Consumer complaint received 2020-09-07
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: International money transfer
Issue: Confusing or missing disclosures

Complaint:
The name of this company is PayPal ; if you do a XXXX search you'll find numerous complaints about this company holding/freezing funds without warning even though the company may have pre-dated an issue with an account holder. Yes pre-dated ; a transfer occurs then an issue with the account is flagged but the account holder was not alerted prior to the action.

I'm an online teacher. Due to the COVID19 lock downs I'm unable to work in various XXXX countries. I've been trying to get work online and was able to do so with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX who is based in California but operates branches world wide. Unfortunately most online schools remit to teachers through PayPal ; PayPal cloaks it's rules and regs with verbose and vague language designed to confuse and create in the mind of the account holder that it operates openly and fairly to protect the consumer. 
Not even close. 

About 2 months ago I received a {$58.00} payment from the school mentioned above. My account was immediately locked and I was told to call the customer service center. I complied to the call request only to find out on several occasions that the XXXX XXXX had limited hours due to COVID19 " restrictions ''. Limited meaning every time I called I got the same automated message and never spoke to a human. 

I then began sending emails to XXXX XXXX CEO of PayPal.  While he didn't respond I noticed that the customer service activity increased : I began receiving direct emails instead of copy and paste regs. On at least 2 attempts PayPal tried to call me from a service center in XXXX but I was not available when they called. I also had issues transferring the funds to the bank as PP constantly kicked back the transfer saying " there's something wrong with the bank account ''. What was wrong was never indicated so instead I just listed a different account. Finally the funds got transferred some XXXX weeks after receiving them. 

Now, on XX/XX/XXXX, I received another payment from the school for online teaching in XXXX this time for {$370.00}. Again PayPal immediately locked the account and for no apparent reason deleted the picture ID I had on file there. They flagged my account with : '' Verification needed '' and " verification of the goods or services sold needed '' as well. I'm not sure what is confusing about " I'm an online teacher I'm not selling a good or service '' but there must a  communication XXXX on the side of PayPal. 

I complied with their requests and immediately sent an email once again to XXXX XXXX the CEO detailing the latest fandango I'm required to satisfy. Additionally I sent multiple complaints to PayPal 's customer service center regarding this issue. 

Today, XX/XX/XXXX, PayPal sent me an email notifying me that my account had been restored. However the funds are still frozen for what I'm to understand could be as long as 60 days. Not acceptable. Again I messaged complaints to the 2 entities already mentioned. They offered to " get funds faster '' by providing details on the product or service sold. I don't have a product or service I'm an online teacher. It appears PayPal wants to freeze funds until after the XX/XX/XXXX election in America ; again not acceptable or necessary.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief