Consumer complaint received 2022-08-09
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: WI
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
On about XX/XX/XXXX I used PayPaXXXX and XXXX to complete a transaction. I attempted to purchase a small generator for {$99.00} plus tax, shipping and perhaps other small fees for a total of {$110.00}. I hadn't heard of the retailer, but I thought little of it. PayPal and XXXX guarantees against fraud and there are many small XXXX venders which are reputable. The product was a good deal, but not unbelievable. XXXX XXXX had recently discontinued a small generator they branded the " XXXX '' which retailed on sale for {$99.00}. I was happy to have found a comparable product. 

However, when the retailer failed to confirm the transaction via email and didn't respond to my inquires, it was almost immediately clear I was scammed. I reached out to PayPal. The dispute I opened was summarily closed. They reasoned, I hadn't allowed time for the package to arrive - apparently they received a tracking number. When I did not receive any package, I asked PayPal to reconsider - however they claimed the parcel was delivered because the USPS tracking number indicated as much. I examined my XXXX camera footage from the day at issue and reached out to the post office. The camera did not show any package arriving on the day claimed, however I was not able to get anyone from the post office to provide a real response. PayPal merely refused to consider any evidence I had that the parcel was not delivered. 

Moreover, they failed to consider that the shipping time was objectively unreasonable. The timeline provided showed what should have been a large, heavy package ( 50 pounds at least ) traveling half the distance around the earth in mere days. At the time small packages were stranded for weeks at air cargo warehouses because the system was overwhelmed. It was just silly to think that such a package could be moved so quickly, especially without the retailer charging a significant premium. However this all fell on deaf ears. 

After researching the problem, I found a discussion on XXXX that outlined the scam. Apparently, a scammer merely needs to provide PayPal a tracking number of a parcel shipping to the same zip code and PayPal 's policies and procedures then consider the parcel delivered and deny the claim. That is if someone opens a dispute claiming the parcel never arrived. Alternatively, a smart consumer can sometimes scam the scammer by telling PayPal the item arrived broken or it was the wrong item - and then ship an empty box back to the scammer who isn't in a position to complain. I guess I should have done my homework before complaining ; but it certainty shouldn't come to that. 

Now, a year later it is happening again. This time, I tried to buy a metal filing cabinet from a small online retailer using PayPal and XXXX. The website provided an option to use PayPal to complete checkout and included a hyperlink tied to PayPal 's logo ; A common " button '' feature that PayPal provides to website developers. That the cabinet was cheaper from an online, overseas retailer made sense too as most of these inexpensive, consumer facing ferrous products are made in XXXX. This all seemed perfectly normal. 

I found the checkout process unusual and I was immediately unnerved when it seemed the payment went to XXXX XXXX. For the transaction to be processed in a difference currency is to be expected and that's what I thought was happening. However, from a common sense global trade perspective, for the payment to actually be received by someone in XXXX for a product likely made in XXXX seemed highly unusual. 

I therefore immediately searched for anything that might confirm that the order was legitimate. I received no confirmation email and did not receive any response from the retailer. At this point, it was clear I had again been scammed and I reached out to PayPal which summarily denied my claim. This transaction was for about {$69.00} ( perhaps there's some exchange fees at issue ) and was completed on about XX/XX/XXXX. 

I use PayPal and XXXX frequently and complain very little. That they flat-refuse to believe me, is unconscionable given their marketing claims that the protect against fraud.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief