PayPal is leading the way in providing ways to send money through the Internet or to mobile phones. Ebay and many other auction and shopping sites use PayPal for all electronic transactions. Occasionally, however, something may be mistakenly, or even maliciously, charged to your account by someone. Some businesses charge for services in their fine print, and these almost fraudulent charges can add up quickly. Luckily, PayPal is very active and diligent about looking into all claims.
Log in to your PayPal account. Under the My Account Tab, locate and click the Resolution Center link. On the Resolution Center is a button to "Dispute a Transaction." Click on this button, and you can open your case.
You have two options on the next screen. One will dispute an unauthorized transaction, and the other will open a case for receiving an item that was not as it should have been. Choose one of the two options and click on "Continue."
On the next screen, you will be asked to enter the Transaction ID. You can enter the number manually or look it up by hitting the button beside. Just click on the Transaction number when it appears on the next screen, and the Transaction ID number will be filled out for you.
On the next screen are several check box options that allow you to give some of the details of why you are disputing the charge. You also have the opportunity to state the reason in a text box. Follow the prompts and complete your dispute.
Respond to request for further information promptly. PayPal will begin an investigation into your dispute when you file it. They will contact the person who made the charge, who will have seven days to respond to your dispute and follow up with any relevant information. This process usually takes about 10 days total. At this point, PayPal may refund your money and close the dispute, or they could escalate the dispute into a claim and ask you for more details. It is important to follow up as quickly as possible.
Respond to deadlines with further information. By escalating a dispute into a claim, you are requesting the PayPal to review the claim and to settle it. PayPal tries to resolve all claims within 30 days, but complicated matters can take longer before funds are released and the case is closed.
Tips
Before you file a claim, be sure a family member did not use your account.
Check to see if the suspicious activity was authorized by you at an earlier date. An example would be an automatic subscription renewal.
Warnings
Funds will not be available to either party until the dispute is resolved and the case is closed.
References
- PayPal's Dispute Tutorial
- PayPal. "Data Encryption." Accessed Feb. 11, 2020.
- PayPal. "PayPal Bug Bounty Program." Accessed Feb. 11, 2020.
- FTC. "How to Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams." Accessed Feb. 11, 2020.
- FTC. "Tips for Using Public Wi-Fi Networks." Accessed Feb. 11, 2020.
- Evergreen National Bank. "Fraud Prevention." Accessed Feb. 11, 2020.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "Fraud and Scams Key Terms." Accessed Feb. 11, 2020.
- PayPal. "Resolving Disputes, Claims, and Chargebacks." Accessed Feb. 11, 2020.
- Federal Trade Commission. "FTC Advises Consumers Not to Use Wire Transfers for Online Purchases." Accessed Feb. 11, 2020.
- PayPal. "How Seller Protection Can Help Support Your Business." Accessed Feb. 11, 2020.
- PayPal. "What Is FDIC Insurance and How Does It Work?" Accessed Feb. 11, 2020.
- FDIC. "Prepaid Cards and Deposit Insurance Coverage." Accessed Feb. 11, 2020.
Tips
- Before you file a claim, be sure a family member did not use your account.
- Check to see if the suspicious activity was authorized by you at an earlier date. An example would be an automatic subscription renewal.
Warnings
- Funds will not be available to either party until the dispute is resolved and the case is closed.