PayPal: Strike Us When We Are Down

Paypal, the pal of all freelancers, the real friend in need of all work at home people, the one and only website to look up to when you need to make foreign transactions, Paypal, a systematic ruse that sucks your money when you aren't looking.

I generally do not bad mouth anyone or anything. Generally because of a personal principle of not disturbing anyone when they are making money, depending on the amount of money and the person it is being taken from. Yes, you guessed it right, if tomorrow I see a hood crashing into a casino owner and taking away all his loot on gun point, I would whistle and look the other way.

Big strong words, very bold of me to say these in front of such an audience. Let me tell you of my experience.

A few months ago, I lost my debit card. I did not exactly lose it, I misplaced it. Now, add it to the fact that I am paranoid and to the fact that I live away from home. What do you get? A young man who desperately wants to have some kind of quick money getter piece of paper or plastic. So, I quickly call my bank and tell them that I lost my debit card, which they inform me will be duly at my provided address within two weeks.

Contrary to popular belief, some people do strike lucky with banks sometimes. I got my card within ten days, and you'd think that my life started going on normally.

Wrong. So very blatantly and completely Wrong. And all the synonyms of Wrong that come to your mind.

I forgot to tell you...

I had added that card to my PayPal account.

So, my bank informs PayPal that the card attached to my account has been lost or stolen. PayPal promptly locks my account, and tells me to either send them my address proof or a utility bill. I do the above, promptly.

Here's the e-mail I got from them:

Dear Roy Dsilva,

We're sorry, but your account access limitation cannot be lifted at this time. We need more information about your account before we can restore full access to your account. Please complete the steps below so that we may review your account further:

Add and confirm a credit card.

To further process your appeal, please follow the instructions listed below to finish the Expanded Use Process.

Once you have added a credit card to your PayPal account, view the 'Credit Card' page in the 'Profile' of your PayPal account. If the status of the card is 'Expanded Use Number Pending', you will need to start the Expanded Use Process.

Select the credit card you wish to activate.

Click 'Get Expanded User Number'.

Read the 'Get Your Expanded Use Number' page and click 'Get Expanded User Number'.

Click 'Continue'.

PayPal will charge your credit card an Expanded Use Fee. The charge will accompany a unique, randomly generated 4-digit Expanded Use Number, which will appear on your next monthly credit card statement.

If you have online access to your credit card activity, it takes approximately 2-3 business days for the Expanded Use Number to appear, depending on the credit card's issuing bank.

If you do not have online access, you must wait until you receive your statement in the mail to check your 4-digit Expanded Use Number.

If you have added a debit card, your 4-digit Expanded Use Number will be printed on your bank statement next to the charge.

Once you have received your 4-digit Expanded Use Number, click

Log in to your account

Click the 'Profile' subtab.

Click "Credit Cards" link under "Financial Information".

Complete the Expanded Use Process.

Please Note:

After you successfully enter your Expanded Use Number, the Expanded Use Fee will be credited to your PayPal account as a bonus. You will receive the bonus in the amount and currency of the Expanded Use Fee in your PayPal account within 24 hours of sending a payment from your PayPal account.

If you are faxing information, you must use the cover page provided by PayPal. The cover page contains information specific to you and using it ensures that your documents are routed and handled in a timely manner. To print the cover page, log into your account and click on the fax documents link on the "Limited Account Access Details" page.

Sincerely,
XXXXXX
XXXXXX

Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is not monitored and you will not receive a response. For assistance, log in to your PayPal account and click the Help link located in the top right corner of any page. If your inquiry is regarding a claim, log in to your PayPal account and go to the Resolution Center.

So, basically, all I got is a sales letter from the mighty PayPal for their expanded use program, which charges me something like two dollars. It is ironic that I had once taken one of their expanded use program, even without looking at what it was all about. It was just a cheap service that was freely and readily available. What it is now, is a service that has been forced unto me.

My questions are:

There are at least two other options I still have, like sending my photo identity, sending my entire address proof (the mighty PayPal doesn't allow .pdf files as a document proof, more the worry. Ah, but we forget, that's just a formality. They want to get that one dollar from you). Why did they send me an email only about the expanded use service? Why did they not tell me about the other options I had?

Oh, and I have so firmly and sternly warned NOT to reply to that E-mail, I am still wiping my computer chair seat.

If this isn't monopoly, what is?

Am not telling you not to use PayPal. I am asking if you know of a good option. The message board is down below.