Please help with paypal problem

March 9, 2015 9:32 AM

A few months back a client made a payment to me via paypal. She then started a dispute saying she hadn't received it (it had gone into her spam)...

She then apologised and I made a couple of attempts to give her the follow up work, I felt she'd paid for, but she never got back to me (embarrassed? I don't know..) so she let the dispute run it's course.. if you haven't heard anything in like 20 days, it's 'resolved' and the worker gets their money via a paypal holding account. At least that's my understanding.

I tried this, but then there was some crap about how someone had tried to interfere with my paypal (her???) so I couldn't get in It's seldom been used...

So I emailed them to resolve it and get my money, they emailed back - had to be done by phone as each dispute unique. I can never get anyone on the phone as it's permanently engaged!

This is winding me up now! Any thoughts on what to do next?
Is there a good time to call paypal (?) I've tried various times/days. I'm in the UK if it makes any difference.

Any numbers I don't know about?

How long do they hold your money for? I am hoping they aren't going to try and fob me off about that.. any tips? Thanks.

posted by tanktop to Work & Money (4 answers total)

I'm a bit confused on a few points:

1. you say a client paid you, but then you say she hadn't received "it". What is the "it" she didn't receive?

2. did you receive her money?

3. Do you owe her anything still?

4. Does she owe you anything still?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:45 AM on March 9, 2015 [2 favorites]

Also - it's my understanding that Paypal doesn't automatically deposit money into your bank account. You need to log onto Paypal (if you have a paypal account) and request that they do so. If you don't, Paypal just holds onto it in your personal "paypal account," and they do so forever.

So if your question is "when is Paypal going to deposit the money into my bank account", then the answer might simply be "when you ask them to", and whatever is going on with your client has nothing to do with that.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:48 AM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Her money is in paypals holding account (this is the problem how do I get it.. ). I prefer not to say what the 'it' is it only for the sake of anonymity. I provide a service and had sent through what she'd paid for (she has this so no I don't owe her).
She said she'd reverse the dispute when she realised I had sent it but then just left the dispute (it automatically resolves after 3 weeks, when the seller can in theory access the money from the account that held the money - a paypal/dispute holding account).

It is convoluted.. I guess I just need to get back on the phone.. so if anyone has any tips for managing to actually talk to a paypal human that would be great.
posted by tanktop at 2:33 PM on March 9, 2015

I've never had any trouble talking to a human at PayPal by calling their customer service number. And they've always been surprisingly helpful.
posted by humboldt32 at 2:01 AM on March 10, 2015