Title Basically sums up what I am about to say. But Let me clarify a few things and answer some questions before I start.
- Yes I knew the terms and conditions when I first made paypal
- Yes I knew the risks I was taking making a paypal account as a ?minor?
- Is it illegal to make a paypal Account if you are under the age of 18? Answer: No it is NOT illegal, but is against their policy and rules.
- It is NOT against your banks policy to sign up to paypal.
- I know there has been a thread/threads like these but Im telling you my story anyway just for an updated view on it.
Well now that I am done clarifying, let me tell you guys my brilliant story of what happened to me just a few weeks ago.
So it was around 2014 when I first made paypal, I used it for stuff like steam and to make transactions on ebay and things like send money to friends to family. 2 weeks ago I had made a transaction on ebay for quite a few items. I had ran out of money on my bank account so paypal was very nice of supporting me with the fund to STILL being able to check out some items. But that left me with a negative balance of 60.13 dollars. I myself never put money onto my paypal account itself. I’ve always just linked my bank to help me with whatever Im buying. But anyway, I spoke to paypal about my negative balance and they said you can pay it off anytime. Luckily I got my paycheck and I did have money to pay it off. I tried to pay it off and then they said they need ?verification?. So me trying to verify my own account I created I sent stuff in like my bank statements and drivers license. So I thought the next day I would be able to pay off my debt to paypal by sending in verfication. But when I woke up the next morning I came to find out my account was ?Limited? I couldnt do anything really on the account so I decided to hit up customer support. By the way, ANYONE who works at paypal does have the power to remove limitations on anyone’s account. If they ever tell you some bullshit on how its ?permanently? locked and you cant remove your bank off a limited paypal account, that is a complete lie. But anyway, let me continue
- The first lady on customer support was trying to help me, now because I sent documents for paypal to verify that I was 18, she looked at them and told me that the reason it was rejected was because of my license, it showed that I was 16 instead of 18. I had explained to her telling her that I had a negative balance and that I wanted to pay it off. She knew well I was able to pay it off but because I was underage she couldn’t help because I was a ?minor?. She said I didn’t have to worry about paying off the negative balance. That was one thing I was thankful about. She said when I legally turn 18 I can call back within that time to remove the limitation of my account. But there was one thing, I had my bank connected to paypal and I wanted to remove it because you know, its useless having a whole bank account on a limited paypal account, plus alot of the things I use to make transactions with are with paypal. I had tried to just remove the account but because my paypal was frozen I couldnt do so. I also had a reloadable Visa Gift card connected that I had bought from Walmart, but I had no money on it lol.
- I called another representative to see if they could help me with my issue but here is when things get a little bumpy. So I tell the guy my past issue with the negative balance and how I am under the age of 18 and if he can just remove my bank from the limited account so I can just get on my merry way. He starts showing me an attitude over the phone and says stuff like ?Well, your account is locked, there is nothing I can do? and I was pleading to him and trying to be nice as possible telling him that I know my stuff is restricted but I really just want to remove MY OWN BANK ACCOUNT off their service so I can just get on with my life because as I said, whats the use of having a bank account but your entire paypal was useless. Then he was telling me that because I broke the rules and agreements, everything would be permanently frozen and that I was just going to have to make a new bank account to resolve my issue. Now remember how I told you that things were going to be a little bumpy? Yea, so I told this guy that I couldnt just go to my bank and make a new account and START ALL OVER just because my bank couldnt be removed off the limited account. Then this is by far the worst thing that he could say to me. He said ?That is not my problem? with a rude tone. Now if you are somebody working for a company in customer support, you know damn fucking well that you?re getting your paycheck by helping people and that your job is to try and help people with what they want within your power. So I just said ?Thank you for trying to help me? and I just ended the phone call. Now I want you guys to know, If you ever call a customer support line for any company, just know that your problem is also their problem until they can help you solve it. And its funny because the first representative told me I can wait till 18 to remove the limitation while this guy is telling me that its permanently frozen. It was then I realized that he was trying to just lie to me so I didnt just go and make another account and start using it because I was a minor. But I thought to myself and said fuck this guy because not only was he wasnt helping me because he had the power to but he was very rude so I tried with all faith with just one more call to try and get my account off the system. It was around 2 o?clock in the morning and I just was hoping to get this shit over with an go to bed.
- This was the last time I was attempting to make a phone call. I had called paypal and this representive was a British man. At this point I had my mother on the line to see if she could try to convince them to just make me able to remove my bank account. we told them the issues I was having and the guy did know I was underage. I told him that my mom had a paypal account (which she does) and that I would just put my bank account there. He told me he see what he could do and then there was this silence for around at least 1?2 minutes. I thought I was going to get rejected like before but he came back telling me that he was able to to just remove it for me and that I should have a parent or legal guardian with a paypal account to make my transactions from now on. I explained to the man about the last representative being rude. He did agree that the guy was rude and that what he did was very unacceptable but he also said that he only said it was permanent because Paypal cannot allow minors on their service. I myself knew this and I completely understood. So as he said, he would remove it and that there would be nothing to worry about. I thanked him and then felt relieved knowing that after three lengthy calls, I got what I needed.
Now I logged into my account immediately after and still saw my bank on the account. I thought that everything was all in vein but I clicked ?Remove this bank? and then it asked me what Id rather set my option of paying things for. Now remember when I said earlier that I had a re-loadable Visa card with no money on it? 😉 I set it to that and my bank was finally off that frozen paypal account. Im assuming that the guy removed the limitation so he can fulfill my request but I did it as soon as possible myself the moment I left the call. Now Ive learned alot from this. Paypal will NEVER EVER find out about your age. I made paypal back in 2014 when I was around 13 years old and spent money like no tomorrow without any problems. They WILL find out if they see any documents of you being under the age of 18 in this case my drivers license. I had sent them my drivers license and my bank statement. If I only had sent them my bank statement I wouldn’t been caught because all I needed was to prove my address showing that It was my account so I could pay them the 60 dollar debt I owed them. But I had sent my drivers license and because It showed my age, I was caught and I didnt even know haha.
So lemme break things down. Paypal wont ask you to verify unless suspicious things are happening with your account or you do things that are unusual with your account. Now because I had paypal for over 3 years and this is the first time I ever had a negative balance on my account I was asked to verify to prove that I was the actual person adding the funds back to my account.
Now here is basically the last part of everything. I LITERALLY GOT AWAY WITH EVERYTHING! DONT BELEIVE ME? Let me explain how. So remember how I was telling you guys how I had made my paypal back in 2014? Welp In 2015 I also made another paypal, just in case anything were to happen and the moment I had disconnected my bank off the frozen paypal account, I immediately re added it to my backup and it works just fine. Im still making transactions and doing just fine. Now here is where it gets more juicy. Im kinda glad I accidently sent my license because If I didnt, I wouldve payed the 60 dollars LOL! And I was told myself that I didnt have to worry about paying the money in debt. So now all there is on the old paypal account is an account with no money, and a Visa card with no money on it. So im literally lucky. And I not exaggerating when I say this. There is 60 dollar debt on the paypal account and I literally dont have to do anything about it 😉 I had basically gotten free stuff when I purchased things on ebay because paypal paid it for me and not them, and I was so willing to pay it back but I cant because Im basically too young and I was told not to worry about it. Bottom-line is, if youre asked to verify just send a bank statement or proof of address. You can also call them to make it easier but just make sure you hit puberty atleast so you can sound like someone over 18 haha. Luckily puberty hit me like a rock so I sound like a man. And I called paypal support numerous times befor without an issue. Also, the reason I had a negative balance and paypal supplied me with money was because I had my bank setup with the account. And because it was setup as a bank paypal came in clutch and paid for the items for me. I never knew I ran out of money haha. So this time Instead of linking my entire bank to paypal I just setup the Master Card associated with the bank and if I ever run out of money on there the payment wont proccess and I dont have to deal with paypal funding me money and have to pay it back.
Welp, thats basically it. Hopefully Ive given you guys enough information to avoid shit like this and still be fine. Do mind you, Im very lucky to have this happen to be because alot of people had actual money in their paypal and they had their account frozen and couldnt remove stuff like cards,banks,etc when they were caught. I didnt have any money in mine. which im lucky for and paypal spend money for me and I dont have to pay it back HAHA! Well, kudos to you guys. I hope all your future transactions go well! 😀
