Paypal asking for passport/driving licence. It won't even let me close the account.

[PieOurSquared]

Hi

I get the message “There seems to be a problem with your account.  Please go to the Resolution Centre so we can help you to resolve any limitations on your account.”  Clicking the Resolution Centre link just takes me to my homepage.

If I click the bell icon it says “Your account is limited at the moment.  Please provide the details we need to confirm your identity and remove limitations”.  So I click the Confirm Your Identity button underneath.  It says I need to upload proof of ID:  Government issued photo ID, passport, or divers licence.

For security reasons I’m not willing to upload these.  Plus, everyone I have spoken to says that they haven’t been asked for these.  So it looks very suspicious.

So that means I need to close my account.  But it won’t let me do absolutely anything until I have uploaded these documents – won’t even let me close my account........What do I do?

[sharpiemarker]

@PieOurSquared 

PayPal is required by law and as their own security policies to know more about their customers since they don’t have the pleasure of doing business in person. Limited accounts cannot be closed like you would an account in normal standing as they usually have issues that need to be resolved first.

https://www.paypal.com/us/legalhub/useragreement-full?locale.x=en_US#closing-account

“In certain cases, you may not close your PayPal account, including:

• To evade an investigation.
• If you have a pending transaction or an open dispute or claim.
• If your PayPal account has a negative balance.
• If your PayPal account is subject to a hold, limitation or reserve.”

If you don’t, the account could eventually br permanently limited and you won’t be able to open another account ever again. This is by design to keep banned users from opening new accounts. If you attempt to, the new account will also be banned. And it’s also a possibility the intention is to already ban your account after collecting the info to identify you so that you can’t open another account. You somehow got your account flagged so it’s asking to verify your identity. Are you a minor? Do you have others in your household with banned account? No one here knows how you behaved with your account to trigger the flag. Perhaps describe what you are doing when this happened or refer to the restricted activities or the Acceptable Use Policy sections of the user agreement. Even though PayPal didn’t ask anyone you know to verify their identity at the moment, PayPal might in the future. It’s just happening to you sooner rather than later.

[PieOurSquared]

Thanks @sharpiemarker 

All I've ever used my Paypal account for is since 2020 lockdown, online quizzes became popular and quizmasters ask you to pay by Paypal.  That's all I've ever used it for.  Thousands of people do, and why has this not been a red flag until now?

Seems unfair to freeze your account without saying why and not allowing it to be closed.   That means it's going to be sitting there unused forever onwards and so always be at risk.

[sharpiemarker]

@PieOurSquared 

It is what it is. Perhaps online quizzes and stuff seem like what minors get into and they want to check if you are over 18. 🤷 If PayPal told people their reasons, then their security/risk model would be useless if people can get around it. Think about it. If you were entrusted to handle security for a financial institution, you wouldn’t want people to know how your security works. Read the Account Limitation section of Holds, Limitations, and Reserves.

If you choose not to provide the info, you can ask PayPal to permanently limit the account. That account status is as good as closed as all the critical features are blocked.

Contact customer service for assistance:

https://www.paypal.com/smarthelp/contact-us      

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