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PayPal Will Be Able To Robo-Text/Call Users With No Opt-out Starting July 1

Posted by Soulskill on from the change-your-listed-phone-number-to-their-customer-support-line dept.

OutOnARock notes that as PayPal separates from eBay in the coming months, new terms of service are set to take effect on July 1st. Most of the changes unexciting, but one provision has consumer rights groups up in arms: PayPal is granting itself the ability to use automated systems to call and text users. These robocalls could happen for something as serious as debt collection or as frivolous as advertisements. What's more, the company grants the same rights to its affiliates. Activists are questioning the legality of these changes. "Given that both the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (which created the Do Not Call list) and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ban most robocalling and texting, this seemed in direct opposition to consumer protections granted Americans by Congress." PayPal says it will comply with all laws, but their actions may spark a legal debate about whether terms of service can qualify as "written consent."

4 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Customer recourse by w3woody · · Score: 5, Informative

    Well, you could always change your phone number to 888-221-1161, which is Paypal's customer support number.

  2. Re:Try it in the EU first by jonnyj · · Score: 4, Informative

    Yup. A massive fine awaits any business that attempts to behave in this way in the UK. The ICO is definitely not afraid to take enforcement action against organisations that flout data protection laws - see https://ico.org.uk/action-weve...

  3. Have at me, boys! by pla · · Score: 3, Informative

    Sure, PayPal, go ahead and call me!

    Because on the few occasions when I've found myself with no choice but to use your crappy guest checkout (no, I will never have a "real" account with you), and you insist that I give a phone number...

    I enter yours.

    So let 'em fly, boys! Feel free to let your "partners" waste the time of some poor secretary at your corporate HQ.

  4. Wow ... asshole much? by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Informative

    So the asshole company who acts like a bank except where there are regulations they ignore, is going to be the asshole company who gives itself and its asshole affiliates the right to call or spam you because they say so?

    I'm sorry, but what the hell are these clowns thinking?

    The sheer arrogance of that is mind boggling. And this whole shit of "see, we have terms of service, we can do anything we want" is just crap.

    Tell you what, PayPal, our terms of service say we can tar and feather you before the castration and lynching.

    Once again, I am reminded of the many reasons why I would never deal with this company. A bunch of shady, self-entitled weasels.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.