Consumer complaint received 2021-10-21
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: CA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2021, I set up a personal fundraiser through PayPals Generosity Network. I requested to raise the maximum amount allowed of {$20000.00}. The fundraiser was set to be live for 30 days, through XX/XX/2021. I followed the guidelines precisely. Then I sent the link to my fundraiser to some family and friends.

In my fundraiser, I asked for help paying with for an extraordinary amount of XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX I need to have but, for which, I do not have nearly enough money. 

Within a short period of time on XX/XX/XXXX, a friend donated {$500.00}. I was notified by PayPal. My friend also sent me an email to that effect. 

Almost immediately, PayPal placed limitations on my account, limitations which prevented me from accessing my money. They offered no explanation other than something was suspicious. I am guessing they could not believe a friend would give a friend {$500.00} to help her out. 

Over the next four days, I continued to receive emails regarding more information I needed to provide. I was able to provide most of the info, but not all of it because the website kept crashing when I tried. 

Over the course of this same time period, I spoke with at least seven different people, none of whom would tell me why the restrictions had been placed. They just kept telling me I had violated the user agreement. Plus, they kept referring to the goods I was selling. I WAS NOT SELLING ANYTHING. IT WAS A DONATION ACCOUNT INTO WHICH MY FRIENDS PUT MONEY TO HELP ME WITH DENTAL EXPENSES. 

Ultimately, on XX/XX/XXXX, i received an email telling me I was permanently banned from using PayPal and that they were holding my money for 180 days to investigate the suspicious transactions. They also insinuated that I was selling illegal merchandise. 

I then emailed the corporate headquarters and each of the three top executives. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a phone call from someone saying he was from the corporate office. He promised to resolve things. Well, he did nothing but give me the same empty speech about my account being permanently blocked because they suspect fraud. No explanation regarding what fraud they believe I committed. No explanation about a personal fundraiser was somehow categorized as selling merchandise, merchandise they said was either not delivered or was illegal or both. 

I dont know what to do because I dont know what I did wrong. I have since found out that PayPal can hold peoples money for whatever reason they want, and they do not have to explain why. How can this be legal? Plus, how can they legally accuse me of wrongdoing but not tell me what the nature of that wrongdoing is. In the United States, people are supposed to be told what they are being accused of. 

I need to know what to do. Plus, I believe this practice PayPal so proudly waves in peoples faces needs to be investigated. I also question holding someones money when they have done nothing wrong. 

Can you help me?

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation