Paypal is frustrating me to no end.

All that happened was that I was trying to buy a $7 ring from the supermagnet.man. Something went wrong, and Paypal interpreted this as a hostile attack on my account. So Paypal basically shut down my account to protect me.

To use it again I had to do three things: change my password, change my security questions, and confirm my credit card. To confirm my credit card, they would simply charge 1.50 Euros to my account, and it would appear on my monthly statement along with a code number.

Since it was the end of the month anyway, I just waited on my monthly statement. It arrived today, and the 1.50 did not appear.

So I call them. Darned difficult to call, actually: you have to sort through five minutes of one of those computer voices who gives you options that don't apply--y'all know the routine. FINALLY I get to talk to a person. By now I'm fuming about the whole thing: charging me 1.50 for a mistake I didn't make, waiting a whole week for my bank statement so that I could find out the stupid code, and a voice mail robot who wanted to keep me from talking to a human being. But the woman tried to be helpful, I suppose. The problem is that I have to wait an ENTIRE MONTH to finally see that darned code. She said she would talk to some other people to see if there was another option, but I know there isn't.

I guess I'll have to set up electronic banking with my bank. Up till now I've never done this, because in the typically German way it is organized to protect me rather than make my life earlier. Every time I want to log in, I have to type in a new PIN number from a list they send me. Really safe. People with laptops usually keep the list in their computer case, so if a guy wants to steal from your bank account, it's easier for him if he also steals your laptop first.

Anyway, I'm just frustrated right now.

Has anyone else had a similar problem?
Otherwise I won't be able to use Paypal for another month.

I haven't had any problems with Paypal, but I can recommend electronic banking. I have been using it for so many years that I cant even remember when I actually switched to it. Havent been to an actual bank in years. Yes you need a new number from the list every time, but there's also a user code and password you need to use first so it is very secure-unless of course you write them down on your pin number list...I can handle all my accounts online, pay the bills, transfer money between my accounts (or to someone else obviously), can change the limit of my credit card; heck I could even get a loan online immediately (up to a certain amount anyway). Online banking is such a big thing here, that checks have been obsolete since the 90s.

As a side note, we have online postal service as well. Yes the national post has an online service, basically a mailbox, and you can select from which senders you would like to have mail to your online mailbox instead of snail mail. For instance, all our bills are sent electronically. We just a notification to our email, log on and can get the mail as pdfs. Very handy and has worked for years without any hiccups.

Regarding your side note, that online mailbox option is way cool! I already get all my phone company statements electronically, and it's great.

I just signed up (again) for online banking...maybe I'll use it this time. I selected an option in which they will send the transaction code number as a text message to my cell phone.

Maybe I'll get Paypal back up and running within a week or so.

Maybe not. I hope Doug wasn't waiting on any purchases from me to pay for his light bill this month.

It is! Environmentally friendly as well-climate change or not, less waste doesn't hurt in either case.

Now that you signed up for online banking, does that make monthly statement obsolete? Because I can see all my transactions online, its updated thruought the day every day-thats handy too.

I don't know yet. I just signed up, but it will take a few days to confirm the account. That still has to take place through snail mail.

My experience with PayPal ended our relationship years ago.

Over the years I had bought about 400 items using PayPal. No problems!

Then my wife bought a book using our PayPal. Immediately they shut everything down and would not really even talk by phone until I went in by the backdoor.

Their explanation is that we cannot be PayPal members or merchants because we share credit cards and a computer and don't use the same last name. (My wife is an M.D. and licensed under that name. It is also the name she uses on the computer.) This is a rule they selectively enforce.

As an old marketing professor and management consultant, it did not take me long to recognize that I was dealing with a cast of idiots when it comes to business and finance. (My fields are Marketing, Management and Finance.)

Since in 1981, I was one of the guys unpopularly forecasting the failure of banking in the USA (now a current disaster), I have considered myself very lucky to be disassociated from many failing or failed banks and certainly PayPal does not help one's financial status. Our businesses do not take it or use it either. Nor do I recommend it to businesses with good credit.

I miss PayPal like I would miss having a broken leg! The world is full of functional people who are really in the field of finance and PayPal is hardly necessary. Recognized that your life is actually improving. PayPal is another middleman and not a credit card company or bank. It is a cost center.

Good Luck! But it sounds like it has already started. Maybe Congratulations! would be more in order.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Actually, in Europe, where stoneunhinged is, apparently PayPal is a bank / has a banking license:

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/c......6853.htm

It's status in the United States is apparently a little more complicated:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PayPal