DKOL Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Once upon a time in a PC, hippy, tree-hugging, otter-scrubbing, sandal wearing, bead toting liberal land..... A firearm was put up for sale on the forum. A buyer was found. The buyer and seller agreed to facilitate the funds transfer via Paypal. The buyer mistakenly (albeit unintentionally) made reference as to the nature of the funds transfer in the comments section of the paypal transfer. The seller's account (which contained over $1000) was immediately frozen and the seller was informed that his account would be closed and no protest could be made. He was also informed that his funds could be held by paypal for up to 180 days. Meanwhile, back at the ranch...... The buyer attempted to reverse the transaction (after consulting with the seller). Paypal immediately withdrew the funds from the buyer's bank account (which was on file). The buyer again reversed the transaction..... Paypal withdrew the funds from the buyer's account AGAIN. The buyer reversed the transaction AND blocked his account. Paypal debited the funds from the buyers Credit Card (also on file).... All of the above is a 100% true story. It may be time to open up a gun-friendly version of paypal. Thought it might be worth bringing up for those BE forum members who are not aware of the paypal policies, which are pasted below along with the last email received: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cm...rame&ed=weapons We regret to inform you that we cannot overturn the limitation on your account. Due to the violation of PayPals Acceptable Use Policy regarding Firearms, Weapons, and Knives, your account has been closed. Please remove all references to PayPal from your website(s) and/or auction(s). This includes not only removing PayPal as a payment option, but also the PayPal logo and/or shopping cart. If you have any questions, please contact the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy Department at aup@paypal.com. Sincerely, PayPal Acceptable Use Policy Department Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MstngLX50 Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Mods any chance of getting some sort of sticky on the classifieds about this. I'm the buyer from the above and while I should have been aware of PayPals draconian policies it had somehow escaped my attention until now. And yes I know I should have read the user agreement before signing up. It frankly didn't occur to me that legal transactions would be contrary to it. The fact that it's owned by ebay should have been a red flag also I guess. Hopefully there's a legal solution for Dan to get "HIS" money from paypal. Six months without interest seems a bit too excessive to be legal. I'd also like to point out that my zero-balance account, which sent the offending payment, remains open. So I guess it's only possible to transgress their rules if you have funds in your account they can seize. PayPal=The Pal YOU Pay Hopefully I'll find some alternative to PayPal, if anyone has any other options I'd like to hear them. Regards, Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Western Union has online payments now. Or you can always use the old fashioned postal money order/mail routine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidball Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Paypal . . . can you say "boycott"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 (edited) you guys must have forgotten that paypal is owned by ebay and we know their policies on firearms. lynn p.s. your situation still suxs. Edited April 26, 2006 by lynn jones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeFoley Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Is .308 sufficient for scrubbing otters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1911user Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 (edited) I would have the buyer contact their credit card company and have them reverse the charges that paypal is illegally (I hope) trying to hold onto. Credit card companies seem to have no problem getting people's money back from paypal. Once that refund occurs payment could be made in some other form to the seller. good luck. Edited April 27, 2006 by 1911user Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtypool40 Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 I KNOW A LAWYER. MAKE A STINK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowhuntr09 Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 The link you posted requires a password...here is a link that does not. PayPal AUP - Weapons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberneck Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 I am not sure I am understanding what happened. Why would paypal charge the buyers credit card if they have no intention to honor the transaction? I can understand (don't agree with it) shutting down both accounts for violating their user agreement but I don't see what they gain by charging one of the parties credit card other than being a-holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1911user Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 (edited) Paypal draws interest on the impounded sale money for 6 months while they "investigate" the situation. Edited April 27, 2006 by 1911user Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberneck Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Paypal draws interest on the impounded sale money for 6 months while they "investigate" the situation. Investigate what? They have already determined that they violated the user agreement and shut down at least one of the two accounts. Sounds to me that they conducted their investigation and acted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MstngLX50 Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 I would have the buyer contact their credit card company and have them reverse the charges that paypal is illegally Been there done that, twice. When I paid to have the original transfer reversed and a block put on my bank account PayPal immediately charged my credit card. I contacted my cards member services dept. and disputed the charge, they removed it and PayPal charged it again within a matter of hours. In order to prevent them from charging it back to my credit card in a neverending cycle my only option would be to cancel the card, and get a new number. My job requires constant travel and I can't do that right now. Strangely after reversing the transfer once and disputing the charge my zero balance account remains open. As to the legality of them doing that, after actually reading their policies in the user agreement I'm sure that's covered in there right after the "first born" clause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapstone Posted April 29, 2006 Share Posted April 29, 2006 This is not as severe as the seizing of your funds, however, S & J Customs has been using paypal until recently to obtain payment for: gunsmithing parts and services. As of 04/18/06 the account has been frozen for so called "violations of the paypal acceptance policy". Despite the fact that no weapons were sold, only modifications and parts for competition only pistols, and these parts and services in no way increased the lethality or destructive nature of the previously purchased pistols. No appeal was allowed. I hope everyone will votes with their wallets on future purchases, and pass the word. Zero tolerance is just an excuse to not think a problem through to a satisfactory conclusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKOL Posted April 29, 2006 Author Share Posted April 29, 2006 I've got my lawyer writing a letter to paypal on Monday instructing them to release the funds. Imagine how many accounts they have frozen and how much interest they are accruing on the frozen funds over 6 months.... It's enough to get the anger sharks swimming in my head... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKOL Posted May 2, 2006 Author Share Posted May 2, 2006 Latest Update: Paypal actually deposited the funds into my bank account today....surprise, surprise..... [ uses whiteboard eraser to rub out "Paypal Bastards" under list entitled "People to kill and dismember". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cactustactical Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 I'm sure it is just a coincidence, but Paypal closed our account today for violations of their usage policy. 2 days after we started a discourse with ebay about the legality of selling holsters on their web site while featuring photos which show firearms. Yep, I'm sure it is just a coincidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin J Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 (edited) Have any of you tried E-Gold? I know they're pretty popular with the identity theft folks (some endorsement huh?) because the transactions are non-reversable. Once you fire that payment, you can't dispute the charges. I'm just curious to see if any of you all have tried it? --Kevin Edited May 5, 2006 by Kevin J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cactustactical Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 We will take a look at it as well as Gear Pay. Paypal's colsing of our account was actually a blessing in disguise. We never liked them or ebay because of their anti gun beliefs, but tolerated both because a lot of customers expect to use the service. So, getting closed is a good thing as we will have to find a friendly alternative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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