Consumer complaint received 2026-01-24 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Confusing or missing disclosures — 
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year>, I paid {$230.00} USD through PayPal for XXXX XXXX. PayPal converted the transaction to XXXX EUR for the seller, but the amount withdrawn from my account and withheld from me is {$230.00} USD, which is the amount in dispute.

The software was purchased for one specific purpose : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with my printer. This was the sole reason

for the purchase. Prior to purchasing, I accessed the free trial of the software. During the trial, the software provided limited white ink functionality and stated that full white ink controls and settings would be unlocked upon purchase of the full version. These controls included critical features such as white ink percentage and adjustment settings required for proper XXXX XXXX. Based on these representations made d uring the trial and at the point of purchase, I proceeded with payment. After purchasing the full version, I discovered that full white ink functionality is not supported for my printer model at all, despite what was represented during the trial and in the product information. As a result, the software can not be used for the purpose it was purchased for. I opened disputes through PayPal explaining that the product was not compatible as represented. PayPal delayed responses until the final deadlines and ultimately denied the refund without addressing the core compatibility issue. Following the denial, I spoke directly with a PayPal representative by phone and later received follow-up communication by email. During this interaction, I repeatedly asked for the specific and sole reason my dispute was denied. I was not provided clear or consistent justification. Instead, I was told that the seller had stated a free trial was available prior to purchase, and that this alone justified denial of the refund.

This explanation is deeply flawed. First, PayPal did not address whether the software actually delivers the functionality represented. Second, PayPal relied on the existence of a free trial as a blanket justification, even though the trial itself explicitly stated that full white ink functionality would be unlocked with purchase, which proved untrue. Third, I was never informed during the dispute process that the existence of a trial was the basis for denial, nor was I asked to clarify any related information. 

During these same communications, I was also provided conflicting and incorrect information regarding the transaction amount, including repeated references to the euro amount received by the seller and incorrect U.S. dollar equivalents. I did not pay in euros. The amount withdrawn from my account was {$230.00} USD, as shown on my PayPal transaction and credit card statement. This inconsistency has never been explained.

Additionally, during the phone call, the PayPal representative stated that regardless of where I escalated the issue, he would still be the individual responding. This appeared intended to discourage escalation rather than provide resolution.

As of now, PayPal has retained {$230.00} USD for nearly three months for software that can not be used as represented. At no point was I informed that my dispute was deficient, improperly filed, or required additional clarification. I was never provided a clear, substantive explanation addressing the actual compatibility failure of the product.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation