Help!

::ahem::
Now that I've gotten your attention, I'd like to explain a predicament that I'm in.
On Feb 20, I ordered the Tarocchi Celtici from fnac. I was very happy to notice that my Paypal balance just about covered it, so I chose Paypal to pay for it. That day fnac sent an authorization to paypal, and paypal put a hold on my funds.

So far so good.

Then on the 29th, fnac sent ANOTHER authorization, and paypal debited my checking account for the full amount (i.e. did NOT use the funds they were "holding"), and fnac was paid, and I received the deck a day or so ago.

I kept looking at my paypal balance, expecting that the funds would re-appear, but NO, they haven't.

I talked to someone at paypal, and they say that I need to get fnac to undo the authorization from the 20th. I don't speak French, and I sent an email in English - and I haven't heard a thing from fnac. I sent another email (in English) today. I sent an email to Paypal, here is the reply:

...after researching your account I can see the authorization to
Fnac and the payment sent to them, but you were not charged twice. The
payment was an instant transfer from your bank in the amount of $64.86
USD, which will take 3-4 business days to clear.

Please let me know if you need further assistance.

When I read that, I let out a string of obscenities that scared the dog. I want my damned $$ from paypal, not from fnac!! (not only that, but there is no way to "let me know if you need further assistance!!!!) GRRRRRR.

So I replied to that email, still no response. I'm sending a second email tonight - and I am absolutely FURIOUS at this turn of events. I have 1/2 a mind to get my bank into this discussion.

Any good Chi sent this way would be appreciated, and if anyone has a good contact at paypal, please IM or email me a direct number so I can get in touch with someone who KNOWS SOMETHING!!!! I'm going to call them again tonight - and I'll probably get the same completely clueless person that I got the last time I called.

I had a similar experience and now I only use paypal if I have no other choice.

Their customer service is horrendous. Good luck finding someone who can help you.

I've actually found that calling them is way more efficient then emailing. Just keep at it. Sending you all the energy I have!

I can completely sympathise with you. I recently tried to but the Tarot of Dreams using paypal, only to be told that my credit card was unacceptable to them. WTF?! I haven't used paypal in years, so why am I suddenly unacceptable??? Well, I used their contact system (most irritating version of so-called 'customer service' I have ever encountered) to ask why they were rejecting my CC. Well I get an email saying I will get a reply soon. TEN DAYS later I finally get an email explaining that at some point I did not accept their terms and conditions. My first rection was again WTF!?! But I thought about it and I suddenly remember that some point several years ago I got an email from paypal that said something about terms and conditions, but I am paranoid and assumed it was a phishing scam (like the many emails I get from ebay, a site I have NEVER USED!) so I deleted it. Okay, mea culpa. But what company sends you unsolicited emails? Banks, ebay, etc all warn you that they do not send emails unless you have contacted them, so if you get something its a scam. I would have assumed that paypal would work on the same principle. But obviously they don't.
I am tempted to boycott paypal, except soooo many people use it, it would be almost impossible. But honestly they are the most frustrating company I have dealt with in YEARS! And such bad customer service. I am hugely disappointed. It is not like they are a small company run by three people out of their garage. They are a international business, which could employ someone to deal with problems like this!
So my sympathy, best wishes and good energies go out to you in your battle with this evil conglomeration! I hope you succeed!

Faolainn Storm

ETA: like Sinduction paypal is now my last resort payment method. If there is any other way around them I'll take it.

You know, Paypal has a lot of money from myself and other people I know that, for one lame reason or another, we just can't get. We can't spend it online, either. It's been so long since we tried to access it that I've forgotten all the things we went through trying to get it. We've just written it off. I hate paypal, to tell you the truth. But I do use it sometimes because it's kind of unavoidable in some cases.

The point I intended to make is that I'll bet Paypal has sucked millions of dollars from people and there isn't any recourse.

Update:
I actually talked to some one on the phone! Who was nice!! And helpful!!

The upshot is that at some point I got into a "merchant agreement" with fnac, that they could authorize just about anything and paypal would pay them. I have *no* idea how that happened.

the customer rep sent me an email telling me just how to opt out of that agreement - and it worked! - and also told me that the hold on my money would expire after 30 days, which would be the 20th of March. You'd better believe that I will be transferring that balance *immediately* to my checking account, and only using paypal to pay for my subscription to the Daily Coyote.

I agree, Paypal's customer service is the worst I've ever dealt with. EVER.

But I am wondering if there's anyone around here who could translate my email to fnac to French, so I might be able to get them to unauthorize the transaction, which would dissolve the hold more quickly.

Solitaire* said:

You know, Paypal has a lot of money from myself and other people I know that, for one lame reason or another, we just can't get. We can't spend it online, either. It's been so long since we tried to access it that I've forgotten all the things we went through trying to get it. We've just written it off. I hate paypal, to tell you the truth. But I do use it sometimes because it's kind of unavoidable in some cases.

The point I intended to make is that I'll bet Paypal has sucked millions of dollars from people and there isn't any recourse.

Click to expand...

You mean, besides the percentage of sales when you go over X number of dollars/month? (or whatever that was...)
Or something more like my situation?

sheesh. If I'd known this, I might've made a different choice. Hell, I *would* have just put it on my credit card. At least my bank is great and kicks @$$.