Paypoint/Paypal lost my cash

roy_harper

Yesterday I paid cash to a Paypoint to credit my Paypal card - £100 for which Paypal took a £2.50 handling fee.

Today it is in the ether somewhere.

I had transactions to do today and can't because it says there is not enough money in Paypal account.

Paypal say to go back to Paypoint where I paid cash and to ask why the transaction was voided.

The Paypoint agent say it is not their fault and go back to Paypal.

So I've been on the phone backwards and forwards, back to the shop and still £100 lost in the ether.

roy_harper

Okay sorry bad form replying to my own post. But I hope someone can enlighten me here.
Paypoint issued a receipt for the £100 cash I paid and I thought that was the end of the transaction. But Paypal say Paypoint voided it one minute later. the Paypoint agent said that this wasn't the case. He would have had to have taken my card and voided it. Paypal say it is a ghost transaction and they need the original receipt to put my money on the Paypal account. They say it happens a lot and I'd have to wait till next Monday till they get their list of ghost transactions from Paypoint. But I want my money in there now to buy groceries.
If this happens a lot, then think of all the interest one of the parties is receiving for having my £100 and all the others. I still don't know who is it at fault - each blames the other. Does anyone know?

darkblue_2

I don't think you'll ever find out who exactly is to blame, but you should call paypal and get someone to give you a firm answer on when it will be on the account. Take their name and ID number if applicable - if not - their full name. Get some accountability from them. Then get started on the complaints procedure.

roy_harper

Thanks I phoned Paypal but they say the onus is on me to prove the transaction.
I took the guys name, but he wouldn't give me any other ID. The next time I phoned I was told I couldn't speak to that person because of some Act which couldn't reveal their ID. Paypoint are no better, saying the same thing.

bravoseven

When you handed money to the PayPoint agent he would have given you a receipt. I hope you still have this!
Just use this to prove to PayPoint and/or PayPal that you made the transaction. If you no longer have the receipt then you are in a bit of trouble, as proving a cash payment at a newsagent is pretty tricky. I am no expert, but would imagine that it is PayPoint's onus to provide evidence that you made that transaction, even if you don't have a receipt.

roy_harper

I got a receipt and still have it. PayPal said I need to fax it to them.
I'm just a regular person living in a rural situation. I don't have a fax.

Luckily the newsagent is very honest and has known me for years, but it hasn't had to come to that.
The newsagent contacted Paypoint and put them on the phone to me to explain that it was an auto-reverse or ghost transaction and it happened all the time, and that I should press Paypal to acknowledge that the transaction went through in the first place.
Paypal want the fax proof.
Meanwhile someone is enjoying interest on £100.
If this is so common, someone is making a mint from it.

bravoseven

Great - I think your newsagent would probably make more from renting a fax machine than anyone is going to make on interest from £100 in this climate! Glad it sounds like it is getting sorted -

Olipro

As a recommendation, you might want to consider switching to a different prepaid card; the O2 Money card is better although it's only for O2 customers (however, it's hardly expensive to obtain a PAYG SIM these days, in fact you can generally get them free online) - not that this will necessarily solve your Paypoint woes, but it'd certainly be cheaper since there's no top-up fee on it.

roy_harper

I didn't mean just my £100, but the cumulative effect of errors.
I recall a whole section of the merchant bank I worked at which was devoted to the best place to put money ovenight for high interest. Thousands could be made in this way. Anyway I'm no expert as you can gather, but it is a thought.
Meanwhile I've finally got the money sorted and Paypal have refunded the top-up cost, which is helpful.
Thanks Olipro for the info on O2.