eBay-Paypal's New 21-Day Hold on Funds

[atticofunclefred]

Last night I received a disturbing Paypal payment, it was definately different. The email said in part...
"You've received a payment....blah blah blah... We’ve placed a temporary hold on the funds for this transaction...blah blah blah....We’ll release the hold in 21 days..."

The email further states that Paypal/eBay MAY release the funds early if:
1. The buyer leaves you positive feedback on eBay.
2. We confirm that the item was delivered.* We can confirm delivery if you ship the item with USPS, FedEx, or UPS and either use PayPal shipping labels or upload tracking information from the transaction details page. This applies to transactions within the United States.

The email also instructed me to SHIP the item right away.

No. 1: I don't need eBay or Paypal to advise me on something I already do very well. Although we are relatively new at this, we have STELLAR Rating of 100%.

No. 2: A 21 Day Hold on our money is B.S! Its OUR money. But of course this maneuver allows Ebay & Paypal to significantly increase revenue by reaping (raping) the interest on millions of dollars.

I too want eBay to be a safe and trusted shopping venue, but this punishes those of us who follow the rules. It should be implemented on only those who are failing to provide quality customer service.

I also noticed the sneakiness involved. This was not widely broadcast in advance (I don't recall hear/reading anything about it) and It was implemented on a Friday afternoon. I sure hope everyone raises 2 colors of hell about this. Lodge a Formal Complaint.

Uncle Fred

[mycraptaculars]

Why would you ship an item before payment was received? Ebay and PayPal should know this. There is no guarantee that if you ship the item you will be paid, even if ebay or paypal says they have the funds on hold. Something doesn't seem right about this.

[atticofunclefred]

This whole thing stinks. I understand we need to send complaints to customercare@paypal.com. Sorry tried to link it.

[mbdol]

pubsl3 Are you absolutely SURE this email was from ebay or Pay Pal --- because it sounds like a SCAM -- your buyer could be possibly trying to SCAM you by using a fake pay pal/ ebay looking email to do so. I have never heard of something like this before --- other than with scammers.
You can forward it to ebay or paypal and ask them if it is legit. With a feedback of only 37 I suspect that you are fairly new to ebay -- don't trust everything you get via emai is from ebay or paypal. I have gotten many letters from scammers pretending to be from ebay or pay pal --- those emails at first glance look very convincing, but they are fakes. BE CAREFUL -- neither ebay nor paypal would ask you to send an item out unless you receive the payment first, only a SCAMMER would.
I have had a run in with a fraudster on ebay several times, they bid on my item and then tried to make me accept another way of payment other than what I had specified in my listing -- I reported it to ebay, sure enough, it was a scam and the buyer was immediately removed from ebay.

[atticofunclefred]

I confirmed it with Paypal AND eBay.... Check it out, I wish this was a rookie mistake.... If you have a score of 100+ and meet some other criteria, you don't have to worry...

Now eBay says they are doing it only for "high risk" purchases, but conveniently didn't have a list of what is high risk and what is not....

My high risk item yesterday was a 1959 Science Kit

[mbdol]

One more thing -- I think in all the years I have been on ebay, I have gotten over 20 or so fake ebay and pay pal emails. They look very convincing and real, some even threaten to leave me negative feedback on an item that I never bidded on --- whatever you do, DO NOT click on any link in that email --- just report it and forward it to ebay safe harbor. If you have clicked on a link and given out any personal info like user id, password, etc, take major steps to change your ebay and pay pal account --- change your password and id.
You may have to change your credit card or report this to your credit card company if you entered any credit info.
Hope you didn't. A year ago someone hacked into my ebay account and was selling hundreds of plasma tvs, and other expensive NON EXISTING items using a one day auction and I guess hoping I wouldn't log into my account and find out.
Well, I did, contacted live ebay and they pulled all the listings off and reimbursed me for listing fee that the fraudster racked up on my account. FRAUD happens on ebay, beware and be careful.

[mbdol]

I believe you -- I would like to check it out though -- how do I do that? Wow, that really stinks.

[usmc1944]

Fraud would not happen if eBay was careful. Last year someone hacked into my account and tried to have me buy expensive merchandise. I never reply to those email and as a computer savvy I can tell the difference between real and fake and I can trace the origin of an email.
After investigating the matter eBay found out that a listing I visited IN THEIR WEBSITE contained code that secretly directed my personal info to the scammers. I complained to eBay for allowing so much freedom in coding the listings and they replied saying that they should not block sellers from putting whatever HTML code they wanted to put.
That's big Bull. Since then my activity on ebay has been reduced a lot, since they announced their feedback system change and new fees all I do now is read the forum and occasionally post.

[atticofunclefred]

THIS POST IS NOT ABOUT EMAIL FRAUD. THIS IS NOT FRAUD.

Most of us are savvy enough to pick out the numerous fraudulent emails... But that is not the topic here. This post is about eBay & Paypal's 21 Day HOLDING PERIOD.

[atticofunclefred]

Here's the link to the 21-Day holds and the criteria.

https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=xpt/Marketing/securitycenter/sell/SaferPayments-outside...

[fabulous-finds-4-you]

The hold thing is silly! If I list an item I also include shipping. I plan on shipping this item with the monies paid for this item. So if they hold the payment how do I ship the item? Of course, this is hypothetical as most of us have the $ to ship an item, but not necessarily!

I wonder what the interest is on the monies they hold? I think they should have to give us that as well!X-(

[fabulous-finds-4-you]

The hold thing is silly! If I list an item I also include shipping. I plan on shipping this item with the monies paid for this item. So if they hold the payment how do I ship the item? Of course, this is hypothetical as most of us have the $ to ship an item, but not necessarily!

I wonder what the interest is on the monies they hold? I think they should have to give us that as well!X-(

[loryn316]

I had a payment put on hold to.

with all the bogus FB seller ratings will drop paypal will hold more money there for making more.

I am signing up for my own CC terminal to accept payments

1.7% and 20 cent transaction fee money is in my account.

its cheaper and safer.

I dont know how they can legally hold my money.

they have been catching hell about transfered money and there practices dealing with it and have been fined so I am sure this will be next.

[6sfly]

Atticofunclefred

The hold may be for the following reason:

You have been an eBay member for less than 6 months, and you sell an item for more than $100

I don't know what you sold your science kit for, but if it was over $100 then that is the reason they are holding it.

I often have pending payments but that is usually because the buyer has transferred funds from their bank account and it needs 4-5 days to complete the transaction. It is definitely not because of the item I am selling. My seller account has been around for 8 years.

In order to get positive feedback, the buyer needs to receive the item. In order for the buyer to receive the item, it needs to be shipped. In order to ship it you need the funds. Catch-22 situation. However, in this case, the funds are there and the buyer has paid, so if the item is received as described and feedback, left you will get your money as it is not the buyer holding it up.
In other words, in the eyes of Ebay and Paypal, if your item is on the up and up, you will get your money.

I am not sure what I would do, really. Good luck!

[atticofunclefred]

GOOD NEWS. THEY RELEASED MY FUNDS! (even before any of their "stated criteria" had been met.)

I raised hell, cuz there is absolutely no reason for this. Maybe they actually listened??

My main points:
1. They have access to my bank account
2. I always keep a "larger than necessary" balance in my Paypal account to cover any outstanding reversible transactions.
3. We have an unblemished customer satisfaction record.

Anyway, I will pretend I made a difference...lol