PayPal Account Suspension Due to MJ Ticket Sale

chambta

Just a warning to those who sold Michael Jackson tickets on Ebay and received payments via PayPal.

I sold tickets back in March for around the face value (thankfully now!) and I've already been in touch with the buyer to tell him I would refund in full when my card payment was refunded by Ticketmaster.

PayPal have for some reason decided I have 'suspicious activity' on my account and have caused me all sorts of problems by stopping me doing simple things like sending payments for items I've bought.

Not sure why they've decided to act in this way given my buyer was happy and I myself have not even got my funds refunded back to my credit card. A few months down the line I would understand it but PayPal and Ebay have clearly decided to take a misguided and unnecessary moral high ground.

Rant over!

cyberbob

Have you tried speaking to them?

chambta

Yes. I emailed them as when I logged into PayPal (to pay for 3 items I'd just bought) there was no sign what the problem was at all. That was yesterday and I got a standard email response today explaining it.

My questions would be a)Why stop me paying for items which will inconvenience other sellers? and b) Why make this suspension a blanket one when the matter is in hand?

I would expect PayPal to step in if I had refused to refund the buyer but I haven't even had my card refunded yet by Ticketmaster.

sunnysea83

ring them, paypal

RFW

chambta wrote: »

Yes. I emailed them as when I logged into PayPal (to pay for 3 items I'd just bought) there was no sign what the problem was at all. That was yesterday and I got a standard email response today explaining it.

My questions would be a)Why stop me paying for items which will inconvenience other sellers? and b) Why make this suspension a blanket one when the matter is in hand?

I would expect PayPal to step in if I had refused to refund the buyer but I haven't even had my card refunded yet by Ticketmaster.

Sounds like they have taken it a bit too far but you shouldn't have waited to be refunded before refunding your buyer whether they agreed or not. I don't think you'd be too pleased if Ticketmaster said they won't refund until they've settled with the Michael Jackson Estate which may take another 5 years.

chambta

sunnysea83 wrote: »

ring them, paypal

Why? I know what's happened.

chambta

RFW wrote: »

Sounds like they have taken it a bit too far but you shouldn't have waited to be refunded before refunding your buyer whether they agreed or not. I don't think you'd be too pleased if Ticketmaster said they won't refund until they've settled with the Michael Jackson Estate which may take another 5 years.

Given the buyer and any reasonable person would be happy with that I can't see why PayPal aren't. The truth is I could have actually settled the refund with the buyer outside of PayPal and they would still have suspended my account.

Ticketmaster will be dealing with the concert promoters rather than Michael Jackson's estate but almost see your logic.

sunnysea83

how do you know its the michael jackson tickets have they actually told you that. why not refund the buyer and see if it removes the ban.

chambta

sunnysea83 wrote: »

how do you know its the michael jackson tickets have they actually told you that. why not refund the buyer and see if it removes the ban.

Yes they have told me. As I said I got an email today. It takes 10 days apparently to make a deposit via my bank account which was the only option open. I have started this process.

soolin

Ebay though required sellers to make a full refund straight away, not waiting for their own refund to come through.

Also, you may find now that paypal won't refund your fees, that was a time limited offer to people who refudned promptly.

mrmr37

Welcome to the world of Paypal. To be honest Im not surprised this has happened. Im can completely see the OP's point.

Paypal are the most irrational company I've ever dealt with. As soon as they get a bee in their bonnet they go in with all guns blazing, freezing accounts left right and center without using any logic and without listening to the parties involved.