Consumer complaint received 2026-06-07 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Unauthorized transactions or other transaction problem — 
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
Background I am filing this complaint against PayPal regarding its handling of a buyer protection dispute, repeated misrepresentations by customer service representatives, refusal to escalate the matter to management, and the resulting financial harm I have suffered. The dispute involves an item that was not as described and was ultimately determined to be incorrect and defective. I opened a buyer protection claim through PayPal in good faith. Timeline of Events XX/XX/year> : PayPal has informed me that an email containing instructions was sent to me on XX/XX/year>. I never received that email. After learning about the alleged email, I immediately contacted PayPal for assistance. Following my inquiry : During that call, I was advised that the dispute had been reopened and that the seller would be required to provide a return shipping label within five days. I was specifically told that if the seller failed to provide the shipping label within that timeframe, the case would be closed in my favor. Seller fails to provide shipping label : The seller never provided a shipping label. However, contrary to what I was told, the case was closed the next day rather than after the promised five-day period. XX/XX/year> : When nothing happened, I contacted PayPal again. Obtaining the sellers return address was extremely difficult. Multiple representatives appeared reluctant to provide it despite my repeated requests. After significant effort and time spent on the phone, I was finally given the sellers return address verbally on XX/XX/year>. Return shipment : I was instructed by PayPal to return the item and attempted to upload the shipping receipt and tracking information. After paying approximately {$40.00} out of my own pocket to return the item, I attempted to upload the receipt through the PayPal application. The application malfunctioned and would not allow the upload to be completed. Same-day follow-up on XX/XX/year> : Immediately after shipping the item, I contacted PayPal again and verbally provided the tracking number to a representative. I specifically asked three separate times whether any additional information from the shipping receipt was needed. I was told three separate times that nothing further was required, that the tracking information was sufficient, and that the case would be closed in my favor. Subsequent decision : Despite following PayPals instructions, providing the tracking number, returning the item, and paying return shipping costs myself, the case was once again decided against me and the funds were debited. XX/XX/year> : After continued effort, I was eventually able to upload the shipping receipt into the PayPal system. I have now been informed that the case has been appealed again and that it is expected to be resolved in my favor. However, I have received similar assurances multiple times throughout this process, only to have the outcome reversed without explanation. PayPal Errors and Misrepresentations Throughout this dispute, I received conflicting and inconsistent information from PayPal representatives. I was told that the seller would have five days to provide a return shipping label and that the case would be resolved in my favor if the seller failed to do so. The seller never provided a label, yet the case was closed the very next day. After returning the item, I provided the tracking number directly to PayPal and repeatedly confirmed whether any additional documentation was required. I was assured multiple times that no further information was needed and that the tracking information alone was sufficient. Despite those assurances, the dispute was later decided against me. In addition, PayPals application malfunctioned when I attempted to upload my shipping receipt, preventing me from submitting documentation through the platform at that time. PayPal also made it unnecessarily difficult to obtain the sellers return address, requiring repeated requests and significant time on the phone before the information was finally provided. Refusal to Escalate Since this dispute began, I estimate that I have spent more than 10 hours on the phone with PayPal representatives attempting to resolve the matter. Most concerning, I requeste d escalation to management at least six separate times. I repeatedly asked for a supervisor or member of upper management to contact me directly regarding the dispute. Those requests were denied, ignored, or never acted upon. PayPals refusal to provide meaningful escalation prevented me from obtaining a fair review of the matter and left me with no effective way to address the contradictory information and decisions I was receiving. Financial Impact As a direct result of PayPals actions and instructions, I have suffered financial losses and significant inconvenience. I paid for an item that was not as represented and was later verified by a professional to be incorrect and defective. I then paid approximately {$40.00} in return shipping costs out of my own pocket based on PayPals instructions. Despite complying with every instruction provided to me once I became aware of the alleged XX/XX/XXXX email, I have experienced repeated reversals, inconsistent guidance, and debiting of funds. I believe I was effectively deprived of both my money and the merchandise. In addition to the monetary losses, I have spent more than 10 hours attempting to resolve this matter through PayPals customer service channels. Conclusion At this point, my complaint is not solely about the disputed transaction. It is also about PayPals dispute resolution process. I relied on instructions provided by PayPal representatives during recorded phone calls, incurred expenses based on those instructions, and complied with every request m ade of me. Despite doing so, I experienced repeated reversals, inconsistent guidance, failure to escalate, and a lack of accountability. Requested Remedies I respectfully request that the CFPB require PayPal to : 1. Conduct a complete review of all call recordings, representative notes, dispute communications, tracking information, a nd uploaded documentation. 2. Reimburse the full disputed transaction amount. 3. Reimburse the approximately {$40.00} in return shipping expenses I incurred as a direct result of PayPals instructions. 4. Provide a written explanation of the contradictory decisions and representations made throughout the dispute process. 5. Review PayPals escalation procedures and refusal to provide management review when requested by consumers. I have acted in good faith throughout this process and have complied with every instruction provided to me. The lack of consistency, accountability, and meaningful escalation has caused significant frustration, wasted time, and financial loss.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief