Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service -- Fraud or scam -- Complaint #8763019
Complaint Overview
Complaint ID: 8763019
Company: Paypal Holdings, INC
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-Product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam
State: Maine
ZIP Code: 044XX
Date Received: 2024-04-12T12:00:00-05:00
Date Sent to Company: 2024-04-12T12:00:00-05:00
Company Response: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Submitted Via: Web
Consumer Narrative
On XX/XX/XXXX I received a text from my bank about possible fraudulent charges on my debit card. I called my bank and discussed the charges in question. One of the charges seemed suspicious it was for {$9.00} to XXXX. The person I spoke to at the bank suggested I call XXXX customer service to see what the charge was for. I googled XXXX customer service and I found an XXXX website with a phone number. The phone number I called is XXXX. A man named XXXX XXXX answered the phone and said thank you for calling XXXX how can I help you?. I explain I may have fraudulent charges on my debit card and one of them was to XXXX and could he help me see what the charge is for. I explained that my debit card was linked to Venmo and PayPal. XXXX said he was a specialist for these apps and he was going to help me secure my accounts. XXXX told me I had to download a sharing app so he could get into my Venmo and PayPal accounts and look for fraudulent charges. I downloaded the app he suggested and XXXX took control of my phone-this did not seem unusual to me because my companies IT department does this all the time and I had been the one to call XXXX to XXXX for help. XXXX told me I had multiple charges showing as pending on my Venmo account. He said he was showing fraudulent bitcoin and crypto currency charges pending as well. He told me not to worry and he was going to clear these fraudulent charges. He asked me who I trusted that he could send a dummy transaction to in Venmo. I told him to use my husbands Venmo account He said this wasnt real currency being transferred he was just testing to see if he had fixed my account and making sure it was still active. XXXX then did what he called a dummy transfer for {$4500.00} to my husband. The balance didnt appear in my husbands Venmo acct I believe XXXX XXXX transferred it to his own account. He titled the initial transfer XXXX limits. He removed the amount in 2 transactions -one for {$2900.00} and one for {$1500.00}. He told me not to worry and this money would still be in my account-this was just a test dummy transaction. I removed my debit card from my Venmo account, on XX/XX/XXXX or XX/XX/XXXX because I thought it was best to get a new card just in case. I called my bank and cancelled my debit card. Monday morning I woke up and looked at my checking account and notice the Venmo payment of {$4500.00} had subtracted from my checking account and I knew at this point I had to contact my bank. I explained what happened to the assistant branch manager and she was able to transfer the money back into my checking because it was an authorized charge. The assistant branch manager also told me to call Venmo ( and paypal ) and explain what happened. I called Venmo when I left the bank on XX/XX/XXXX. I filed my case with them over the phone. My case ID is XXXX XXXX I received an email later in the day on XX/XX/XXXX telling me my case was denied and said based on review they found the transaction consistent with my payment history. Now Venmo wants me to pay the negative balance on my account. I called life lock to have the help me with this.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Complaint #8763019 about?
Complaint #8763019 was filed against Paypal Holdings, INC regarding Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service specifically about Fraud or scam. It was received by the CFPB on 2024-04-12T12:00:00-05:00.
How did Paypal Holdings, INC respond to this complaint?
The company responded with: "Closed with explanation". The response was timely.
What is the risk level of this complaint?
See the risk assessment section for details on this complaint's risk profile.
How do I file a similar complaint?
You can file a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Select the appropriate product category (Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service) and describe your issue in detail.
Can I see other complaints against Paypal Holdings, INC?
Yes, visit the Paypal Holdings, INC company profile at readthecomplaint.com/company/paypal-holdings-inc to see all complaints, risk scores, and analysis.
Disclaimer
This analysis is AI-generated based on publicly available CFPB complaint data. It does not constitute financial or legal advice.