Consumer complaint received 2026-05-20 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

Complaint narrative:
I am a XXXX citizen who has lived abroad in XXXX for XXXX years. On XX/XX/year>, my aunt attempted to send me {$1000.00} XXXX via PayPal as a wedding present, to an old XXXX PayPal account I had not used in several years. That account was no longer connected to an active bank account or valid XXXX address. When I logged into the account, I discovered I was unable to accept the funds because no bank account was registered, and PayPal only allows XXXX bank accounts to be linked, which I no longer have after years of living abroad. I reviewed PayPal 's help desk articles and contacted PayPal XXXX 's customer support, and was advised that if I closed the account, the funds would be automatically returned to the original sender. I closed the account on approximately XX/XX/XXXX based on this guidance. Around mid XXXX, the funds still had not been returned to my aunt. She filed a dispute with PayPal, which was rejected on the grounds that I had already " accepted '' the funds, and that any further dispute would need to come from my end. I then contacted PayPal XXXX 's help desk, who directed me to the international help desk. A representative informed me that I could not have closed the account while funds were still in it, and advised me to wait a further XXXX days for the funds to be returned automatically. After that period, the funds had still not been returned. After extensive research, I was able to locate an email address for PayPal 's XXXX Escalations team, as PayPal 's standard help portal requires an active account login which I no longer have and I am based in XXXX and unable to call the XXXX customer service number. There is no route within PayPal 's support system for a former account holder to seek resolution. On XX/XX/XXXX, I emailed the escalations team. The response I received stated that the funds had been " withdrawn via check '' on XX/XX/year>. I never requested that a check be issued. XXXX of the primary reasons I closed my account was that I no longer have a valid XXXX address, and I have no record of any request, confirmation email, or notification from PayPal indicating that a check would be or had been issued. PayPal disbursed {$1000.00} USD to an address I had no access to, without my consent and without notifying me. The escalations representative XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX ) stated that she had submitted a request to place a stop payment on the check if it had not yet been cashed, and that I would be notified of the outcome within XXXX business days. On XX/XX/XXXX, after receiving no update beyond the stated timeframe, I followed up requesting a status update and asking PayPal to clarify how a check was issued without my request to an address I no longer have access to. Since then, I have received only multiple automated responses directing me to log into the PayPal app and contact support through the portal which I can not do as I am no longer an account holder. To summarize, PayPal has : provided contradictory guidance across multiple support interactions; disbursed funds via check without my consent or notification to an address I can not access ; failed to follow up within their own stated timeframe ; and structured their support system in a way that provides no resolution path for former account holders. The XXXX XXXX has never been received by me or returned to my aunt, and remains unaccounted for.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief