Consumer complaint received 2025-10-08 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: MN

Complaint narrative:
CFPB Complaint Statement PayPal , Inc . 

PayPal Case ID : XXXX Transaction ID : XXXX Purchase Date : XX/XX/year>XXXX  Amount : {$160.00} USD Seller : XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
Invoice ID : XXXX Shipping Address : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, MN XXXX On XX/XX/year>, I purchased a XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXnverter charger through XXXX using PayPal. The listing I agreed to purchase from was titled : For XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Item number : XXXX Price : {$150.00} USD Return policy : Returns accepted through XX/XX/year> This listing clearly represented a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX converter/charger, which is a distinct XXXXXXXX XXXX However, the seller shipped a XXXXXXXX XXXX  unit a completely different voltage, model, and specification. That is not a minor discrepancy but a material misrepresentation of the product sold. 

When I contacted the seller, they denied responsibility and tried to pressure me into selecting item not to my liking instead of item not as described, which would have concealed the fraud. I refused and opened a PayPal dispute, explaining the issue in full and citing the voltage mismatch and part-number discrepancy. 

I did not initially upload screenshots of the listing because I was unaware they were required and within hours of filing the dispute, the seller changed the XXXX listing. After the alteration, the original XXXX XXXX listing was replaced with a modified version, and the old page now redirects to the new falsified one. I can no longer access the version I purchased from ; clicking the original item number now loads the altered listing. This change occurred immediately after my dispute was filed and before I could capture screenshots. 

The revised listing contains clear contradictions : XXXX : XXXX ( a XXXX V designation ) Voltage : XXXX XXXX ( contradicts part number ) Model : XXXX Replacement Part : XXXX Brand : Unbranded Type : Battery Charger & Converter This combination of a XXXX XXXX part number with a XXXXXXXX XXXX voltage entry is technically impossible and can only occur through deliberate post-sale editing. The seller intentionally left the XXXXXXXX XXXX part number intact while inserting XXXXXXXX XXXX into the voltage field to disguise the fraud. That constitutes post-sale data manipulation and intentional concealment. 

Soon after this alteration, I left a negative feedback review on XXXX describing the fraudulent listing and misrepresentation. Within days, XXXX removed my feedback entirely without notice or explanation. This removal further concealed the fraud from other consumers and eliminated public evidence of the sellers misconduct. 

Despite this pattern, PayPal closed my case in the sellers favor, falsely claiming I had not provided requested documentation. In reality, the documentation I did provide the product title, description, and voltage mismatch was more than sufficient to confirm fraud. PayPals failure to act on it enabled the seller to alter the evidence and continue defrauding others.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation