Consumer complaint received 2023-02-04
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: NC
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Managing, opening, or closing your mobile wallet account

Complaint:
It all started in early XXXX. I used the card to my debit account and checking account to make purchases on Venmo. Recently I've noticed a trend of Vemno taking a significantly longer time to take money out of my account for all transactions. This includes sending payments to friends and family, and payments to apps and businesses such as XXXX  and XXXX XXXX ect. Because of this, while I had the funds for all the purchases I made, at the time, by the time they took it out I bounced with a charge of negative {$40.00}. 

This was the FIRST Time Vemno Froze my account. Vemno contacted me, and let me know my account had been frozen for a negative balance, and it would be restored as soon as I paid off the XXXX. The first time I tried to pay the balance I didn't have the funds, and it bounced. They doubled my negative balance to - {$80.00} for the failed payment. 

I did not try to pay off the charge again until I was sure I could cover it, This was about a week later. Sometime around XXXX XXXX. This time I did have the funds, but Vemno said it would take a couple of days to verify the payment. I had no problem with this whatsoever. But what ended up happening is Vemno took the {$80.00} out of my XXXX, the transaction was still listed on my account as processing. Then When someone sent me {$130.00} dollars, Vemno took out {$80.00} of that to pay my negative balance. 

This is when my account was reinstated. But when it was reinstated, Vemno neither returned the {$80.00} from my XXXX  checking account or returned the separate {$80.00} they took out my vinmo balance. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I filed a complaint on Venmo 's official website to resolve this issue. It was at this point my count was frozen a second time. When they froze my account this time, I was also locked out, and unable to reset my password. I contacted Venmo multiple time through their customer support phone line and email. 

I was informed through customer support agents I spoke with that they knew nothing about why my account was frozen and all thy could do is move my complain forward. through later communications customer service was able to share with me that I needed to verify my identity to have my account unfrozen. I sent in photos of ID at Vemno 's request multiple times. But each time they said they never received it. 

After the fifth time, I finally got confirmation from Vemno custer support that they had received my ID and an specialist agent would be in touch shortly. This was on XX/XX/XXXX or XX/XX/XXXX. 

I finally received a very brief vague email from a vemno specialist on XX/XX/XXXX. They just said my account was blocked and restricted from viewing transactions. But they gave absolutely no indication of why my about was frozen, what was being done to resolve the issue, or when I could expect to here from them. 

This was after I said multiple times in communications with Venmo that I would like to speak with someone whow was authorized to speak with me about the problems with my account. I've bene given know way to connect with specialist other than through customer service agents. 

This is a lot of information at once, so to clarify in a brief summary : 1. I had a negative balance of {$40.00} 2. Tried to pay it off, payment was declined, and payment doubled to {$80.00} 3. Then I paid full {$80.00} with valid funds from my chime checking. Venmo still had it marked as pending dispute the fact {$80.00} had been take out of my prime and sent to venmo. 
4. The Freeze on my account was lifted when a friend sent me {$130.00} on Venmo and Venmo took {$80.00} out of that.

4. But they never refunded the double charge from my chime account OR venmo balance 5. My account was frozen hours after I requested a refund for the double charge

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief