Using Paypal Outside of Australia

[TonyHancock]

I wasn't really sure where to post this, nor could I find something along the same lines.

My Paypal account was limited for the second time in 2 years today.

I purchased some software and paid through Paypal and my account was immediately limited and the payment placed on hold. I received an email suggesting that my account had been subject to unauthorised access.

I'm in the UK at the moment and because I did not access my account from Australia it was a problem.

Apparently by using a further layer of security - a "webkey" it is possible to access paypal from overseas.

Given that I spend more than 2 months a year overseas I probably should have been a bit more clued up on this.

I phoned Paypal Australia and had a pretty poor experience with a very rude customer service person, who despite having two ears and one mouth managed to talk at me without listening.

I was told that I would not be able to fix the problem until I returned to Australia. I tried to explain that I would remote desktop into my home computer and fix things up by changing passwords and answering security questions but was told that this would not work and Paypal would detect a proxy server?!!!!.

It's all fixed now after speaking to the supervisor and remoting into my home PC, but it was a pain in the backside.

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced similar problems. I'm thinking of pursuing the matter with Paypal because I'm annoyed that their policy was not explained to me the first time they limited my account. (The reason then was because I accessed my account from two countries in the space of an hour - nothing about accessing just from overseas.) I'm also very disappointed in Paypal's customer service.

 

[medhead]

I can't really help but I had an extremely bad paypal experience last month. My problem mainly related to the $2 charge they use to verify the account. I got limited and they were totally unable to explain why this happened. I suspect it happened as I was trying to find the warning they give about the $2 confirmation charge and I put in the wrong expiry date for my card* (didn't have it with me at the time)

I think the $2 charge is misleading and I was particularly enraged by having the $2 appear in my paypal account as a "bonus from paypal". no it is not a bonus it is my money! I then got further annoyed when the CSA kept telling me they refunded the $2. Sorry if it was a refund it would be in my CC account! /rant

* yes rather stupid but I was rather angry by that stage.

 

[thewinchester]

Paypal can be a pain at times, and it is sometimes unavoidable.

The best things I recommend you can do to avoid problems in the future are:

• change your account type to a business account - which also provides faster assistance when things go wrong, and
• obtain a Verisign VIP token (either a hardware token, or mobile phone software token) to add additional security protection to your account. Hint: Business account holders get their first token free, which you'll need to order from the Paypal site and not Verisign direct.

These two things will help you avoid problems with the service in future, and make it less likely that you'll get tripped up by problems including fraud protection (specially using the VIP key).

 

[drewbles]

Paypal can be a pain at times, and it is sometimes unavoidable.

The best things I recommend you can do to avoid problems in the future are:

• change your account type to a business account - which also provides faster assistance when things go wrong, and
• obtain a Verisign VIP token (either a hardware token, or mobile phone software token) to add additional security protection to your account. Hint: Business account holders get their first token free, which you'll need to order from the Paypal site and not Verisign direct.

These two things will help you avoid problems with the service in future, and make it less likely that you'll get tripped up by problems including fraud protection (specially using the VIP key).

Keep in mind that by changing to these types of accounts, you're going to end up paying more to receive money, if you do use your account for that (eg selling things via eBay). The CC fees the Business account have are stupid. Selling something on eBay and accepting payment via a CC on PayPal can lead to around a total of 20% of the sale price being paid in fees and charges. My bugbear is that PayPal are owned by eBay, and there is no way to exclude PayPal as an option fro an eBay auction (and it's against eBay rules to surcharge for people to pay you with PayPal; listing a surcharge in your auction is a violation and your auction gets removed).

My experience with PayPal has been shocking. I sold something to a person, they received the item, had some issues, and I helped them out, all via email with one in particular that said "thanks for the item it's great!". Almost 12 months after, they filed a chargeback with their bank, against PayPal terms (you're meant to lodge any complaints with PayPal directly). PayPal immediately sided with the buyer, despite me supplying copies of emails verifying that the buyer confirmed they had received the item, and then supplied them with a signed letter from Australia Post confirming delivery. PayPal still refused my claim stating "Oh the bank won't accept that".

PayPal can go rot in hell for all I care, it's just a shame that the ACCC haven't jumped on them more (or whoever regulates the consumer banking and finance industry). I use PayPal out of necessity, no other reason. If someone online provides another way of purchasing items, that is always used first.

 

[notzac]

[*]obtain a Verisign VIP token (either a hardware token, or mobile phone software token) to add additional security protection to your account. Hint: Business account holders get their first token free, which you'll need to order from the Paypal site and not Verisign direct.

You can also get a "soft" token for most mobile phones (including iPhone, Blackberry, Android etc) for free -- see here: https://vipmobile.verisign.com/home.v

Way handier than carrying around (yet another) token

 

[Archphoto]

I wasn't really sure where to post this, nor could I find something along the same lines.

My Paypal account was limited for the second time in 2 years today.

I purchased some software and paid through Paypal and my account was immediately limited and the payment placed on hold. I received an email suggesting that my account had been subject to unauthorised access.

I'm in the UK at the moment and because I did not access my account from Australia it was a problem.

Apparently by using a further layer of security - a "webkey" it is possible to access paypal from overseas.

Given that I spend more than 2 months a year overseas I probably should have been a bit more clued up on this.

I phoned Paypal Australia and had a pretty poor experience with a very rude customer service person, who despite having two ears and one mouth managed to talk at me without listening.

I was told that I would not be able to fix the problem until I returned to Australia. I tried to explain that I would remote desktop into my home computer and fix things up by changing passwords and answering security questions but was told that this would not work and Paypal would detect a proxy server?!!!!.

It's all fixed now after speaking to the supervisor and remoting into my home PC, but it was a pain in the backside.

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced similar problems. I'm thinking of pursuing the matter with Paypal because I'm annoyed that their policy was not explained to me the first time they limited my account. (The reason then was because I accessed my account from two countries in the space of an hour - nothing about accessing just from overseas.) I'm also very disappointed in Paypal's customer service.

Hmmm, that's rather odd - I'm in BKK and have been spending with PayPal for various things over the course of the past 3 years via TH internet (amongst others) and never had a problem with my account being limited.

I do have a business account though - perhaps that makes a difference?

And I do agree their gouging in fees is totally outrageous - as Ebay insists you must have PayPal as a form of payment, it seems only fair that you should be able to recoup some of said fees from PayPal for the buyer using that privilege. I try my hardest to steer buyers to DD - that way I get all the proceeds, but is rather hard with OS buyers. . . . . .

 

[markis10]

Paypal = Ebay = PITA with poor customer service. It irks me that these companies pretend to be Australian subsidiaries until it comes time to pay Australian taxes inc GST and employ local staff, I no longer use either after some frustrating service issues.

 

[lovestotravel]

Paypal = Ebay = PITA with poor customer service. It irks me that these companies pretend to be Australian subsidiaries until it comes time to pay Australian taxes inc GST and employ local staff, I no longer use either after some frustrating service issues.

Agree! They love being "Australian" until something goes wrong!

Ebay and Paypal are on my never use list!!!!!! I see that Ebay is raising it's charges for Auctions to 7.9% capped at a maximum of $49.95!!!!

Oh but they are saving you the 30cent listing fee :shock::shock:

Pathetic and two companies that shouldn't be used!