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is paypal safe for bloggers?

Posted by fielsvd • 5/21/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic

i wanted to post ads...i am from the philippines. is it safe for us pinoys?

User Comments

5/21/08

RTBjr73

American here. I have used paypal for about four years. I have had zero problems.

[reply]
1. 5/21/08
  
  fielsvd
  
  what really is needed to have a paypal -- atm or credit card?
2. 5/21/08
  
  Norski
  
  What is really needed? A bank account is a good starting place.
  
  I'd say that this sort of question would be best answered by PayPal. They've got a pretty good website: www.paypal.com/ .
3. 10/17/08
  
  nadzri68
  
  Good for you but too ba dthere are some limitation in asian countries.
5/21/08

Norski

Excellent question! Thanks for this thread?

I haven't a clue, but I'm going to see what our fellow-BlogCatalogers say.

(And, I'm an American, born in Fargo, North Dakota.)

[reply]
1. 5/21/08
  
  fielsvd
  
  thanks! please inform me about their own experience of paypal. i want to try it.
5/21/08

Norski

A call to other BlogCatalogers - I'm somewhat in fielsvd's position.

I have a PayPal account, but haven't used it yet.

I could use informed opinions about ease of use, possible pitfalls, how the TOS actually works: whatever.

As far as PayPal goes, I'm definitely a newbie.

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1. 5/21/08
  
  fielsvd
  
  i only want to use paypal for the payments coming from the ads but i am a bit apprehensive about giving my card number, bank account, etc.
5/21/08

GuyRCook

I've used PayPal for many years now, since before Ebay bought them, had zero problems. Use a business bank account, works fine. I recommend it to all e-commerce ventures getting started, because it works.

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5/21/08

Svelmoe

I use it marginally, because I prefer to pay with my Visa.
But some stores outside the EU don't take Visa if having to ship international, so for that I'll have to use PayPal.

Does seem problem-free enough for now.

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5/21/08

spiritualkevan

I have used Paypal for over 7 years, and never had a problem with it, the only downside is the length of time it takes to get a transfer into your bank, but use it for everything online.

highly recommend it

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5/21/08

shawie9877

I've been using Paypal for all my EBay transactions with no problem & since I started earning with my blog (paid thru Paypal), it's very easy:)

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5/24/08

handbags

I have been with Paypal (PP) for five years. One month ago my paypal acc was hacked and the only way that was spotted was because the guy tried to get away with a LOT of money and bust the monthly withdrawal limit. When you verify your bank acc at PP you are giving them a direct debit into your bank account: Paypal say this is for you to spend money above your PP balance if you need to. I asked them to suspend this: they said this was not possible. After these discussions with them I advise this course of action to protect your money:
Open an extra bank account for PP withdrawals only: as soon as you withdraw money from Paypal, move it to another bank account or spend it! This extra acc will have no other money in it and make sure there is no overdraft facility. So any hacker will NOT have access to other funds in your bank account.

[reply]
1. 8/27/08
  
  melisasriwulandari
  
  sounds bad...
5/24/08

kab625

It's good and safe. The only thing is,please take the test they have that tells you how to identify paypal phishing scams.

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5/24/08

richrf

I've used PayPal quite a bit in the past. It depends upon how you define safe. Yes, they are secure, and they do pass the money from the buyer to the seller. However, I never use any important bank account or credit card on their site. Also, if there is a poor transaction (i.e, you've been scammed), you are totally out of luck. They will do absolutely nothing for you. You are better off, using a regular credit card which you can use to reverse the charge if you are scammed.

Also, there are lots of fraud going on the Internet/email, where sites pretend that they are PayPal and luring you into entering your real user id and password which they capture and then use to hack into your account. If you use PayPal, never link in from an email. Always go to the site directly.

[reply]
1. 8/27/08
  
  melisasriwulandari
  
  that's scary! the part where they'll do nothing if we're scammed
5/24/08

newward

Paypal itself it very safe. It is the only way I accept electronic payments. The KEY however - is never to click on an email link, no matter how legit it seems. If you think there is an issue with your account - go directly to paypal.com from your browser and log in.

[reply]
1. 5/26/08
  
  fielsvd
  
  thank you for this comment. this is a great tip.
5/24/08

DocKC

Great to know that paypal is safe. I just assumed that with the number of people using it that it WAS safe, but now after this discussion, I feel ever more comfortable using it. Thank you for posting this and to everyone who gave their answers.

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5/24/08

wehireu

Paypal is really not that safe. The problem is the one transaction where things go bad. They don't like to help you if there is a problem. Most of the time there isn't though. Their security is pretty good. Don't attach your paypal account to a bank account with a lot of money in it.

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5/24/08

jaffermaniar

Ok so there is ONE person (above me) that had a bad experience !

I love PayPal as I don't have to risk giving out my credit card number to ever other shopping site I go to !

I've been using it for two years and have had no problems with it. Only down side as some one mentioned earlier is the amount of time (7 days) for your bank account to be verified.

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5/25/08

kaguvkov

how about alert pay?

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5/26/08

balidreamhome

so far is good and no problem at all for me Indonesian blogger, has been using paypal for 1 year plus, withdraw and pay works smoothly..

[reply]
1. 8/27/08
  
  melisasriwulandari
  
  glad to know that!
5/26/08

buyersweb

I used to use other credit card processors until paypal and havent had any problems since.

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5/26/08

wehireu

Someone tried to send me a spam fishing scam so they could get my credit card number from paypal.

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5/26/08

MadameX

I've done tens of thousands of dollars in business through PayPal and have, at times, had $15,000 or more in my PayPal account for extended periods--I've never had any problems with them.

[reply]
1. 5/26/08
  
  fielsvd
  
  i guess i have to use paypal now...
5/26/08

Grooveycrafts

I'm from England and my siblings and I all have paypal accounts and have had no problem with it.

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5/26/08

jackpayne

Use it all the time. No problems.

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5/26/08

4Freedoms

It is safe

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5/26/08

PetLvr

I've used Paypal for years! If anybody wants to "test" their paypal .. PM for my paypal account, and you can send me money for Coffee And, if it works - I'll thank-you publicly on my 1800HART blog

[reply]
1. 5/26/08
  
  timethief
  
  I have experienced no problems with paypal and I consider it to be safe.
5/26/08

SolReka

PayPal - owners eBay
eBay one of the largest companies in the world

Ergo Paypal is as safe as houses.

I've used paypal for many years - never had a problem.

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5/26/08

BlogBadly

No. Not at all. Once it went up to me in a dark alley and mugged me.

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5/27/08

fielsvd

thanks for all your reply...

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5/27/08

perezstudios

I have been a user of Paypal for about eight going on nine years now and I have never had problems with it. It has always been problems with people I paid through Paypal like subscriptions to things. Be sure to cancel those subscriptions through Paypal or else they can keep charging you. Other than that all you need is a bank account an email address and an address. They go through a bunch of verification processes to ensure that you are who you say you are. They verify your address, phone, credit card, email and just about anything else that you want them to know about you in your profile.

www.paypal.com

[reply]
1. 8/27/08
  
  melisasriwulandari
  
  i think they didn't verify my address or phone?
8/24/08

fielsvd

thanks everyone for all your comment! i am now using paypal...

[reply]
1. 10/17/08
  
  gemjeweled
  
  a lot of bloggers had been blogging about successfully getting their funds out of paypal.
8/24/08

gameyeeeah08

Of course safe

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8/24/08

SweetViolet

PayPal will not allow members in certain countries to receive money, only spend it. You must be sure you are not in one of those countries because if you are, PayPal will not even accept payments into your account. They say they will do money transfers for anyone with an email address, but that is simply untrue.

Also, their customer service is some of the worst I have encountered anywhere in the world, so expect that if there is a problem, you will NEVER see your money. I've been in a wrangle with them for more than four years over a PayPal account with more than $1000 in it, and it still is not resolved...and I don't have my money.

[reply]
1. 8/27/08
  
  melisasriwulandari
  
  that's worrying
8/27/08

Janrafi

i'm also from the philippines so i can say that paypal is safe enough. but of course it will also depend on what measures are you taking to keep your bank account safe.

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8/27/08

okcrazy

I think for the most part PayPal works great.

However, they are notoriously bad at customer service if you do have problems. I had someone try to add a bunch of credit cards to my account out of nowhere. PayPal caught the strange activity and immobilized my account.

This was good, because nothing was ever taken out of any bank accounts or anything like that. Unfortunately, they deemed the account "no appeals," so they won't even read my emails or respond to messages or anything. I have no way of using the account again and I have no way of even getting into contact with anyone at the company. Others have had the same experience - www.paypalsucks.com/. What's worse, most of them had a lot of money in their account and can't get to it.

Unfortunately, I don't think there are any other good options that are as widely used.

That's just my experience of course and they would be a great company if they invested in some customer service.

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10/17/08

Sebastyne

I've been using paypal for 4 years, zero problems. I've transferred thousands of dollars through it.

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10/17/08

earthlingorgeous

paypal is safe as long as you don't tie it with your bank account.

[reply]
1. 10/17/08
  
  gemjeweled
  
  My paypal is tied to my bank account. No problems with that!
10/18/08

kschwidi

yes it is. i use paypal a long time ago with zero problems. It´s really easy to pay around the world, then you need a email adress only - not more!

In Germany is Paypal a big thing. creditcard´s was not so popular!

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