Look what I got from PayPal this afternoon:
As you know, the PayPal User Agreement states that PayPal, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to close an account at any time for any reason. We are writing to inform you that, after a review of your site, and in accordance with PayPal’s Acceptable Use Policy, your account has been closed.
PayPal’s Acceptable Use Policy prohibits the sale of items for mature audiences. After a review of your site/account, you have either received payments via PayPal, or have PayPal referenced on your site. Due to the violation of the Acceptable Use Policy your account will be closed and the remaining balance will be sent to you by check. Please be sure that your account information is accurate, as we cannot be held responsible for checks issued to an incorrect address. We do ask that you please remove reference(s) to PayPal from your site.
If you feel that this decision was made in error and that you have not been accepting payments in the mature audience space, please contact us at paypal-compliance@paypal.com. This email is intended to be used only by merchants who feel this decision has been made in error, and not for accounts that are in violation. Accounts that have violated the mature audience policy will not be reinstated.
For a better understanding of our Acceptable Use Policy, please view:
http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/gen/ua/use/index_frame-outside&ed=mature
Sincerely,
PayPal ComplianceI’d like to know what exactly (other than BlogAds) is for sale here? Fucking asshats.
Your blog is probably next if you have a boob picture or link anywhere, so pass this information along.
Visit PaypalSucks to hear other PayPal whore horror stories.
Update: PayPal holds your money for 6 months on suspension or termination before giving back to it’s rightful owner (you). If you must use a PayPal account, be smart – keep your balances at $0.
To those who think this is a phisher” message you need to re-read the message. Notice they don’t provide a link to update account info; they’re just saying if your address at PayPal is wrong you’ll never see your $$$ again.
So if you sell something mature you can’t use Paypal? Explain this for sale at eBay, note the pics. The seller only takes Paypal, hentai doujinshi are adult, anime porn, and technically supposed to be in the adult section at eBay. So how come people can sell adult porn and use Paypal yet you have a boobie pic, have to click to see, and you can’t?
Did I miss it? I just thought you accepted unsolicited donations from people interested in supporting your blog. Was there something more? Were your boobs for sale? (And are you still taking bids?)
I just closed my Paypal account and told them why too.
Perhaps I should be glad I lack a PayPal account. I’ve seen horror stories before, yet they’ve become more and more ubiquitous despite the apparent flaws.
This makes about as much sense as NY Times bludgeoning The National Debate with lawyers. If it becomes widely enough noticed – at least in the form of being experienced – they’ll be generating massive bad PR. More than they already had previously, that is.
You have been contacted by a “Phisher”. It is a scam. It is not from Paypal. Please read this article from the New York Times about “Phishers”.
That doesn’t sound like the phishers I have seen. It sounds actually official, and with a different tone and desired outcome.
And yet… it does ask for confirmation of information. Hmmm…
Better be sure before you do anything rash.
Hey, I’ll give you an address for them to send that check to.
I think it’s a scam.
They don’t need info to “send a check to”. The whole point of PayPal is to bypass checks and such.
I hope you didn’t send them any info.
The RULE is: don’t every give out information in any conversation you didn’t initiate. After all, if they know so much about you, they should already know your information, correct? Or you can log on to see if your information is correct.
There are lots of ways to verify this, too. Send an email. Or call them to see if that is their policy. If it is, perhaps take it up with the BBB to see if that’s a valid reason.
The other point of PayPal is security. They aren’t selling money services, they are selling secure, internet money transfers. This sounds like a scam that violates both precepts.
Janet Jackson strikes again
It’s most certainly not a “phisher”
There was no request for information, just a giant FU to me from PayPal. Also I logged into my account later and it had the same info.
Kate – you’re right, nothing is for sale here.
Like you observed, they probably didn’t like any boobies or links to boobies on your page. Fear of government regulators is probably what’s making them crack down on their ill-defined rules. Government may not directly censor, but with few enough large companies controlling media and payment services, all they have to do is lean on a few biggies and the effect is the same.
Wow, that’s insane.
Just transfered my balance, in the past I’ve let it sit so I could easily pay things, like my blog hosting, etc.
Hope you have emailed them, this has got to be a mistake.
I stand corrected.
And that IS stupid.
They’d already disallowed using PayPal for gun auctions, and now this. Okay, I’m cancelling my account, too.
Can anyone recommend a viable alternative to PayPal?
For sending money or presents, Amazon.com, for selling on eBay, have the buyer pay by postal money order or international postal money order if overseas and don’t have anything linked to your main checking account, one of the flaws with Paypal. Oh, and don’t buy really expensive stuff on eBay. I have had good luck buying, never had a bad transaction. Yes, they were fast the few times I used Paypal but Paypal is not to be trusted. Credit cards have more safeguards than Paypal which apparently has none.
Mog is right about the credit card protections being better than PayPal. I use PayPal for small eBay purchases (anything under $100). If it is over that, I use a postal money order. And, I don’t use the PayPal “option” of deducting from a checking account.
I’ve been ripped off by sellers on eBay a couple of times and BofA has credited my credit card account immediately. PayPal makes you go through a horrible submission process — and they won’t recognize a claim 30 after purchase. The credit card companies will take action at any time after purchase.
I like using Amazon’s honor system. It has worked well for a non-profit org’s site I set up.
As far as the “mature content” on Wizbang!, have I missed something? I am mystified.
What about when you had the link to the Paris Hilton tapes?
That could easily fall under their “adult” or “sexually oriented” material”
Mog: As for the link you provided, according to PayPal’s terms, it looks as if they would consider that art and therefore, ok to sell using PayPal.
Kevin, did you even try to speak with them or did you just say screw the whole thing?
Serenity – I linked to content, it was not for sale. The only thing from PayPal I had here was a donation button.
All of this I sent to them in an e-mail. I found out from Drew at FARK that they tried to shut him down last summer.
A friend of ours was just complaining about just this about 2 weeks ago. She made the mistake in putting paypal info on her yahoo account and it referred to adult content but no pictures etc.
She was quite upset and after many correspondences with paypal she yet to get her account reinstated.
Hey,
They froze my account a few months ago; but after I sent them an email threatening to blast out several thousand emails to major media contacts, and informed them of my intention to join one of the many major class-action lawusits, (the Jacoby-Meyers one to be exact), they IMMEDIATELY reinstated my account.
True, I *do* sell adult website traffic on this site, but, so do hundreds of other merchants online….furthermore, there is NO adult content on my site.
If you will do as I say above, they WILL reinstate your account, and it will be a LOT quicker than six f**king months. Trust me, it will work for you as well.
I don’t suppose you took the three seconds to email PayPal to let them know their spider made a mistake? That’s what they suggested, after all: paypal-compliance@paypal.com
Yes I did. They told me, in effect to fuck off, that no apeal was possible…
Definitely looks like a scam. Notice they say: “Please be sure your information is accurate”. When you go there you will see inaccurate info. which you will then “correct”, thereby giving them your financial info.
These guys never stop trying, do they?
Do you guys still remember PayPal disclosed so much personal information voluntarily when the government intended to crack down on on-line gambling? Users trusted them so much for betrayal!
That is not a scam… I got the same damn email concerning my big evil “adult” personals site. They shut me down… I complained, called several times, talked to managers etc… we even spoke with the Ryan Downs, the VP of Operations…top dog.
They’re totally overreacting on this adult stuff bullshit because of the new Visa regulations. They don’t want to lose their Visa accounts so they’re overreacting and cutting off all of us “adult” people.
I got a merchant account now… fuck PayPal.
Pay Pal setteled a case with AMEX in which AMEX sued them for dot delivering the mdse that was paid for by AMEX customers. They took me for 100.00 and when I called AMEX they said there wasn’t anything they could do because they agreed to let them handle all of the payment disputes. AMEX no longer does business with them and neither do I….nor will I ever.
Pay Pal settled a case with AMEX in which AMEX sued them for dot delivering the mdse. that was paid for by AMEX customers. They took me for 100.00 and when I called AMEX they said there wasn’t anything they could do because they agreed to let them handle all of the payment disputes. AMEX no longer does business with them and neither do I….nor will I ever.
Pay Pal settled a case with AMEX in which AMEX sued them for dot delivering the mdse. that was paid for by AMEX customers. They took me for 100.00 and when I called AMEX they said there wasn’t anything they could do because they agreed to let them handle all of the payment disputes. AMEX no longer does business with them and neither do I….nor will I ever.
Wow…you’ve got a lot of comments. However, I just wanted to inform you that, while all my boobs may belong to you, all your base are belong to us.
The above item is very much real. I received the same last night and here is my “conversation” with Paypal so everybody here can see what the issue is and see that is is definatley paypal.
We regret to inform you that we cannot overturn the limitation on your
account. Due to the violation of PayPals Acceptable Use Policy regarding
Mature Audiences, your account has been closed. Please remove all
references to PayPal from your website http://baddrunkenbarpoetry.com
and/or auction(s). This includes not only removing PayPal as a payment
option, but also the PayPal logo and/or shopping cart.
Additionally, users whose accounts are permanently limited for violating
the Acceptable Use Policy are barred from future use of PayPal and its
services, and such users are not permitted to open new or additional PayPal
accounts.
If you have any questions, please contact the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy
Department at aup@paypal.com.
Sincerely,
PayPal Acceptable Use Policy Department
PayPal, an eBay Company
Dear Paypal,
My forum, upon which I have tirelessly worked to grow into a business and integrate Paypal into, is a website about art, honesty, and politics. The timing of this unexpected termination of my Paypal account will be devastating to my business. The theme of this forum is not porn and I constantly strive to keep the honest communication themed towards self-discovery, artistry, the development of peoples communication skills, friendship, and ultimately, better understanding and more love for our fellow humans. I understand how scraps of content examined out of context of the whole experience could give one an impression that the site is a mature-content site; given this, I have no doubt that you have gathered what you need in order to comply with the user agreement and justify the termination of my account; never-the-less, there are 100s of websites using Paypal that have mature content without the moral, art-focused themes of the BDBP forum. So, basically, if you do not reverse the decision to terminate my account, I will have a moral obligation to present evidence that BDBP is being singled out, by mass broadcasting the names and content violations of every merchant that you work with and have not singled out for termination. This would be an unfortunate arrangement for both of us. I most humbly and sincerely request that you reconsider the account termination. I have put a lot of time into integrating Paypal into my site, and getting it to work right. Up until today, I considered Paypal to be a pretty great partner and service. I am so discouraged that this has come about.
Thank you for considering my position,
Please consider that, given the nature of the content found on other Paypal merchant sites; there must be a bias at play somewhere behind the decision to cancel this particular account.
We regret to inform you that we cannot overturn the limitation on your
account. Due to the violation of PayPals Acceptable Use Policy regarding
Mature Audiences, your account has been closed. Please remove all
references to PayPal from your website http://baddrunkenbarpoetry.com
and/or auction(s). This includes not only removing PayPal as a payment
option, but also the PayPal logo and/or shopping cart.
Additionally, users whose accounts are permanently limited for violating
the Acceptable Use Policy are barred from future use of PayPal and its
services, and such users are not permitted to open new or additional PayPal
accounts.
If you have any questions, please contact the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy
Department at aup@paypal.com.
Sincerely,
PayPal Acceptable Use Policy Department
PayPal, an eBay Company
Dear Paypal,
That is unfortunate. But, after reading about what you’ve done to other
merchants, I no longer wish to risk doing business with Paypal.
The Paypal company discriminates, and, takes advantage of it’s customers-us
merchants.
I was at a website earlier that accepts Paypal – this site cons people into
paying 180 dollars through your company and promises them 9000 dollars in
return? Paypal does business with crooks, but picks on forums with a little
“mature content?”
Are Paypal’s practices driven by a particular religion or ideology?
Shutting down my site, without notice, after a year or two of working with me –
without a single complaint from you nor my customers – is wrong. I haven’t
changed my content. You have thrown me an un-called-for obstacle and hurt by
business.
Topless women, or whatever “mature content” a website might contain, does not
harm grown adults; however, the Paypal content/services clearly can cause harm.
I want to know if there are any particular political and/or religious sources
influencing Paypal that might explain the unethical and discriminatory business
practices?
I want to know who the managers are?
I want to know where the Paypal managers are from, and, I want to read the
business rules that your “acceptable-content” reviewers are going by, when
deciding who to shut down without notice.
I want to know why Paypal has been authorizing my transactions for sometime,
and then suddenly locks my account; because, it isn’t due to recent changes in
the policy agreement. I was reading complaints back to 2004 from merchants who’s
accounts where suddenly cancelled like mine, and whom received the exact same
notifications.
Paypal initiated a business relationship with me, after previously freezing
other merchant accounts over “mature-content” issues, establishing the fact that
the mature content component of Paypal’s policy and company practice predated my
agreement with Paypal. Paypal then processed payments over a fair amount of time
– while I further integrate the Paypal option into my application and business
model – an investment of learning and development time worth a substantial
amount of money. Then yesterday, Paypal opts to call the “mature content” foul
on me – without notice so I could have a chance toavoid interruption of service
and inconvenience to my customers. There has got to be some laws relating to
implied acceptance of content – based on the processing of a few hundred,
undisputed, transactions between us?
I’m going to find out about the manager of Paypal’s content review and
“censorship” department.
I want to know what the bias is?
I want to know why Paypal works with “second life?” Within 5 minutes of using
Paypal to register with Second Life, I was immersed in “mature content” galore –
I’m talking hard core porn clubs, porn images, porn links, porn live cam, porn
audio, hookers, escorts, porn everything you can name.?
So what is your litmus test?
Is ripping people off less distasteful than nudity?
Why did you single out my site? What is the real truth?
I cannot believe the discrimination Paypal committing against me and many before
me it appears
I imagine that Paypal has received plenty of disgruntled emails from many other
merchants you have done this too. So, it is possible the Paypal team is
accustomed to unhappy responses – perhaps callas to such protest, and whoever
receives emails like this is likely to not be too concerned?
Perhaps the Paypal censorship and discrimination team has broken the last straw
this time?
I’m going to find out the root bias that is motivating the Paypal discriminatory
business practices! I’m going make sure Paypal must send people to explain, in
front of a judge near me, exactly who decides what merchant accounts get shut
down, and have the court request copies of the Paypal internal documents, that
state the specific guidelines to be followed.
My web site has a sprinkling of “mature content;” The Paypal web site screws its
customers over and damages their businesses. I think most would conclude that
Pay Pal’s “content” and “services” are much more immoral, reprehensible,
distasteful, uncouth, bad for a company’s image, morally repugnant, and mean
spirited!
This is America
Paypal cannot discriminate to the extent it has
Paypal cannot mislead so many to the extent it has.
It is wrong and I’m gong to do something about it.