Consumer complaint received 2026-04-08 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem — 
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: MI

Complaint narrative:
I purchased historical silver XXXX ounce medallion silver bars from XXXX. I was supposed to get XXXX, XXXX ounce bars. I paid {$8600.00}. It turned out to be a scam. My Bank, XXXX XXXX, declined the purchase as they deemed it suspicious and a probable scam. They " froze '' the debit card I used to make the purchase. Even though this was flagged as a scam, PayPal went around my payor source and got the money from my checking account bypassing the security of the flagged scam purchase. They can not say that I have an agreement that allows this, which is what they are saying, when it is deemed to be a SCAM. Theyve hidden behind " AI bots, '' for over a month, essential " running out the clock. This " alternative payment procedure '' is very deceptive, and I never knew that it existed. However, PayPal says I checked a box with XXXX sometime in XXXX essentially signing my electronic signature allowing this. Again, I was not aware of this, and I do not believe it applies when a known scam is involved. I attempted many times to tell them about the fake tracking scheme that was being used. They wouldn't listen. I have evidence of them denying me an appeal to their decision saying it was final. However XXXX gave me a PayPal phone number to call to get a live person. They told me with XXXX days left to go, that I COULD appeal, and send new evidence showing the ongoing tracking fraud scheme, the bank saying it was fraud, and that no item ever existed. There was no silver. There was nothing. In fact the seller disappeared, was no longer a registered user on XXXX almost immediately after the payment cleared on XX/XX/XXXX. PayPal actually " disappeared, '' the buttons in their own resolution center where I would normally file for an appeal. But I was blocked at every angle. AI told me go to XXXX, go to financial institution, no appeal was allowed etc. When I finally got a number to a person the last several days, they did everything to get me off the phone. They stated they were working with my bank and I was getting a refund! Just wait they will call me back by end of day. Very cruel. They didn't mean a word of it and never called me back. I am a 100 % XXXX veteran and over the age of XXXX, and the mental anguish that PayPal participated in causing is real. I am suffering. I called back the next day and they agreed to my appeal. They stated to check my email for the link. The email just said " you have messages in PayPal ''. Thats it? I logged in to my PayPal account and the message just sent me to PayPal 's AI bot to answer any questions. They were literally just " playing '' with me. I did this " loop '' they kept running me through about XXXX or XXXX times before I realized, its just a stalling tactic. Each day they said they would call me back by the end of the day. Not XXXX single call-back. Pure torture they put me through. By the way, this whole time, XXXX wouldn't talk to me because I had to wait for my appeal process with PayPal to expire on XX/XX/XXXX, then PayPal would send them an automated letter that it was over. On the last day before my time expired to appeal my case, I called again. Now, I was told that I was being denied, not because of the silver, because no product ever existed, it was fraud, but because their policies do not allow " re-sales ''. I asked what that was. They said " anything that has been sold at anytime prior to your purchase ''. What? I never heard of this one. But there still was no product anyway? The whole thing was a scam, and PayPal knew it. They never did install the feature for me to appeal. In fact they did everything in their power to deny me from appealing, and " running out the clock '' ( my opportunity under their timeframe ). I believe that this tactic is illegal. As I am XXXX, I will be uploading everything that I can, but I will also be sending more evidence via certified mail. PS : Where did the {$490.00} of tax money you took out of my account go to? There was no item? I got nothing for my money? Did it go to XXXX? There WAS NOTHING SOLD! It needs to be returned. Thank you, Sincerely XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation