Paypal - screening WTF ?

Pip1968 · 01-06-2013, 10:20 AM

Has anyone come across this before? I made a payment on ebay as usual but it has been withheld and is now 'pending'. Their excuse is as follows:

..."we identified activity that may be in
violation of United States regulations administered by the Department of
the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)"

They now want a photo ID and proof of address

. Now I could understand if I was buying a kilo of cocaine or a pressure cooker bomb but it is just a set of spanners from a seller in the UK.

So has anyone else been subjected to 'Big Brother' America interfering in their sh@t.

I hate Paypal, it is always an epic. Why doesn't anyone just take a bank transfer or credit card payment anymore.

Any therapy/help appreciated.

Pip

Neil M · 01-06-2013, 10:55 AM

That sounds a bit spurious? PayPal are based in Luxemburg (EU) so why are US Treasury Regs being applied to a transaction via ebay UK. Their reason/excuse is unacceptable "May be" isn't good enough.

These 'cyber' banks seem to make up the rules as they go along, meanwhile they have your money and the vendor is still waiting for his, which makes you out to be the villain.
Not to mention the fact that the goods you purchased in good faith, remain un-transacted? Hope your not in any rush for them.

Put them on 'Watchdog' see what they make of it!

For some reason ebay UK (obviously financially motivated) is in bed with PayPal, this is not applicable to ebay sites in the rest of Europe, where in fact very few vendors actually have a Paypal account, or accept PayPal payments, they will only bank transfers.

ebay have lost the plot in recent years, it used to be an auction site, where bargains could be had, not so these days, now it's an over-sized on-line Department Store!
Don't like the place, good to use as a shopping catalogue, but rarely buy anything preferring to go direct to vendor.

CSLScot · 01-06-2013, 11:17 AM

Bizarre. This is usually only encountered if the seller or the buyer is one of the US's blacklisted countries which doesn't seem to be the case here.

No option but to write to them telling them you're a UK citizen & questioning it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil M

For some reason ebay UK (obviously financially motivated) is in bed with PayPal......

That's because eBay own Paypal.

Pip1968 · 01-06-2013, 11:32 AM

Thank you Neil M and CSL Scot. I will write to Paypal and have already asked the seller if they would like a cheque or bank transfer.

Ebay/Paypal

. The FSA should make it illegal to only have one method of payment like they did with Ripoff Air and their restrictive payment system.

Pip

01-06-2013, 10:20 AM	#1
Pip1968 S5, Sport Off, DSC M-track Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Kent, England Posts: 940 Casino cash: $8383	Paypal - screening WTF ? Has anyone come across this before? I made a payment on ebay as usual but it has been withheld and is now 'pending'. Their excuse is as follows: ..."we identified activity that may be in violation of United States regulations administered by the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)" They now want a photo ID and proof of address . Now I could understand if I was buying a kilo of cocaine or a pressure cooker bomb but it is just a set of spanners from a seller in the UK. So has anyone else been subjected to 'Big Brother' America interfering in their sh@t. I hate Paypal, it is always an epic. Why doesn't anyone just take a bank transfer or credit card payment anymore. Any therapy/help appreciated. Pip Last edited by Pip1968; 01-06-2013 at 10:21 AM. Reason: Tidy up

01-06-2013, 10:55 AM	#2
Neil M Driving it like I nicked it Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Manchester Posts: 2,340 Casino cash: $19143	That sounds a bit spurious? PayPal are based in Luxemburg (EU) so why are US Treasury Regs being applied to a transaction via ebay UK. Their reason/excuse is unacceptable "May be" isn't good enough. These 'cyber' banks seem to make up the rules as they go along, meanwhile they have your money and the vendor is still waiting for his, which makes you out to be the villain. Not to mention the fact that the goods you purchased in good faith, remain un-transacted? Hope your not in any rush for them. Put them on 'Watchdog' see what they make of it! For some reason ebay UK (obviously financially motivated) is in bed with PayPal, this is not applicable to ebay sites in the rest of Europe, where in fact very few vendors actually have a Paypal account, or accept PayPal payments, they will only bank transfers. ebay have lost the plot in recent years, it used to be an auction site, where bargains could be had, not so these days, now it's an over-sized on-line Department Store! Don't like the place, good to use as a shopping catalogue, but rarely buy anything preferring to go direct to vendor. __________________ “With the CSL, BMW have achieved The Ultimate Driving Machine” SG CSL '051'

01-06-2013, 11:32 AM	#4
Pip1968 S5, Sport Off, DSC M-track Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Kent, England Posts: 940 Casino cash: $8383	Thank you Neil M and CSL Scot. I will write to Paypal and have already asked the seller if they would like a cheque or bank transfer. Ebay/Paypal . The FSA should make it illegal to only have one method of payment like they did with Ripoff Air and their restrictive payment system. Pip