PayPal
2,692 reviews
AI reviews summary
Pros
Cons
Verdict
The platform is valued for its convenience and security in standard transactions. However, significant friction exists within the dispute process, where automated systems often prioritise seller documentation over consumer evidence. Reliance on bots for support and the requirement for consumers to fund return shipping for faulty goods are recurring points of dissatisfaction.
Just plain awful. After spending hours submitting documents, so I could accept international payments, I was banned for no reason, without warning. They're now holding the my money in the PayPal account for 180 days. Do yourself a favour and avoid this awful company, living off a legacy from 20 years ago.
Buyer protection program is a joke. Spent $500 online on goods, goods arrived and were nothing like advertised samples. Requested refund, seller is ghosting me, lodged claim with Paypal and have been waiting 5 weeks, only to be told tonight, my claim is denied for not providing tracking details. I provided it 5 times during dispute. Seller didnt… Read more
make a single comment. Paypal provided return address and Aust Post informs me that seller is not known at this address. Now I am without product and my refund. Written 3 complaints to PAYPAL and they havent responded to one. WHAT A JOKE
PayPal is an appalling product with a customer service that can only be described as abdominal. Despite advising the Australian Financial Complaints Authority that it would return my money, I have had to report them a second time. Absolutely no respect for the law!
Reviews with attachments
Extremely poor customer service. My dispute for an unauthorized $96 transaction was closed without any communication, no reason given, and no attempt to request further details or verify information. Customers are left confused and unsupported. The lack of transparency and refusal to engage may be inconsistent with PayPal’s obligations under… Read more
Australian Consumer Law, which requires companies to provide fair complaint handling and proper communication. If you have had similar issue, share your experience publicly and consider reporting it, so PayPal is held accountable for meeting consumer standards.
Didn’t listen to me or my requests for further information, PayPal closed the dispute
Bought a SSD through eBay, turns out the capacity is fake, not as the advertised capacity. Lodge a case with PayPal, provided numerous pics of the capacity write errors. PayPal found in sellers favour. How the f can someone be able to sell fake capacity SSD on eBay and get away with it. This is the problem and why nothing will change. Since… Read more
uninstalled eBay and thinking of closing my PayPal account also now, seeing as the protection they always promised it not actually true.
This bank is so bad – They did not return my money even though the item came to me completely different and I sent them pictures but to no avail.
Disgusted by your service!!!! You can't protect your client especially when they get scammed! Put your act together!!!
DO NOT USE PAY PAL They have stolen both of my refunds on the 29th September 2026....my pay pal balance never moved once for over 3 whole weeks after a botch up with wooolworths drive through who failed to provide 8 items there were two separate refunds on that day & woolworths acknowledged the refund ...no money back whatsoever into my PAYPAL… Read more
balance nor any money put into my bank account quite a significant amount of money. I have tried to contact pay pal on several occasions the website refuses to co operate. Disgusting Im on disability pension? You will NEVER GET MY BUSINESS AGAIN. I BELIEVE PAY PAL IS INVOLVED IN FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY.
After having my money stolen 3 times this year from PayPal sellers, after 21 years I'm saying goodbye to these grubs. See never again PayPal
Purchased a product online as I have done thousands and thousands of times before I’ve given them a call to state that the solid state hard drive that I purchased for $149 US $218 Australian is a scam and once I got it and looked at it, it looked all beautiful. Everything seemed to be fine except some missing badges. Missing information missing… Read more
pretty much 99% of its capacity. Ultimately it had probably a one gig hard drive not a 12 TB hard drive I rang them explain that to them and it was deemed in their favour that the product was fine. There is nothing wrong with it and I have not got enough proof for them to do anything about it. I said to them I have opened it up to see a little SD card and they do not make 12 TB solid state hard drives so I cancelled it with my bank therefore I will not be using Paypal ever again. I had no help at all. They told me to post it and the money will be returned. I didn’t feel comfortable posting it back because it was a scam to start off with however make up your own mind about the SERVICES they’re all out to take your commission in your money but they’re not out to help in anyway shame shame shame Paypal. !
Paypal rip you off if the invoice is for $18 they state you will pay $18 then when the transaction goes through it shows in your bank account you have been charged $18.99 - what a scam
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Purchased an item from Aliexpress using Paypal. $187 ,item did not even turn on . supplied pics to paypal and paypal still kept money for seller. There investigation as they call it doesnt mean they will contact each party but just decide who THEY think should keep the money. not moral or ethical buy any standard.
Almost impossable to talk to a real person online. after an hour got on to messenger then before… Read more
I just had the most ridiculous interaction with PayPal. I thought I was safe shopping with PayPal but no longer. They don’t protect buyers. They protect retailers selling faulty goods. You’d think in this day and age, you’d be safe shopping online, PayPal has a dispute and resolution centre. It will be okay. If the retailer doesn’t help you, at… Read more
least you’ve paid with PayPal, you’ll be safe, your money is protected. So I sent the bogus quality goods back, fully expecting a refund, but no. The retailer says no. Even PayPal says no. What do you do? Inundate the courts with judge Judy-esque problems, not even, such a small st^pid ridiculous problem. You think when you buy goods they don’t work, you get a refund. It’s just how the world works, no longer when PayPal is around.
- +3
I purchased a power bank on eBay (payment method was PayPal), and the seller shipped the item via FedEx. One day, I was exercising on an indoor bicycle by the second-floor window, looking out at the front of my house. During this time, I received a notification from eBay stating that my package had been "Delivered." However, as I mentioned, I… Read more
was looking directly outside the window while exercising, so it would have been impossible for me to miss a delivery truck or a courier. Furthermore, I have three outdoor security cameras installed in my front yard, which automatically alert me whenever anyone approaches the house. Neither a FedEx truck nor any other courier vehicle or delivery person ever showed up, and I received no alerts from my security cameras. Anxious, I immediately went outside to check my front yard, the surrounding area, and the mailbox, but the package was nowhere to be found. Despite this, eBay showed the status as delivered, and when I checked the FedEx tracking link provided by eBay, it also indicated that delivery was complete. I then downloaded the Proof of Delivery (POD) from FedEx to verify. To my surprise, the exact delivery address was missing—only the suburb name was listed—and the recipient was signed by someone named "AVERY," a name I have never heard of in my life. When I explained this situation to the seller, they sent me a photo of the Proof of Delivery, which showed a completely different house with a different street number (Street Number 33). I went to No. 33 on our street, but it wasn't that house either. (Even though the seller clearly knew the item had been delivered to the wrong address, they initially refused to admit it. They only acknowledged the mistake later after I continuously provided evidence.) I attempted to open a dispute with eBay regarding this situation. However, because the original estimated delivery date had not yet passed, I was blocked from filing a claim, despite the status showing "Delivered" and the fact that I had not received the item. (eBay did not provide any clear explanation beforehand that a dispute can only be opened after the estimated delivery date has passed.) Feeling urgent, I filed a refund claim through PayPal instead. I provided PayPal with all the detailed accounts mentioned above, along with clear evidence of the misdelivery. However, without conducting a proper investigation, PayPal carried out a purely formal review and rejected both my initial claim and my two subsequent appeals, solely on the grounds that the seller provided a tracking number—even though it was a tracking number for a wrong address. Instead, as if they were tired of my persistent follow-ups, they closed the case by offering me a PayPal Voucher, still refusing to acknowledge the seller’s fault. What still infuriates and baffles me to this day is that they closed the case in favor of the seller, even though the evidence clearly proved the item was delivered to the wrong address. Does this mean that in the future, if I become a seller on eBay, I can just ship items to a friend's house instead of the buyer's actual address, and as long as I provide that tracking number, I'm completely fine? Am I allowed to just take the item back from my friend, resell it to other buyers using the exact same method, run a scam, and make money that way?
USE APPLE PAY. After waiting 6 weeks for a purchase I did online I received the item only to see that I had been scammed and ripped off from a seller that uses PayPal so I made a refund request through PayPal as they advertise "REFUNDS GUARANTEED". which is a lie in itself. Straight away I got the run around and then received an email almost 2… Read more
weeks later telling me that I have to pay to return the item from Australia to America before I can receive my refund. So now I am expected to pay out of my own pocket to return what is obviously a scam and then wait with baited breath for weeks on end hoping I will get a refund. I now know why so many sites refuse to use PayPal but all use Apple Pay. After 20+ years of using PayPal for everything I purchase online I will never use PayPal again.
I have been a PalPal customer for over 10 years. I have had no problems up until the last 12 months. I believe there Customer Service and or Resolution team are involved in fraudulent activity with regard to disputes and refunds that should have been honoured. I believe they are doing this in conjunction with the merchant and sharing the refund… Read more
moneys while the customer is left empty handed. The photo supplied is a copy of the tracking advice supplied by the merchant. This apparently proves that the merchant delivered the item, which they did not!
- +4
I wanted to share a story, and do so when not emotional, aka extremely p*ssed off. I purchased some curtains online. I chose an Australian company. I wanted to support local, and whilst I could have purchased cheaper overseas, I felt having the protection of an Australian company would be best with this type of purchase. I found a company called… Read more
Home Curtains. I liaised with Isabella their Customer Service rep, after nearly 20 emails. I was satisfied. I placed my order.
I was after 2 panels, pinch pleat for a 200mm track. Their onsite measuring and communications from Isabella stated I required 2x200mm to account for the pleats.
So excited to receive my new curtains. Imagine my surprise and disappointment when they arrived drop shipped from Asia, this was never mentioned on their website or in the aforementioned communications. They had poor fitting lining, multiple cuts around the back of the pleats, pleats were 17cm wide instead of industry standard 12-13cm, AND they were too wide. Each panel measured 117cm not 100cm as agreed to, and ordered. Making the curtains 34cm too wide.
Now I’m good, not that good. I cannot magically produce additional wall space to accommodate the additional width. How great would that be if you could? Personally I’d like a larger bedroom.
I immediately contacted the company, who insisted I hang so that they could see photos. They immediately offered me $50 goodwill. I wanted to return and have them adjusted. This was not an option due to the drop shipping from Asia.
I made a few calls, and without seeing, to rectify locally it was going to be between $200-300. I told the company this, and said I was happy for them to fix, or take back for a complete refund. They were not interested in these options (drop shipping Asia). They increased their goodwill offer to $100. Still not enough for me to spend my time getting them fixed so they would fit.
I advised I would lodge a dispute with PayPal. PayPal rejected my claim, despite the above. I disputed. They rejected again. You can see their irrational reasoning in the attached screen shot. Please beware. If you order shoes size 7 and they arrive size 8 and are a different colour. According to PayPal, that is only marginally different. Too bad they are useless and you cannot wear them.
I then went back to the Home Curtain site and checked every page, no mention of Asian drop shipping anywhere, and all reviews were 5 star, also the main reason I went with this company. These reviews are picked up by other platforms, so for all intent, they were a good reputable company.
Well this is where it gets interesting. I received a communication from Home Curtain, clearly automated to give them a review. I did, not a good one. It never appeared on their site.
The platform for reviews that they use is a company called Judge Me. I contacted them and was advised that they have no control over how a company moderates their reviews. It was clear that Home Curtains moderate and delete all reviews that are not 5 star.
So not only does Home Curtains not honour their personal communications around size, on their website. They also delete any review that is not 5 star, and do not advertise they drop ship from Asia. Personally I call this false advertising and unethical.
What surprised me the most was that PayPal finds this behaviour completely acceptable. You don’t get what you ordered, it is damaged, unusable and it’s ok, as it is only marginally different. What bollocks.
Anyway this is a cautionary tale so you too, do not find yourself out of pocket by a substantial sum of money.
Companies like Judge Me shouldn’t exist if they allow complete moderation by the shop, as they are contributing to false advertising and allow a false sense of security by consumers.
All up a very distasteful experience.
PayPal, as an international organisation you need to do better and not support this unethical behaviour.
Latest follow-ups
Recently had an issue with a supplier in the US who did not deliver on a supposed discount. The issue was resolved and my payment returned via PayPal within 12 hours. Very happy with the service received from PayPal. My only beef with PayPal is that they should provide the opportunity to review your order before you as the customer authorised it.
Follow-up · Despite the inability to review the order before authorisation, my experience with Paypal overall has been very positive. Whenever I make a payment for anything online I always try to use PayPal given the security of their payments and their quick response to any issues (and I have had very few!)
Total disaster dealing with a company run by idiots and failing technology. After 19 years running a business account with them, THEY CHANGED THE NAME on the account and the idiots keep demanding ID documents in the name they wrongly changed it to.… Read more
I have asked them 20 times to change it back but they simply keep asking for documents that don't exist. It took them 5 minutes to change it wrongly. I've been telling them for weeks where the problem is and they keep telling me to send documents and wait 7 days. AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. Complaint now referred to AFCA. Hopefully someone with a brain will deal with it properly.
Follow-up · Following a formal complaint to AFCA, PayPal have finally resolved the issues they caused and - without acknowledging wrongdoing in any way - compensated for my losses. (Yes, I did lose money!) They claim they did not receive the letter I sent to their senior executives, which is odd because I received an acknowledgment of receipt! However, I am… Read more
Three weeks later, after a complaint to the senior executives and to AFCA, I PayPal have changed… Read more
Paypal protects chinese scammerd – Bought a jacket on line through Paypal. Item never arrived. Must have been a scam. Raised issue with Paypal but they did nothing about it. They then closed case so I could not do anything further about it. I thought the whole idea of paypal was to protect against fraud - not the case!
Follow-up · Got scammed by fake website. PayPal were very unhelpful and never received a refund. If something is far cheaper than it usually is then it is most likely a scam. Only buy from reputable websites. Check reviews on websites before purchasing
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Positive reviews
For years now I have been making "online" purchases through PayPal .. using PayPal gives me peace -of-mind in that any online purchases I make are secure .. I'm not sending money to a scammer and that my payment details won't be fraudulently reused without my consent .. if the item purchased doesn't arrive or it is damaged or it is of poor quality… Read more
or is not the item you purchased from the advert .. any of these incidents you have experienced you can be rest assured that PayPal will watch your back and assist in achieving a positive outcome / restitution / refund. My experience is, if you can't pay for the item via PayPal then don't make the purchase .. the scammers and "dodgy - dealers" are becoming more and more common. PayPal .. the organisation and the PayPal Staff are awesome .. thank you for your service, diligence and attitude !!
Would not use or buy any service other than via PayPal. Have used them for many many years and over those years, they have obtained refunds several times. They are always quick and thorough. I have always been kept updated. Their site is easy to use and clear. Just love, love, love their service.
Follow-up · I have never been charged any fees for any purchase transactions. Security is the best, my financial account details are only used by PayPal, they do not give my financial details to the supplier. They do supply my address details for delivery. PayPal provide me, as a senior, complete 100% confidence I am protected and my account details are secure.
On PayPal I paid about $2 for a quiz - justa bit of fun. 3 days later a $60 subscription appeared on my PayPal account. I went to PayPal to report it - using their new forms. The refund to my PayPal account was IMMEDIATE. THAT is a good service and outcome - top class customerm protection. Thank you PayPal. Keith Rowley
Negative reviews
After 20 years and a handful of complaints I was treated to poorly by them. Look at their reviews, profits and share price. Won't be long. Goodluck (stay clear just use your debit card or apple or Google pay)
I am incredibly frustrated with my experience purchasing from MyGiftCardSupply. I paid $49.77 USD for a digital item, but the merchant completely failed to deliver what was paid for. When I reached out to resolve the issue, I was met with zero cooperation. To make matters worse, PayPal’s buyer protection failed completely. PayPal summarily closed… Read more
the dispute case automatically without performing any basic due diligence or looking into the evidence I provided. It appears their system allows rogue sellers to get away with taking a buyer's money without delivering the product, and then blocks you from reopening the case. Do not trust this merchant, and be extremely careful using PayPal here, as their "Purchase Protection" is completely non-existent when a digital order fails. I am now forced to escalate this directly to the financial ombudsman to get my money back. Absolute scam.
I would give minus stars if i could! used pay in 4 with PayPal to purchase concert tickets, there was enough money in the account for first instalment, PayPal took the initial payment but after that was done, i had more actions to take to finalise concert ticket purchase on the ticket website platform, the sale did not go through as PayPal pay in… Read more
4 said there was not enough money in account. i went to start the process again, but the money was taken out, $160. i contacted PayPal, they said the money will return to account within 8 business days. It never returned to my account, PayPal are blaming the bank and Bank is blaming PayPal. Absolute Rubbish. The bank needed an email from PayPal of proof it went back to account. PayPal dont do emails, i had to take a photo of the message from PayPal on PayPal website. there was no transaction history or log. the money was never returned. DO NOT USE PayPal Pay in 4!
Recent reviews
Dont use PayPal. They favour the supplier and there is no avenue of review once they decide. I didn't receive an item, the supplier said they delivered so its tough for me. Customer service shocker
Absolutely disgusting and unethical company. I chose the pay in 4 option when making a transaction with Webjet and they deducted the entire amount from my account. when I contacted call centre they said that mine was a business account and not a personal account and that’s the reason! So why did it let me go ahead with the option? It could have… Read more
not processed the transaction if that’s the case and I would have gone with Afterpay. literally took my money! I’m so grossed out and will NEVER use this company again.
Disappointed I thought Paypal were my safety net! Turns out my bank was!!