Online e-Commerce Issues w/ PayPal?

A concerned entrepreneur submitted this question for your consideration: "I run a very small online company and the main method we obtain payments for products is via PayPal. In this digital age having an easy way to accept payments for goods is critical to small business survival. Have you had problems with PayPal freezing your accounts, have you had any issues with PayPal harming any of your credit? Neither has happened to me but it it still is a concern. Recently, I was sent this site, became concerned and wanted to ask Slashdot readers for their input on security and any problems they may have had with this service." If you send your money to a website for safekeeping, you expect it to be safe, and a large part of this perception is based on dependable customer support. According the warning site, it sounds like PayPal might be a bit deficient on this end. Have any of you experienced similar problems?

"I don't necessarily trust the website I linked to, nor PayPal's statements. PayPal requires you to register your credit card AND your checking account and could conceivably and legally(?) remove any and all funds and stop you from withdrawing a dime from your PayPal account as well as your own checking account at their whim. What is a small business to do?"

Just an aside, if you are signing up for a personal account, you only need your credit card. It's merchants who want to use PayPal's premium features who have to specify banking information as well.

Comments

Attention: Slashdot editors

[Anonymous Coward]

I represent Fitsworth McGibbons, the legal firm who have been retained to manage legal affairs for Paypal, Incorporated. Negative comments without merit are actionable as slander, and we demand that you remove such objectionable material from your site immediately, or we will be forced to pursue legal action against you on behalf of our clients.

Thank you for your attention with regards to this matter.

P.S. IANAL.

Just Use Me!

[BankofAmerica_ATM]

Are you fearful of doing business on the Internet? You should be, as hackers, crackers, and other malcontents may be waiting to "intercept" your sensitive private data. That's why you should count on Bank of America ATM for all your private data money storage facility needs. No worries, no hassles, just smooth transactions and plenty of locations near you.

I'm sorry, but MS says...

[Nikau]

I was looking through the Wall of Shame on the PayPalWarning site, and saw this. It was just too funny... So I'm going to post it here for everyone else's amusement. It's entirely possible this is a hoax, but still...

I wonder... When did Linus Torvalds give up the rights to his OS?

Consumer reporting scam: Larry Lawrence (12/6/01) PayPal continues to hold my $600. Illegally. Several months ago I was offering the general public a free copy of the popular OS called Linux 8.0. This is a freely distributable program under the general license agreement. The customer only had to pay for shipping. ($5.00 US dollars) I had hundreds of people that responded to the offer and I delivered the program as offered and according to the law. PayPal sent me an e-mail saying that they were going to suspend my account unless I could provide proof that I had permission to distribute this software. Well, I e-mailed them back several times and explained to them that I did programming on my own and would never consider distributing software that was against any law. PayPal said that I had to prove that I had permission from Microsoft to distribute the software. Microsoft has nothing to do with Linux. Linux has always been to my knowledge, a free OS. I am e-mailing you first before taking legal action as this is the professional way to do business. They have closed my account, which is fine accept that they hold my funds without paying me interest on the funds and refuse to return the funds.

Not my roommate.

[sideshow]

How many people even bother to look at their monthly statements?

I bounced a rent check to him about 4 months ago. I've been waiting till he notices to give him the money.

Re:Win-win

[Carbonite]

She had typed in our address in the form 123 Main St. Apt. 23, and the bank had us as 123 MAIN ST #23-- their computer didn't realize this was the same address and thought we were trying to defraud someone

Well, you have to admit that 123 Main St. does sound a little suspicious ;)