo in the future. Please remember to address my main question. 
What violation took place causing you to freeze my account and request that I upload my ID? 
Please also address the following questions ; Where the pictures of my ID received? 
Is my Venmo account still frozen? 
Did this action make the {$10.00} dollar offer to join invalid now? 

Thank you, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX '' After that they sent me an email saying the account was unfrozen and could be used, but didn't answer my questions. 
" XXXX XXXX, Thank you for sending that information to help verify your identity! 

We have unfrozen your account and you should be able to use Venmo as normal. 

We apologize for any inconvenience this situation may have created. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. 
Account XXXX '' So I wrote a third email. 
3rd email " Hello, You say the account is no longer frozen, and it can be used now. However, you'll need to contact me with the specific reason my account was frozen. You asked for my ID, so I sent pictures of the front and back. The account hasn't been used. I wasn't going to use it until after I saw the {$10.00} deposit into my Venmo account that I was offered by Venmo to join up. I'm suspecting this is Venmo 's way of getting out of that obligation. I'll wait and see. 

Please address the following questions ; What violation of the user agreement took place causing you to freeze my account and request that I upload my ID? 

Did this action make the {$10.00} dollar offer to join, invalid now? 

Thank you, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX '' Their response, " You have a new message from Venmo regarding request # XXXX. To respond, simply reply to this email. 

Hi XXXX, Thank you for contacting us. 

We have systems in place that monitor activity on Venmo, but please note that we don't reveal information about our internal systems in order to keep these systems robust. Because of that, I'm afraid I'm unable to share much more than I've already shared. 

Unfortunately the promotion has expired on XX/XX/XXXX and you have signed up on XX/XX/XXXX. We will not be able to credit the promotional amount. 

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns, bearing in mind that we can't divulge much beyond what we've provided here. 

Best, Account XXXX '' I closed the account due to their lie/fraud. I believe they owe me the opportunity to start an account without hassle, and the opportunity to receive the {$10.00} put into my account, just as they advertise on their website. 
You can go to their website and see for yourself that they are actively advertising a {$10.00} offer to join. And you can see from this complaint how they are using the old bait and switch. Fraud.

This is the link https : XXXX These are the Terms to their promotion. 

{$10.00} Signup Offer Terms : Eligible Participant : Open only to individuals who ; ( 1 ) are residents of any one ( 1 ) of the fifty ( 50 ) United States or the District of Columbia, ( 2 ) are eighteen ( 18 ) years of age or older, ( 3 ) have a U.S. personal PayPal account during the Offer Period, ( 4 ) create a new U.S. Venmo account ( Valid Account ) during the Offer Period ( defined below ), and ( 5 ) receive an email, or view a banner from PayPal inviting participation in the offer, or click through a social or paid media asset highlighting the introductory offer ( Invitation ), ( eligibility for/those who receive the Rewards will be determined solely by Venmo ) ( Eligible Participant ) .Offer Period : Starts the date the Eligible Participant receives the Invitation and ends 30 days after Eligible Participant signs up for a Valid Account ( Offer Period ) .How it Works : An Eligible Participant must successfully complete the following during the Offer Period to qualify for a Reward ( defined below ) : ( 1 ) Click through the Invitation and sign up for a Valid Account through the dedicated link on the campaign landing page ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) ( Campaign Page ), and ( XXXX ) During sign up, make sure to add and verify your phone number for your new Valid Account.Once sign up has been successfully completed through the Campaign Page, and verified by Venmo, {$10.00} ( XXXX ) USD will be sent to Eligible Participants Valid Account ( Reward ). Reward should be added to Eligible Participants Valid Account in 30 days but may be available sooner. There is a limit of one ( 1 ) Reward per Valid Account. Miscellaneous : Valid Account must remain in good standing from the time of participation through Reward fulfilment to redeem a Reward, as determined in Venmos sole discretion. Venmo may provide an alternate reward of equal value if it is unable for any reason to fulfill the Reward. Venmo reserves the right to cancel, suspend or modify this offer in part or in its entirety at any time without notice, for any reason in its sole discretion. Similar offers may run at the same time ; qualification for this offer does not constitute qualification for any other offer. Venmo is not responsible and/or liable if any e-mail, Reward, Qualifying Transaction, or offer-related materials or correspondence are lost, fraudulent, abusive, stolen, late, incomplete, illegible, interrupted, delayed, altered, defective, misdirected, tampered with, or irregular in any way or if any participants e-mail address, Valid Account, or other contact information does not work, is deleted, or is changed without participant giving prior written notice to Venmo. Venmo reserves the right to review any account or transaction related to this offer, in its sole discretion, without notice, and delay or reverse completion of the Reward. Offer is void where prohibited and if Qualifying Transactions are fraudulent, abusive, not completed through legitimate channels, or irregular in any way. Certain offers may not be transferable. Participation is subject to the Venmo User Agreement. Any questions relating to the offer will be resolved in Venmos sole discretion and its decisions related to the offer will be final and binding. 

As you can see, I have grounds for a Valid complaint. 
All I'm seeking is the ability to sign up without hassle, and receive the {$10.00} Reward. 
Who knows, I may end up a satisfied customer in the end.

For now though, I'm a ripped off consumer with a Valid complaint.

Please help. Let me know if you need any more information from me. Please contact me about this by either email, phone, or text. 

Thank you, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation