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PayPal Launches Virtual Debit Card

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the good-idea-bad-testbed dept.

IpSo_ writes "You can now use PayPal via a Virtual Debit Card when making online purchases anywhere MasterCard is accepted. Basically it generates a virtual card number each time you make a transaction online so you don't have to use your personal debit or credit card number. Will people be more comfortable making online purchases with this, or will it flop because its too much of an inconvenience?"

5 of 212 comments (clear)

  1. Citibank has had this for years by TooMuchToDo · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Citibank says, "Been there, done that."

    1. Re:Citibank has had this for years by prof_peabody · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I don't trust paypal one bit and would be more inclined to get a citibank account to do this. Every person I know who has had a bad transaction has had their account frozen... Terrible customer support also.

    2. Re:Citibank has had this for years by no-body · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Citibank says, "Been there, done that."

      And Paypal said after using up 16 virtual Citi numbers:
      YOUR ACCOUNT HAS BEEN LIMITED


      - the reference number given in the reason did not reveal a case
      - emails to support did not solve the issue
      - talking to support (yes, it is possible at times) did not solve the issue

      Another account needed to be created to use PayPal for business purpose


      After filling out a ridiculouly long survey-like questionaire for this case and mentioning that they would have heard from my attorney would there be any funds on the account, it came to their attention that there may be something wrong and - yes you can now use an unlimited number of credit card numbers...

      No, thank you very much, Pay Pal!

  2. Re:Discover have been generating numbers for years by garcia · · Score: 4, Interesting

    why is the rest of the world not keeping up?

    Because I have very little use for one of these? My credit card already protects me from fraudulent charges and I'm not worried in the least if someone uses it two states away for gas. If Chase makes me call them when I'm going outside of my "home area" so they don't shut me off, then I'm not concerned if someone steals the card number after I make a purchase online at Newegg.

    If someone uses the card locally, big deal. I call Chase and tell them that the card was stolen and the charge wasn't mine. Not many questions asked.

    For *most* people, they just aren't paranoid enough to use a one time number for their purchases.

  3. Re: But it doesn't always work well by AnaemicVampire · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Citibank and HSBC both have had this system for a while.

    I've stopped using it though after a rather unpleasant incident where the online vendor (ETS) did not perform the transaction immediately, but instead waited for 2 working days to debit the amount. The one time card is not meant to last for that period of time (quite obviously, otherwise there would be little safety). The transaction was denied and I was charged an additional 20$. The nice folks at ETS refused to allow another GRE registration till I paid up the extra fee.

    I'll stick to the normal credit card , particularly when the purchases are valuable.