PayPal alternatives?

[sonofsammo]

I saw an issue raised on FB and it got me thinking.
Someone in the UK had ordered a prop mask and eye protection from weapon 762 - his account has been suspended!
The rationale is that it's because he "may be ordering items prohibited by the US government"
I'm a little confused as to what that has to do with a transaction between two entities within the EU.
It started to make me think that PayPal is arbitrary in their imposition of rules and that we could fall foul of them at any time.

Does anybody use something else in place of PayPal - I'm interested in other peep's experiences and recommendations of alternative payment platforms...
TIA

p.s. - mods - not sure if it's in the right place - but a lot of places ask for PayPal for airsoft stuff and most peer to peer sales are done through PayPal.  If it's not, please could you put it in the right place?

 

[Rogerborg]

I saw an issue raised on FB

Can you point us at it?

 

[sonofsammo]

Can you point us at it?

Sure:

https://tinyurl.com/yd6s9wa9

 

[Guest]

I do believe that is one of our own good members, @BigBlackGlock

 

[MILITATED]

Yeah that would be me.

They have sent me some seemingly stupid questions such as:

"Why have you made the payment?"

(Oh I dunno, maybe because they won't give me their products for free?)

"What have you ordered?"

(They asked this even though they literally have a list of what I ordered above the questions)

Etc...

Funniest question was "What's your relation to 'Nico'?"

(I suppose the discount code "NICO-WEAPON762" sounds a bit shady, at best ?)

They're also asking for a receipt of the transaction, which is beyond stupid considering they're preventing the payment from going through, thus preventing the sale and ultimately a receipt...

If the issue does not get resolved, my account will be terminated, along with my funds. They have limited my account so I cannot withdraw the money and whatnot in the meantime.

Alex May (Foundry Airsoft) said a similar situation happened to his mate, in which he lost his account and about £1k (which he is still trying to get back after a year).

Just to reiterate, all I ordered was a dummy/prop TMC Halo mask and some goggles for eye protection. Like I said in that FB post, the US Govt has an issue with me buying those whilst they sell ammo next to the ketchup in Wal-Mart. Why does the US Govt even care about a European transaction? PayPal is American but Jesus, it isn't like I have ordered a WMD.

God knows what is going to happen but most of my money is in PayPal (as I use it very frequently), so I am a bit worried!

 

[Tommikka]

Ideally this has been auto detected by word recognition with the reference, and if it were airsoft gun parts etc then would be legitimate under the revised ‘weapon’ policy





If ordering on a website and using PayPal as the transaction on the site then the basket is your ‘receipt’ considering there is no receipt as the payment has been witheld, if you have atremped to send payment then it’s the comms / listing offer that you want 

 

[Rogerborg]

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32007X0329(02)

Common Military List of the European Union (adopted by the Council on 19 March 2007 ) (equipment covered by the European Union Code of Conduct on Arms Exports) (updating and replacing the Common Military List of the European Union adopted by the Council on 27 February 2006 )

ML10: "Equipment specially designed for high altitude parachutists (e.g. suits, special helmets, breathing systems, navigation equipment)"

No, a non-functional prop mask being moved around within the EU shouldn't be a problem, and yes they're being bloody idiots. But I believe that's why it's triggered some algorithm.

 

[Tommikka]

On the wider question of alternatives to PayPal, it’s just an escrow facilitator

Obvoius alternatives are face to face with cash and bacs/bank transfer - but they are different beasts with no protection

(Face to face let’s you see what you are getting)

Then there is payment processing - handled by a business account etc

PayPal also have a payment processing facility, in which the retailer uses paypal as a credit/debit card handler

If you google “PayPal alternative” you get plenty of alternatives. But PayPal has dominated and is know by all even if not loved

 

[Huxley]

Google Pay would be the easiest I'd imagine.

 

[Arwen]

I've used Google pay on a few websites recently and it seems to work the exact same way as PayPal. I've not used it to send money to people though. 

However, as Google are based in the same country as PayPal the same algorithm may catch us out again. 

 

[FENSTER]

I've just used PayPal for my last 5 or 6 transactions and all of them had weapons but have not heard anything myself. hopefully they don't pick up on it and ban me lol

 

[rogerM]

I've used Skrill in the past. IMO the UI isn't as nice as PP - but it is not a US-based company.