Sent Friend Money but they cannot access their account. How do I get it back?

[shelleybbell]

I paid a friend for taxi fare, not realizing he no longer uses his PayPal account. He went into PayPal to try to get the money but PayPal blocked him because he did not have the last four digits of the last credit card he used in 2008! PP Customer Service told him I should call and have the money refunded, but PP told me he would have to go into his account and return the money. If he could get into his account this would not be a problem! But they kept telling me he had to cancel it and they could not refund the money. Does anyone have any recommendation to get the money back so I can send it to him another way other than PP?

[kernowlass]

@shelleybbell 

How did you send the funds ie goods/services or friends/family?

Does your friend have or had a personal or business account?

How did you fund the paypal payment ie which linked funding source? 

Lastly what does it say on the transaction in your paypal account?

[shelleybbell]

Hello and thanks for responding.  

It was a friends/friends payment.   I did not confirm it was still as active account for my friend.  He  had not used it since 2008 - 16 years.  That was my fault for not verifying.  It was sent from my bank to his account. Transaction on my end does not say more than "sent" and "send again".  No Cancel option.  Thank you.

[kernowlass]

@shelleybbell 

If its saying SENT on your paypal account then it has successfully transferred to the email address or mobile number you sent it to that is linked to an active/open paypal account.

If he can't access his account then he would need to contact customer services to help him regain access.

[shelleybbell]

This is the Doom loop we are stuck in. 

He contacted customer service.  Because he could not remember the last four digits of the card he had on file 16 years ago, they said the could not help him regain access and have blocked him from the account.  They told him - customer service that HE called - told him to contact me and have me call customer service to cancel the payment. 

I called customer service, they told me to call him.  $81.20 down the drain.  Neither of us can access it and PP doesnt care or have a remedy.