Pay Later charged me the full amount

[onceinabluemoon]

Yesterday I chose Paypal's Pay Later option and thought the initial payment wasn't bad at all so I said "why not." Just checked my bank account and I was charged the full amount (pending transaction)even though I remember clicking Pay Later and even on my receipt online it says Pay Later. What am I supposed to do now? The reason I chose pay later was so I could stagger the impact of my purchase. Do I request a refund? Is this just an error on Paypal's end? Any help/advie is greatly appreciated. 

[mycoolmiller]

I assure you that you're mistaken. I just made a purchase using this payment method and the full amount was charged to my account. Not a "hold" it is just a charge for the full amount.  Maybe there's a bug in your checkout process or something IDK but for all the new people, as of 1.23.2024 the "buy now pay later" or "pay in 4" doesn't work as described and you shouldn't use it. 

[StephenKI]

This literally just happened to me. Both the full amount and one of the four pay later amounts are currently pending with my bank. Did anyone ever get this resolved. I'm going to be really annoyed if I end up having to fork up twice the amount I paid for the item. If I knew this was an issue I would've used Affirm, Klarna or Afterpay.

[SteelersPittFan]

I use Pay in 4 all the time and I have NEVER had the full amount of my Pay in 4 plan charged or even held as an authorization.

For me actually nothing gets taken out right away at all. It usually takes 3-5 days before my 1st payment gets taken out of my checking account(usually the payment method I use).

Not sure why you and some others are having the full amount taken out or authorized.

[Smiths542]

So am I understanding this right? Pay pal will charge you the full amount, then charge you again for the original payment arrangement amount? Of they don't get that amount you don't get your refund ? I don't understand why they wouldn't just refund me the amount they were my supposed to take and then continue to with the payment arrangement.

[StephenKI]

So I just talked to Paypal online through the messaging feature on their app and apparently according to the representative this double charging situation happens when there's multiple attempts or when there's a problem with the merchants website. They said they would cancel the order but now I have to wait to buy the item I was going to purchase because I want to make sure the money is refunded. The rep told me they were going to cancel the order but I'm not really sure if that means the full amount purchase or the pay in 4 purchase. In mind if I paid in full for the item and then I got charged for a pay in 4 transaction that means I purchased the item twice?

[fatbenatar]

Same situation here. I vaguely recall this happening previously. While I understand the need for a hold those of us who choose pay in four do it so we can pay slowly. One is not notified of this at check out by PP or merchant. I only discovered it when I was reviewing the receipt. Only three dod I get notification that I was charged the full amount. The only time I have had this happen was close to twenty years ago during a gas crisis I had three times the amount put on hold. Now because of this my accounting was off, I had two items elsewhere get rejected. I could have chosen another pay on 4 company for this purchase, one that doesn't pull more than the initial payment but I chose PP bc I they have come through in a few disputes PayPal, please alert consumers that this is sort of like a charge card vs tris pay in 4 layaway situation for certain categories. I have a nice line of available credit I built up so I could make some large purchases. I still chose a lesser item that I knew would not cause me stress to pay off, and here I am o should have just paid a regular payment

[KP1105]

This just happened to me, this is the 2nd time this has happened with the same company. Both PayPal and Nespresso say it's the other's fault, so just getting the runaround. Since this is the 2nd time with the same company, I guess I'll just have to stop using PayPal in 4 with that company.

[BoloSolo]

I've tried the pay monthly now twice. I'd NEVER had an issue with 4 pay. The same thing happened to me. The first time they tried to blame the vendor, which is false. The second they said it was a "system error." There was no error, I repeated what occurred step by step and it was exactly what should have, and did occur. The receipt said pay later as well. I got the "it will fall off in 72 hours' and it did, but two days later they pushed the total amount through. It's a major issue, and although it didn't happen to me as I have overdraft protection, it is causing large numbers of people to accrue huge fees and penalties when they push their accounts over the limit. It's a viable class action.

[mola77]

I have no idea why in the world I tried Pay in 4 again.   I had it work once for me and the next 3 times, I get approved for Pay in 4 and then Paypal charges my card in full, with "no record" of the Pay in 4 application/request by me.  They tell me to cancel the item and rebuy it, but twice it was with Ticketmaster for sold out events so obviously that won't work.  The vendor never has any idea about what Paypal's Pay Later even is because they are paid in full by Paypal with reimbursement by me through the Pay in 4 agreement.  I am now convinced something very sinister is going on here by PayPal.  I would never use PayPal to buy something when they are just going to put it through to my credit card in full, what advantage would I have there?  So they are getting fees or something from the vendor and somehow Paypal bypasses the whole Paypal/Pay in 4 application and has "no record" of it, blaming the vendor, who has no idea what this payment even is and why would they?  It's not their program.  The internet is FULL of complaints along these lines.  I think it's time for a class action lawsuit.

[Smiths542]

Did you ever get a refund? This just happened to me. Luckily I can wait a few days tir the refund but that is by luck. This coukd cost someone that late bill some place else.