I'm being 'forced' to sign-up for a PayPal Business Account, yet I don't want one!

[DarkAvenger]

Everything was fine yesterday, but today I'm trying to get into my PayPal account, but when I log in I'm being presented with a 'PayPal - Business Sign-up' page, yet I don't wish to sign up for a business account! How do I get past this screen as there appears to be no option to not sign up i.e. to simply pass on this and go straight into my account.

On this same page it's also asking me to 'Add your mobile number to help keep your account more secure' However I don't have a mobile phone and there's no option to decline! This request to add my mobile number does pop up from time to time, but in the past there's always been an option to skip it i.e. the 'Not right now' option, but that's not appearing!

[kernowlass]

@DarkAvenger 

Do you have a mobile (not landline) phone issued in your country and registered in just your name verified on your Paypal account?
Paypal are using mobile phones for i.d requirements for logging in and withdrawal funds for extra security measures.
Thats why there have been reminders on your account and pop ups telling you to add one as you won't be able to access your Paypal account in the future without doing so.

[DarkAvenger]

No I don't have a mobile phone, only a landline phone - the number of which is 'on file' for my PayPal account.

I spoke to PayPal Customer Service tonight and there is a way around it. There should be an option on the screen I can't get past to 'Call you with a code'. However that option is not yet activated! PayPal say they're having technical problems at the moment and their team are working on it. Once fixed it will allow PayPal to send me a code which I guess I can then enter to provide this 'secondary verification'.

PayPal tell me once their team have fixed things they'll send me an email to let me know, but they don't have an estimate when so it could be days or weeks! They say it won't prevent me from paying for items by PayPal as I can always choose to 'checkout' as a 'guest'. Of course if there are other things I wish to do with my account, which there are, I'll just have to wait!

[ZeldaMDesigns]

I have the same problem...so looks like we just have to wait it out for a bit

[DarkAvenger]

Since I can't access my account please let me know 'ASAP'!!! what PayPal's currency exchange rate is as of 17 Aug 2021 in Australia for AUD to USD on an amount of AUD 100.00. Then I can compare it to what PayPal's 'Currency Converter Tool' is stating. I need to know if the rate given when you check the exchange rate through your account is the 'EXACT' same rate the Currency Converter Tool gives. One would assume they should match!!! but that's what I need confirmed. Thanks.

[DarkAvenger]

Ok, I found out in a very stressful way the rate given through PayPal's 'Currency Conversion Tool' is indeed the 'exact' same rate as given through your account and of course if you were to purchase an item so at least I know I don't need access to my account in order to know PayPal's exchange rate on a given day.

I'm going to try and file a complaint against PayPal regarding access to my account by following the advice found on the 'FairShake' Consumer Rights website:

If PayPal’s customer service isn’t getting to the bottom of your complaint, the company also offers a way on its website to file a formal complaint. You can do this by going to PayPal’s “Contact us” page and clicking “Feedback and formal complaints.” From there, you can choose from a number of categories. Choose what best fits your complaint out of:

• Opening a claim for an item you never received or that didn’t match its description.
• Managing your profile and transactions.
• Complaining about the decision made for a dispute you filed.
• Complaining about poor customer service you received.
• Complaining about a limitation on your account.
• Complaining about PayPal policy or a product feature.
• Complaining about a transaction.

Filing a formal complaint will open a ticket with PayPal’s customer service that you can escalate as needed.

In my case the relevant category would be 'Complaining about a "limitation" on your account', but also perhaps 'Complaining about a "PayPal policy" or a product feature' since PayPal are "forcing" me to participate in a 'verification' process that asks for information I'm physically unable to provide in order to access my account! Especially when I've already been verified by providing account information known only to myself as the rightful account holder i.e. my phone number and bank account number. Further that in the past there was an option to 'forgo' this secondary verification by the inclusion of a 'Not Right Now' button - which has now been removed!

I'm assuming I can select only one of those categories in lodging my complaint so perhaps I'll lodge my complaint twice - once under "Complaining about a limitation on your account" and again under "Complaining about a PayPal policy or product feature" since both equally apply!