I Sold a Trigger Pull Scale and got Nuked by PayPal

[charlie b]

When we ran our home business (airplane model kits) we used PayPal to process all of our orders. Mainly it was for my protection because I did not want to have access to the buyers' credit card info. I also used paypal to pay for business items to various vendors.

We did take checks or MO's, but, customers did not like that we would wait for the check/MO to clear before processing the order. I took a dislike to MO's after talking to the local postmaster about forged MO's and how common they were.

I ALWAYS use Paypal when it is an option to pay for something online, including gun parts and supplies.

Bottom line is I've used Paypal tens of thousands of times, including gun stuff, and had not one issue with them.

[RydForLyf]

The very reason I quit dealing with that silly PayPal thing. MO is the only way to pay for things. If seller does not want a MO, they can keep their garbage.

MO and cert bank checks are FREE at my bank.

I may have to go that route.

[megasupermagnum]

Money orders are a joke. Paypal is a 3 second and done deal. 10 seconds if your internet is slow. Money orders you have to drive to a post office or bank, buy it, fill it out, then ship it, wait a few days, hope it gets there, and wait some more for the guy to cash it, and done. It takes 4-5 days if everything goes right. When it doesn't, well hold on, because it gets ugly. I had a money order go missing in shipping... twice... at the same post office. Don't waste money on tracking for these, it does no good. You can show the USPS the missing package, but it does not matter. Send money orders in a stamped envelope. It is a mandatory 90 (maybe 60) day wait if lost. One of the two showed up a couple months later. In the mean time, that money is as good as gone. No way to stop payment, no way to get your money back for 90 (maybe 60) days or more. After 90 days (maybe 60) I reported it missing via the form you have to go pick up, it was reviewed by the USPS, and a month and a half later I got a check for my money back. So I did get all my money back, but it was almost 5 months from when I sent the thing.

I've bought all kinds of things with Paypal. They are just a bunch of dorks, so treat them as such. I've bought entire firearms with Paypal. Either don't say anything, or say "machine parts". Don't over think it.

[Lloyd Smale]

why didnt you just try to sell it here?

[RydForLyf]

why didnt you just try to sell it here?

That’s a great question that I don’t have a good answer to. I’ve got a bunch of stuff already up on eBay, and just used that as a default. In the future, ANYTHING related to shooting sports will be sold here. Thanks for the reminder.

[Phat Man Mike]

I just had a bad taste of paypal. Got a phishing email about my account. Tried to call after being locked out of my account. Keep getting a recording telling me to log on and use the self help section. Yikes just wanted to smash my head on the computer desk . I feel for you on the problem. ☹

[RydForLyf]

I just had a bad taste of paypal. Got a phishing email about my account. Tried to call after being locked out of my account. Keep getting a recording telling me to log on and use the self help section. Yikes just wanted to smash my head on the computer desk . I feel for you on the problem. ☹

Agree wholeheartedly. They definitely don’t go out of their way to be helpful.

I’ve got everything fixed now, sans PayPal. eBay is kicking them to the curb anyway, so it won’t be long before they’re clamoring for sellers.

[Brass&Lead]

What is a good alternative service to paypal?

[jonp]

How can they close your account like that for an extended period and not immediately send you your existing balance back? That sounds like theft to me.

[swheeler]

I guess I'm just lucky but 14+ years using PP and ebay, never a problem so far, and I've got my fingers and toes crossed right now. I've sold gun parts galore, brass, shotgun hulls primed new and unprimed, bullets , but not long after I opened my account they restricted lots of gun related stuff, like lots of cyber companies did.

[Kylongrifle]

same exact thing happened to me on a knife sale..Locked up money for 180 days. That was a business account with thousands of tool and knife sales over 14 years.. Averaged over $26K in sales ever year through paypal.. After couple problems with scammers they refused to help me with and flagging my account for a "knife" sale that was actually a forged hatchet I quit. Never again. Its not unheard of folks. Ive seen it happen to several knife makers and traders in the community.

[charlie b]

FWIW, I never left money in my Paypal account. It was always immediately transferred to my bank account.

Alternative to Paypal? Set up in Google or Apple to accept payments. Still a third party service who can seal your account whenever they wish. The only other way out is to set up a card processing service yourself, which creates other problems.

[Shiloh]

So last week I sold an old RCBS trigger pull scale on eBay and their automated idiot flagged it as a firearm item or ammunition and PayPal has decided to “part ways” indefinitely. In addition, they’re locking up my PayPal balance for 180 days and have also nailed my wife’s account too.

On the other hand, maybe they’ve identified me as a freedom loving Republican and decided to punish me for that.

-RFL

Don't discount that.

Shiloh

[Mr_Sheesh]

Definitely be VERY careful with Money Orders, unless they're USPS ones.

Scammers love printing up a "Joe's Gas 'n Booze" official Money Order for $1,000 or whatever and sending it to people; If you don't wait until it cashes, you just lost that money, as there "may not be" such a company and/or the MO may just be completely FAKE. Getting the attention of USPS Postal Inspectors is iffy, and eBay/PayPal 'don't always' CARE if you get scammed.

And then there are all the eBay / PayPal phishing emails, sadly.

[charlie b]

Even the USPS MO's can be suspect. Our postmaster told us that counterfeit USPS MO's are common.

[alamogunr]

What is a good alternative service to paypal?

GunPal?:

[Kylongrifle]

Even the USPS MO's can be suspect. Our postmaster told us that counterfeit USPS MO's are common.

Yea thats why we always take ours to the PO to get cashed. We know right away and dont have to wait on it to clear the bank. Some banks want you to deposit them instead of cashing them.. but thankfully Ive never seen a fake one. I do know they are not uncommon though

[LabGuy]

I have a PayPal account. The reason I opened it, and the only thing I have ever used it for is to buy MP moulds.

[Mr_Sheesh]

I have a bank account which is just for PP, it'd be hard for a fraudster to withdraw money from an empty account.