Any PayPal Gurus in the house? at DVinfo.net

Noel Lising · November 10th, 2009, 10:06 AM

Here is my scenario, Pay Pal took money from my bank account even though the transaction was cancelled. I sent money to a friend, he rejected it and was showing cancelled on my account history, 3 days later PayPal took the money. I have spent hours trying to file a dispute but can't find the right category for my complain. It is like a maze.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Adam Gold · November 10th, 2009, 12:53 PM

You've already been to "Resolution Center" under My Account? There are tutorials there about how to file a claim, as well as a button for "Contact Us" which gives you a few ways to do so. Did these not work well?

If it's just a bookkeeping screw-up and you have verification that the sale was cancelled, it should be a simple matter to clear up.

What have you done so far and what was PayPal's response? This would be important info for all to know.

Dave Blackhurst · November 10th, 2009, 03:47 PM

Noel -
The withdrawal request was probably sent to the bank when you initiated the transaction, but it shouldn't have been paid if the transaction was cancelled. It's possible it will reverse itself by tomorrow (and if they "send it back" to the bank expect 3-4 days...), but better safe than sorry.

PP has a toll free #, at least in the US, and you probably will have better luck speaking to a warm body, if necessary a supervisor. If you can't find the toll free # (it's buried somewhere in the "contact us" sections, IIRC), PM me and I can probably get the #.

Noel Lising · November 11th, 2009, 07:46 AM

Thanks for the response guys. I have tried the Resolution Centre but can't find a section that has my problem. I was hoping to file a complaint on-line but I guess Dave is right, I am better off calling them.

Thanks again.

Noel Lising · November 11th, 2009, 12:45 PM

Spoke to PayPal they will refund the money. I was told that once you initiate sending funds, even if you cancelled it, it will still be taken from your Bank Account as the "computer system" cannot be stopped. Blame it on the computer. I am still a novice in PayPal but that logic seems flawed, how can they give you the option to cancel when technically you can't cancel it.

Here is their secret Toll Free number: 1-888-221-1161

Paul R Johnson · November 11th, 2009, 01:04 PM

you cannot really cancel electronic transactions. Once initiated they all have to complete, or fail. If they fail, the fees 'bounce back' If they complete, you have to get a reversal initiated and that usually requires the recipient to approve it. The real question, of course, is who gets all the interest on the money while in transit/in limbo?

Adam Gold · November 11th, 2009, 03:50 PM

Noel, glad it worked out. PayPal (and all the eBay companies) are masters at making it difficult to solve any sort of simple problem if it would cost them money to do so. PayPal makes a fortune off all the floats -- they take the money from your bank account instantly when you pay, but sometimes "Hold" it in your PayPal account when you receive -- and after it's freed for transfer they still take a few days to post it to your bank account.

But that's nothing that the real banks don't do as well, and overall it's a pretty good system.

Dave Blackhurst · November 11th, 2009, 06:32 PM

Pretty much as you've found out, once an electronic transaction is initiated, it goes through... You'd THINK it would automatically reverse if the transaction were later cancelled, but it has to complete before it can be reversed...

It used to be "float" - the time between when you wrote a check and it cleared the account was a couple days, now things are almost instantaneous, depending on the particular parties and networks, it's a brave new world!

November 10th, 2009, 10:06 AM	#1
Noel Lising Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 789	Any PayPal Gurus in the house? Here is my scenario, Pay Pal took money from my bank account even though the transaction was cancelled. I sent money to a friend, he rejected it and was showing cancelled on my account history, 3 days later PayPal took the money. I have spent hours trying to file a dispute but can't find the right category for my complain. It is like a maze. Any help will be greatly appreciated. __________________ Noel Lising

November 11th, 2009, 07:46 AM	#4
Noel Lising Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 789	Thanks for the response guys. I have tried the Resolution Centre but can't find a section that has my problem. I was hoping to file a complaint on-line but I guess Dave is right, I am better off calling them. Thanks again. __________________ Noel Lising

November 11th, 2009, 12:45 PM	#5
Noel Lising Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 789	Spoke to PayPal they will refund the money. I was told that once you initiate sending funds, even if you cancelled it, it will still be taken from your Bank Account as the "computer system" cannot be stopped. Blame it on the computer. I am still a novice in PayPal but that logic seems flawed, how can they give you the option to cancel when technically you can't cancel it. Here is their secret Toll Free number: 1-888-221-1161 __________________ Noel Lising

November 10th, 2009, 12:53 PM	#2
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	You've already been to "Resolution Center" under My Account? There are tutorials there about how to file a claim, as well as a button for "Contact Us" which gives you a few ways to do so. Did these not work well? If it's just a bookkeeping screw-up and you have verification that the sale was cancelled, it should be a simple matter to clear up. What have you done so far and what was PayPal's response? This would be important info for all to know.

November 10th, 2009, 03:47 PM	#3
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Noel - The withdrawal request was probably sent to the bank when you initiated the transaction, but it shouldn't have been paid if the transaction was cancelled. It's possible it will reverse itself by tomorrow (and if they "send it back" to the bank expect 3-4 days...), but better safe than sorry. PP has a toll free #, at least in the US, and you probably will have better luck speaking to a warm body, if necessary a supervisor. If you can't find the toll free # (it's buried somewhere in the "contact us" sections, IIRC), PM me and I can probably get the #.

November 11th, 2009, 01:04 PM	#6
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	you cannot really cancel electronic transactions. Once initiated they all have to complete, or fail. If they fail, the fees 'bounce back' If they complete, you have to get a reversal initiated and that usually requires the recipient to approve it. The real question, of course, is who gets all the interest on the money while in transit/in limbo?

November 11th, 2009, 03:50 PM	#7
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	Noel, glad it worked out. PayPal (and all the eBay companies) are masters at making it difficult to solve any sort of simple problem if it would cost them money to do so. PayPal makes a fortune off all the floats -- they take the money from your bank account instantly when you pay, but sometimes "Hold" it in your PayPal account when you receive -- and after it's freed for transfer they still take a few days to post it to your bank account. But that's nothing that the real banks don't do as well, and overall it's a pretty good system.

November 11th, 2009, 06:32 PM	#8
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Pretty much as you've found out, once an electronic transaction is initiated, it goes through... You'd THINK it would automatically reverse if the transaction were later cancelled, but it has to complete before it can be reversed... It used to be "float" - the time between when you wrote a check and it cleared the account was a couple days, now things are almost instantaneous, depending on the particular parties and networks, it's a brave new world!