How those affected can take action against the blocking
An overview of the facts
- PayPal accounts can be suspended unexpectedly – those affected then have neither access to the payment services nor to the existing balance.
- It can take up to 180 days for the suspension to be lifted.
- Suspensions affect both private and corporate customers.
- There can be many reasons: Overdraft, failed debits, hacker attacks, trading with counterfeits.
- Options for suspension if there is no reason for blocking: Contact customer service, take legal action.
This is shown by experience
- Platforms such as PayPal often block accounts arbitrarily and disproportionately.
- Unfortunately, contacting the responsible parties after such unauthorized blocks is usually difficult.
- As a user, receiving any feedback at all that is not merely automatically generated can already be considered a “success”.
- Experience shows that social media providers respond more quickly and in a more solution-oriented manner to letters from lawyers than when users contact them themselves.
- At WBS, we offer a free initial assessment and check whether legal action is appropriate in your case.
„An account suspension can jeopardize livelihoods and restrict freedom of expression enormously. However, it can be difficult or even impossible to have a suspension lifted without the support of a lawyer. Experience shows: The response to letters from lawyers is usually more solution-oriented. I will help you to regain access to your account as quickly as possible and avoid permanent deletion.“
Reasons for a PayPal suspension
It all starts with an email: “The closure of your PayPal account is being initiated”, it says briefly. And then the PayPal account of both private and commercial customers is temporarily suspended. Those affected can neither log in nor withdraw their money. The company does not usually provide a reason. It only mentions a PayPal account block “due to unusual activity”. In its terms of use, PayPal specifies numerous activities that are either completely prohibited or at least require authorization. However, there are some occasions that have increasingly led to account blocking in the past. For example:
| Reasons for blocking private customers | Reasons for blocking merchant accounts |
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The problem is: a conflict with PayPal can arise simply on the basis of suspicion. In the past, for example, merchants who sold cosmetics containing CBD, even though they were fully legal, have repeatedly had problems with a suspended PayPal account.
If you are affected by an unauthorized account suspension by PayPal, our experts are at your disposal. As part of a free initial consultation, we will examine your options for taking action against the account blocking and support you every step of the way.
This is how we will help you
Legal basis: why is PayPal allowed to block an account at all?
The legal basis for blocking a PayPal account can be found in the company’s terms of use. Here it says:
If we think you are involved in such activity, we may take a number of actions to protect PayPal, its customers and others at any time and at our discretion. We may take the following actions, among others:
- Terminate these Terms of Use, restrict your account, and/or close or freeze your account, immediately and without penalty to us,
- Prohibit you from using PayPal in the future,
- Suspend, restrict or terminate your access […],
- Withhold your funds for as long as reasonably necessary to protect us against liability. […],
- Suspend your PayPal account and/or withhold funds from your reserve account […].
The wording “If we believe” already indicates that PayPal reserves these rights even if there is only suspicion but no evidence. When restricting accounts, the company therefore relies on the terms and conditions accepted upon registration and its own “domiciliary rights”.
Suspension of PayPal restriction: These options are available
PayPal reserves the right to take 180 days to decide whether to unblock the account or block it permanently. And the payment service provider very often makes full use of this time. Unfortunately, there is no standard process that those affected can follow to unblock their PayPal account.
The following options exist:
Folgende Möglichkeiten bestehen:
- A call to PayPal customer service usually comes to nothing, as the employees there cannot see the reasons for a suspension. However, it is worth a try.
- Those affected can send a message to PayPal’s AUP e-mail address to explain their view of the possible reasons for the block. AUP is the name of the internal team at PayPal that is responsible for investigating violations of the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).
- You can lodge a complaint with PayPal. A complaint form is available for this purpose.
- Sometimes a problem with PayPal can be resolved by submitting documents or proof (e.g. a business license).
Unfortunately, the individual’s options are quite limited if PayPal has suspended the account. In most cases, all pleading and arguing is useless – the suspension remains in place.
Lifting account blocks at PayPal: legal measures
With the help of a lawyer, those affected may also be able to take legal action against PayPal. Out of court, it is possible to write a letter explaining why the behavior responsible for the blocking was not illegal. However, this usually does not bring the desired success.
The only option then is to take legal action. An action for performance for payment of the frozen funds and possibly also for unblocking the account or a warning may be considered.
How WBS can help
Has your PayPal account been suspended and you urgently need access to your account? Call us on +49 221 / 57 14 32 2114 (consultation nationwide) or fill out the form. As part of our nationwide free initial assessment, we will discuss which strategy is suitable for your case. We will also discuss the chances of success with regard to blocking your PayPal account.
Expertise and experience
We increase your chances of success through our many years of experience in the field of internet law.
Time saving
With legal assistance, PayPal unblocking is accelerated by prioritizing the letters.
Legal certainty
All legal steps are carried out correctly and professionally by us.
Free initial assessment
To make an informed decision without entering into any prior financial commitments.
You are not alone!
- Every month around 5,000 users are looking for help to unblock their PayPal account!
- We are here to help you recover your account quickly and securely.
- Get a free assesment from us now and then decide for yourself what action you want to take.
Take action against your account blocking now – International service
- Fill out the form below with the information regarding the platform where your account has been suspended.
- You will receive an e-mail with the further steps & one of our experts will give you a free initial assesment for your case.
- Our out-of-court service is international. We offer worldwide support.
Conclusion
Whether you are a private customer or a merchant, the chances of getting a suspended PayPal account released on your own are unfortunately slim. If out-of-court attempts do not succeed, those affected often have no choice other than to take legal action. Depending on the case constellation, there is certainly the possibility of regaining access to your own credit balance.