Consumer complaint received 2025-06-15 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem — 
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: KY

Complaint narrative:
Good afternoon CFPB Agent, I have had a PayPal account for 10 years or so. It is only used sporadically. I give to cat rescue organizations an a few gifts on XXXX. About a month ago, PayPal sent me a message saying customer complaints are forcing them to do an investigation and I need to upload IDs and a picture of myself, which I did. They told me that I was not me, so they kept the account locked. 

I have never sold anything to anyone at any time in my life, let alone a transaction through PayPal, so I found this quite disturbing. So thinking my account had been compromised, I spent many hours trying to speak to a human but no such luck. On the website, the chat bot is programmed to immediately say they can not help you. It took hours to find an unlisted email address that only comes through a phone message : XXXX. A human did finally respond with a very short message saying the account was under review -- again. No information other than that. 

In researching this, I found thousands of other people who have had the same thing happen, but even worse than my situation, PayPal has stolen money from their accounts using the " under review '' process. At this point in time I have determined PayPal is not to be trusted on any level. This made me extremely nervous so I wanted to delete my account. 

After trying from their website and failing, the road blocks and deterrents they set up to keep you from deleting the account or speaking to a human are a supreme effort in futility. You simply can not receive help. I then go to delete my account and their software tells me I can not delete it due to reoccurring subscriptions. Other than a XXXX a month donation to XXXX, none of the other ones are reoccurring. They are simply entities I have made donations to. Nothing more. 

The combination of my account being locked and these items listed as reoccurring, when they are not, I can not delete my account. Even if they were reoccurring, as a payment facilitator only, that is out of PayPal 's purview. It does not involve them. These were one-time payments from my credit union, it nothing to do with Synchrony or anyone else they may use. Not an excuse to leave my account online.

In summation, I simply want my account closed. I do not want PayPal to have access to any of my banking matters. I work hard to maintain my credit. PayPal has proven themselves to be unethical at a level is scary and should be illegal, but they remain untouchable. I only want them to delete my account. Nothing more. I am asking the CFPB to help me end this nightmare. It is shocking this is allowed to go on at the level it does.

I would greatly appreciate any help you might provide in bringing resolution to this matter. It has been incredibly frustrating and consumed hours of time that could have been used for something positive.

I know you are very busy with many pressing matters, so I thank you very much for your time and consideration in this matter. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation