PayPal Cuts Off Non-Profit

[Cogs]

[Edit 1-28-21: Suddenly our account with PayPal is back! All funds are there as if nothing happened. No notification, just back to normal.

But it's too late. I've already chosen a new card processing service and closing the PP account.

Certainly, I immediately transferred the remaining balance directly to the bank.

Kind of makes me think it may have been a software automation mishap and may not have had any human interaction involved. May never know.
End Edit]

The Trash No Land donation link to PayPal has been removed from our website!!! I pulled it for good reason.

You may have noticed that I have removed the Donate links to PayPal on our main TNL website and the Public Lands Target Shooters forum. It's because THEY have cancelled US! Here's what happened….

I received a PM from a new Trash No Land member Dave, via Facebook messenger, (an RSO at Tacoma Sportsman's Club) (he's also a new member on the PLTS forum), who filled out our membership form and then tried to donate $25 for the Soldier membership level via the PayPal link in that form. He was denied. He tried 3+ times and triple checked his card info and was rejected each time. I had received his membership info, from our website form, but I had not received an email notification from PayPal that he completed the payment. Now that he had my attention, I went to the PayPal site to see what's up.

The PayPal site said our account is 'Limited', meaning locked and we can't transfer or receive money, until we resolve issues. It showed that we have over $500 in our account but cannot transfer or receive. The issues they presented were;

• we need to update our info and supply the latest bank statement, and update my personal credit card info; and
• there was recent suspicious activity.

So, I submitted our bank statement and updated my card. It then said they will review and send me an email within 3-5 days with their determination. That was Sat 1-23 about noon. Sunday morning, at 3:45 AM, I received an email stating:

You can no longer use PayPal
After a review, we decided to permanently limit your account as we found potential risk associated with it. As a result, we can no longer offer PayPal services to you.

Again, I go to their site and this time, I don't see any of our funds (we have over $500 in our account), and nothing about Trash No Land (only my personal profile that cannot be used). Their info says, in their so called "Resolution Center", that our account cannot be used anymore and any funds remaining will be held for 180 days, at which time they will send an email with instructions on how to claim it. No other explanation or reason.

The email, and their website page, gave no specific reference to any part of their Terms of use Policy, no reason why they did it, nor did they provide any explanation of their review. This leads me to suspect they assume we are selling 'Guns' or gun related items! We have never sold guns, much less used PayPal for any gun related thing. In fact, we've never sold anything! We have only used their service for donations, membership and fundraisers. We are education and information about the responsible use of guns on public lands and we support those who do so. But we don't sell anything.

I cannot find a way to contact anyone at PayPal, without waiting for hours on hold (and I can't do that on a work day in regular work hours). I'll keep searching and try to find a reason.

I went back to PayPal and searched for my problem in their "Community Forum". My goodness! The same exact situation has happened to many! I read most of the threads dating back to June, 2020 and ran out of time, but I can assure you, PayPal is actively doing this to people without specific explanation or customer service response.

I have enjoyed a good experience with PayPal up to this point. We've used the service since 2017 and have never had a problem. In fact, they vetted us as a certified 501(c)3 Charity organization and we receive a discounted fee rate for that. We have never had a customer dispute.

For now, I'm dumping them by removing all links and references to PayPal on both our sites, so that others don't have that problem when trying to donate or sign up for supporting membership. I even took down our Trash No Land Membership page because the Submit button takes you straight to PayPal to pay a membership support level.

I'm starting a search for another option like Square, Stripe, Venmo and others. I've also asked our web host for his recommendations (he's pro gun also). We need to get set up with a card option right away., and with someone who provide good customer service. As soon as we do, I'll get the links up on our website, however with the Trash No Land website currently being rebuilt, I may not be able to make that change until our new site goes live. (soon).

Will keep you posted!

Note: If you have the PayPal service, don't keep any funds in there! Transfer them to your bank right away. If they decide to limit your account, you will not have access for 180 days and stand a good chance at loosing it all to cover their "Administration Costs".

Bill
CEO Trash No Land

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[Lesliet]

Sorry to hear you are getting the paypal screwing. I still use them, but I never leave money in the account, and they don't get linked directly to my accounts. Maybe 15 years ago now, they tried to screw me out of about $500 and I found out from postings by disgruntled employees that that was their policy and method of dealing with any disputes. "Steal the money, make it hard to contact us, give the money back if they lawyer up". If you have an attorney you use, a letter from them may expedite matters. Best of luck to you, I respect what you're doing with your "Trash No Land" effort.

 

[Stomper]

The Trash No Land donation link to PayPal has been removed from our website!!! I pulled it for good reason.

You may have noticed that I have removed the Donate links to PayPal on our main TNL website and the Public Lands Target Shooters forum. It's because THEY have cancelled US! Here's what happened….

I received a PM from a new Trash No Land member Dave, via Facebook messenger, (an RSO at Tacoma Sportsman's Club) (he's also a new member on the PLTS forum), who filled out our membership form and then tried to donate $25 for the Soldier membership level via the PayPal link in that form. He was denied. He tried 3+ times and triple checked his card info and was rejected each time. I had received his membership info, from our website form, but I had not received an email notification from PayPal that he completed the payment. Now that he had my attention, I went to the PayPal site to see what's up.

The PayPal site said our account is 'Limited', meaning locked and we can't transfer or receive money, until we resolve issues. It showed that we have over $500 in our account but cannot transfer or receive. The issues they presented were;

• we need to update our info and supply the latest bank statement, and update my personal credit card info; and
• there was recent suspicious activity.

So, I submitted our bank statement and updated my card. It then said they will review and send me an email within 3-5 days with their determination. That was Sat 1-23 about noon. Sunday morning, at 3:45 AM, I received an email stating:

You can no longer use PayPal
After a review, we decided to permanently limit your account as we found potential risk associated with it. As a result, we can no longer offer PayPal services to you.

Again, I go to their site and this time, I don't see any of our funds (we have over $500 in our account), and nothing about Trash No Land (only my personal profile that cannot be used). Their info says, in their so called "Resolution Center", that our account cannot be used anymore and any funds remaining will be held for 180 days, at which time they will send an email with instructions on how to claim it. No other explanation or reason.

The email, and their website page, gave no specific reference to any part of their Terms of use Policy, no reason why they did it, nor did they provide any explanation of their review. This leads me to suspect they assume we are selling 'Guns' or gun related items! We have never sold guns, much less used PayPal for any gun related thing. In fact, we've never sold anything! We have only used their service for donations, membership and fundraisers. We are education and information about the responsible use of guns on public lands and we support those who do so. But we don't sell anything.

I cannot find a way to contact anyone at PayPal, without waiting for hours on hold (and I can't do that on a work day in regular work hours). I'll keep searching and try to find a reason.

I went back to PayPal and searched for my problem in their "Community Forum". My goodness! The same exact situation has happened to many! I read most of the threads dating back to June, 2020 and ran out of time, but I can assure you, PayPal is actively doing this to people without specific explanation or customer service response.

I have enjoyed a good experience with PayPal up to this point. We've used the service since 2017 and have never had a problem. In fact, they vetted us as a certified 501(c)3 Charity organization and we receive a discounted fee rate for that. We have never had a customer dispute.

For now, I'm dumping them by removing all links and references to PayPal on both our sites, so that others don't have that problem when trying to donate or sign up for supporting membership. I even took down our Trash No Land Membership page because the Submit button takes you straight to PayPal to pay a membership support level.

I'm starting a search for another option like Square, Stripe, Venmo and others. I've also asked our web host for his recommendations (he's pro gun also). We need to get set up with a card option right away., and with someone who provide good customer service. As soon as we do, I'll get the links up on our website, however with the Trash No Land website currently being rebuilt, I may not be able to make that change until our new site goes live. (soon).

Will keep you posted!

Note: If you have the PayPal service, don't keep any funds in there! Transfer them to your bank right away. If they decide to limit your account, you will not have access for 180 days and stand a good chance at loosing it all to cover their "Administration Costs".

Bill
CEO Trash No Land

Mark my words....

The leftist bastiges in government that the likes of PP (et all) support will eventually be doing the same thing to 401k's and pension funds, too.

 

[P7M13]

Dang, and I ticked the box, "$1 to TNL" the other day.
No surprise - a fearful thought if @Stomper is right.

they vetted us as a certified 501(c)3 Charity organization and we receive a discounted fee rate for that.

Ha! The charity I volunteer for has a few thousand removed by Paypal. I see it at ~3%. What was your "discounted" rate?
Mind you, my personal rate is 3.5% when people pay me via regular PP or the charity reimburses me for expenses.

 

[Heywood]

People need to familiarize themselves with crypto real fast. This is only going to get worse. The left has the bit in their teeth at this point and they feel like they can run away with their distorted view on what American life should be.
or.
we can keep giving these things our money which they use to further their shenanigans.

 

[Heywood]

Mark my words....

The leftist bastiges in government that the likes of PP (et all) support will eventually be doing the same thing to 401k's and pension funds, too.

100% correct. There was talk of government seizing 401ks years ago as a means to supplement a new "retirement" scheme. In the leftists view.
the 401k is a government chartered mechanism. Therefore, they can do with it what they want.
just wait.

 

[Cogs]

Dang, and I ticked the box, "$1 to TNL" the other day.
No surprise - a fearful thought if @Stomper is right.


Ha! The charity I volunteer for has a few thousand removed by Paypal. I see it at ~3%. What was your "discounted" rate?
Mind you, my personal rate is 3.5% when people pay me via regular PP or the charity reimburses me for expenses.

We're at 2.7%, as I recall. To get that, there's a ton of documents you have to submit and a few forms. It's no fun but I wanted the better rate. (I don't like volunteer's money going to admin costs!)

 

[Cogs]

Sorry to hear you are getting the paypal screwing. I still use them, but I never leave money in the account, and they don't get linked directly to my accounts. Maybe 15 years ago now, they tried to screw me out of about $500 and I found out from postings by disgruntled employees that that was their policy and method of dealing with any disputes. "Steal the money, make it hard to contact us, give the money back if they lawyer up". If you have an attorney you use, a letter from them may expedite matters. Best of luck to you, I respect what you're doing with your "Trash No Land" effort.

I've never had or needed an attorney but perhaps now I should. I really think this should be a class action lawsuit, because how they are doing this to many people.

 

[Lesliet]

People need to familiarize themselves with crypto real fast.

I hadn't thought of that, as a solution to the dilemma of needing to transfer money between people with less risk of loss. Might have to investigate it again. If I had any way to recover that old bitcoin wallet I had once upon a time, it's probably worth quite a bit, now.

 

[oremike]

Bill, you might try your bank rather than 3rd party's like pay pay, thats what I do. My bank is Banner Bank.

 

[Stomper]

100% correct. There was talk of government seizing 401ks years ago as a means to supplement a new "retirement" scheme. In the leftists view.
the 401k is a government chartered mechanism. Therefore, they can do with it what they want.
just wait.

A government that has the power to "give" also has the power to take.... and they will, and they DO take.

 

[peteNW503]

Yikes sounds like PayPal is a scam. I've personally never had a problem with them, but I also didn't have a company or organization that was taking in donations or processing card information. Thanks for the heads up I'll be sure to stay clear of them! Like many have mentioned with Democrats having the power everything is based on " feelings" instead of just typical business practices. who knows who is next! I got a horrible feeling in my stomach when I got the message from NWFA stating they may go under; but at least they were prudent and send the information out after realizing what happened to Parler and AR15.com I just pray they don't start pulling every website that doesn't fit their agenda!

 

[Cogs]

Bill, you might try your bank rather than 3rd party's like pay pay, thats what I do. My bank is Banner Bank.

Checking with them today. Thanks Mike!

 

[Lesliet]

@oremike, how does sending and receiving money work through your bank? Seems like mine, you have to do a small transaction first, to "establish " the other person's info, after which it's easy. But that initial step makes it impractical, for me, in dealing with people that aren't family. Hence, why I'm still dealing with the devil.

 

[Mikej]

Checking with them today. Thanks Mike!

Bill, Is there any info on the web of paypal dong this sort of thing elsewhere, since the election? I wouldn't put it past dirt bags like this to have people who's only job is to search out people they can cancel to show how "Woke", or anti gun, they are.

I damned glad I've never done a thing with them. It was something that didn't make sense, to me. I keep money in the bank, or my pocket.

 

[Lazyfaire]

I just emptied my account

 

[Alexx1401]

Well that was enough for me, I just went and closed my PP account. Screw them!

 

[User 1234]

You could complain to the attorney general. The AG's office is unlikely to do much about the majority of complaints they receive but it might prompt PayPal to at least give you your money now. You are after all an environmental organization cleaning up forests.

 

[Angler]

It happened to me, no warning and no explanation. Supposed to receive an email this month on how to return my money to me. They did say the 180 days was to allow any disputes to be settled. I think it is most likely a way for them to keep money after people forget after 180 days they have money in there.

 

[aflineman]

I had issues with PayPal many years ago. Had it tied into my bank account. Person put a false claim in, and PayPal took the money ($20) right out of my bank account. Very much a fiasco to get it back. After that, no more Pay Pal for me.