PayPal wants too much info all of a sudden

[prfsnl_gmr]

I . . . spend maybe $700 per year on internet purchases.

...$690.00 of which is spent on: (1) Ys; (2) golf; or (3) obscure second-generation home computers.

[MrPopo]

I . . . spend maybe $700 per year on internet purchases.

...$690.00 of which is spent on: (1) Ys; (2) golf; or (3) obscure second-generation home computers.

I think the breakdown there is $300 on Ys and the rest evenly split between the other two.

[irixith]

I don't know how Paypal or any other company can win.

People want better security with their finances - this is the cost of that security. If you aren't comfortable with it then don't use the service? I don't understand the frustrations.

They could win by explaining WHY. Like I've said, I've been a PayPal customer for 10 years now. I've activated a new debit card several times. This is the first time that it failed to activate because "there's a problem with my account." I never had PayPal demand personal info from me in the 10 years I've been using the service.

Also in the past 10 years, I've never had any of my banks ask for a copy of my photo ID or SS card, much less a bill/statement. I know things change, and if I opened an account at my bank today they might ask for that stuff. But I already have an account, and active account for a number of years. My bank doesn't call me up and demand more personal info about me and say I can't close my account until they have it. It just seems weird. PayPal surprises me with these requests and don't do a good job explaining why. Until I supply them with this info I can still use my account, to the fullest as far as I can tell, but the only thing I can't do is close my account. If I want to close my account, I have to give them this info. Why?

Your bank has all this information on file from when you opened your account. PayPal now has different rules and regulations and is updating what they didn't collect originally. I closed a bank account recently and had to provide ID in order to do so. Thank goodness they do, would I want someone to just be able to walk in or call them up and close it simply by claiming to be me.

The minimum they require is utility bill, which simply proves your name and address. They already have that information, so what's the issue? Prove and move on.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I believe a utility bill is only one third of the truth triad.

What PayPal is typically asking for now is proof of ID (license or passport), proof of SSN (SSN card), and proof of address (utility bill).

[irixith]

I believe a utility bill is only one third of the truth triad.

What PayPal is typically asking for now is proof of ID (license or passport), proof of SSN (SSN card), and proof of address (utility bill).

A bank needs those things too.

I understand it was convenient that PayPal did not require those things previously, but...

[Ziggy]

I believe a utility bill is only one third of the truth triad.

What PayPal is typically asking for now is proof of ID (license or passport), proof of SSN (SSN card), and proof of address (utility bill).

A bank needs those things too.

I understand it was convenient that PayPal did not require those things previously, but...

I understand that identify theft is a huge concern these days (I think about it often). I think you're missing my point. It's not so much that PayPal wants these things, it's how it was presented to me. All of a sudden, after being with them for 10 years, this gets thrown in my face unexpectedly and they don't even explain why. I like PayPal, and I've never had a problem with them. I still don't. I just don't like things being demanded of my without explanation (this is human nature). Like I've said, I've had a PP account for 10 years. Same name, same SSN, same address. Why all of a sudden do I need to provide extra proof of these things? I think the 10 years speaks for itself. When they asked me for this info, it should have been explained why and how they will use it. I didn't go to make any changes to my account, after all. Any bank will ask for credentials up front when you go to open an account, sure. And asking for a photo ID to close an account is just fine. But when was the last time your bank, out of the blue, demanded that you show them proof of identity? That's like getting issued your new debit card because your old one is about to expire, then when you go to activate it your bank asks you for these things. Or in the case of Bone, going to use your debit card in a store and having it declined because your bank is asking for more proof of identity.

[jp1]

I haven't had these issues yet, and I do somewhere in the area of $6-7k annually with paypal. My business debit card and account is backed by my bank account and I'm verified, so perhaps that is why.

Anyway, these measures are for protection even if they are invasive. My financial institutions are one of the few places I don't mind having to jump through a few hoops. It gives me comfort to think that a potential thief might need to jump through the same hoops.

[BoneSnapDeez]

It's not so much that PayPal wants these things, it's how it was presented to me. All of a sudden, after being with them for 10 years, this gets thrown in my face unexpectedly and they don't even explain why.

This is the crux of the matter.

An email that states something like "For added security we need X, Y, and Z. Please submit these documents within a month to keep your account active." would have been fine. Instead "lol your account is locked until you do this." is what we got.

[mjmjr25]

Well, obviously that is poor.

The more a company has a lock on a particular market the worse that company's customer service skills become; historically.

Except, at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek.

[Ack]

I . . . spend maybe $700 per year on internet purchases.

...$690.00 of which is spent on: (1) Ys; (2) golf; or (3) obscure second-generation home computers.

I think the breakdown there is $300 on Ys and the rest evenly split between the other two.

The important thing is that Bone spends that money with Ys no matter what he buys.