Paypal transactions

[blakey06]

Hi All,

Hope someone can give me some advice on what to do.

 

I've just been through my bank statement to find that I've got 4 paypal transactions listed on there - each in US $ - and each one incurring a £1.50 overseas transaction fee.

 

Each one of the payments is for about £3 each and yes I did make the transactions online.

 

The thing is...I had more than enough funds in my paypal account to cover the 4 transactions however, paypal in its infinite wisdom decided not to use the funds I had or the Direct Debit which they usually use and instead go straight for my debit card - which is why I incurred the bank charges.

 

I have just got off the phone to someone remarkably rude at Paypal who checked into my account and said that it should have come off of my balance. Then he went on to say that I must have chosen the credit card option and I then disputed this over the phone as I have 4 confirmation emails saying they will take the amount off my available balance!!

 

He then went on to say its a known issue and he will escalate it and it wont happen again, next time any transaction will come off my balance.

 

When I asked about getting back my bank charges he said thats not their problem and they wont refund them to me.

 

I am tempted to phone up my bank and say that I didn't authorise the use of my card for those 4 transactions.

 

or is there any other option?

 

HELP!

Blakey

[uptoeyeballs]

I am tempted to phone up my bank and say that I didn't authorise the use of my card for those 4 transactions.

 

I'd be tempted to phone up the bank and say PayPal admit the transactions were in error, but refuse to help. Use the emails you have to back this up.

[buzby]

Yep, I've heard of this too - but it has been fixed. I'm intriqued when you say they laimsed a US$ amount from your Debit Card - this was never possible previously, and if PP have taken money in the WRONG currency, they ARE liable. I have a US$ account, but because I'm a UK registered user they will ONLY bill me in GB£ not my US$ account!

[blakey06]

The original transactions were in US $ but you are right now I think about it as I've had several transactions in US$ but they've always converted it to GB pounds before taking the money out!

 

In fact in those cases its even stated the amount in both $ and £

 

Think I'll call back Praypal in the morning - if they are there and hope to get through to someone who is a bit more helpful.... (crosses fingers)

 

Blakey

[blakey06]

just found this in Paypals user agreement :-

 

Multiple Currencies. PayPal's Multiple Currencies feature allows users to send payments in U.S. Dollars, Canadian Dollars, Euros, Pounds Sterling, Yen, Australian Dollars, New Zealand Dollar, Swiss Franc, Hong Kong Dollar, Singapore Dollar, Swedish Krona, Danish Krone, Polish Zloty, Norwegian Krone, Mexican Peso, Israeli New Shekel, Hungarian Forint or Czech Koruna. Multiple Currencies is currently available for all payments made using the regular Send Money service. You do not need to maintain a balance in the currency in which you would like to send the payment, but may choose the currency at the time of payment. If you are making a payment in a currency in which you already maintain a balance, the funds for the payment will first be withdrawn from the balance you already hold in that currency. Additional funds required for the payment will be withdrawn first from any other PayPal balance you maintain, and then from the funding source of your choice.

 

If your PayPal balance(s) do not cover the full amount of your payment, and you hold a credit card denominated in the currency of the payment, that credit card will be charged for the remainder of the payment. If your PayPal balance(s) do not cover the full amount of your payment, and you do not hold a credit card denominated in the currency of the payment, but you do hold a credit card denominated in one of the currencies listed above supported by the Multiple Currencies feature your credit card will be charged in that currency. If your PayPal balance(s) do not cover the full amount of your payment, and you neither hold a credit card denominated in the currency of the payment nor in any of the currencies supported by the Multiple Currencies feature, your credit card will be charged in the currency of your payment.

Before you complete the payment, PayPal will display the applicable exchange rate which includes PayPal's transaction fee for any funds you are sending which are not currently held in the currency of the payment.

 

 

If I've read it right...according to their own agreement as I own a UK debit card they should have converted it to UK pounds before proceeding with the transaction...

 

I may need to quote their "agreement" when I speak to them again.

 

Blakey

 

will keep everyone updated

[merlin100]

I posted on this last week.

I requested £109 from my paypal account, it went "missing" for a week, then reappeared in my paypal account.

After complaining by email, I recieved a reply that said it was because my bank details "needed updating" and would I complete the new mandate they sent with it.

Being highly suspicious, I looked into this and found that it WASNT an update for my bank details, but rather a Direct Debit mandate, which would essentially give them direct access to my bank account to remove all fees instantly - taking no account of any disputes that may arise.

I think paypal are trying to do this because of the huge increase of unscrupulous buyers lately saying they havent recieved any goods, or goods are faulty etc.

Ive now cancelled the paypal account, spent the money online (well, the wife has), and simply do not trust Ebay or paypal - better to be out of it I think.

[blakey06]

Update :-

Phoned up praypal again and got through to someone else just as unhelpful as the guy yesterday. although the only plus side today was at least I could understand todays customer service assistant!

 

She said to me that because the transaction was in dollars and my paypal dollars balance was zero (but I have credit in UK pounds!) then the transaction would have taken place on my card as being the available source of funds.

 

I then told her that I had four seperate emails saying that the amouts would be taken off my paypal balance - no reference to anything that says that if you dont have any funds in the same currency then we will happily charge your debit card!

 

I then went on to ask why paypal didn't use the multiple currencies service which states that if I have a card in a differing currency to that which the transaction is in the transaction would be converted and charged to my card in my local currency.

 

her answer to this was that some sellers only accept US Dollars and not any other currency so as such they would charge my card in US dollars.

Again no mention of that on my transaction email and I cant find any reference to either of these things in paypals terms and conditions.

 

all I can find was that they should take funds from paypal credit balance first and they can use multiple currency service to convert sums in different currencies..so how come that didn't apply to me!

 

I then told the customer service agent that my email said they would take the money from paypal credit balance - which I agreed to but not my card which I had not agreed to. so from my point of view they had performed an unauthorised transaction on my card.

She had no answer to this and said that "A supervisor" would now look into my account about this issue and asked if there was anything else I wanted help with....

 

grrrrr

 

Blakey

[blakey06]

Update :-

Paypal have e-mailed me and as a good will gesture have refunded me the bank fees!

 

Sorted!

Just wish there was another way to make overseas payments without costing an arm and a leg...I notice now that paypal charge a 1% fee for gift payments to friends and family as well...

 

oh well.

its cheaper than Western Union

 

Blakey