PayPal restricts my account, advice please

[tucktontim]

I'm in the same boat. Sold a set of 1950s Airmails from Sudan (item #115740078) the buyer paying by PayPal, and the fan was well and truly hit. My PP account became, and continues to be, restricted. (No problems with eBid as I switched to PPPay) Ebay remains a problem however as they are joined at the hip with PP, which has very effectively put a closure upon further sales through them until as and when I can extricate myself from the pile in which I have been landed. I have refused to sign PP's Affidavit of Compliance as their Acceptable Use Policy throws no light on their Embargoed goods and prohibited countries policy, of which there is no mention in any of their blurb. Likewise I have found no mention of OFAC and the incestuous relationship that the two of them enjoy. Countless messages to PP have simply been ignored. I lodged a complaint with them that effect (which was acknowledged and a reply was promised. At the very least, they said, they would notify me within 4 weeks to outline their investigation up to date. 7 weeks have now passed with no reply forthcoming)


Took a search on EBay's site. Did you know that they have a policy on embargoed goods and prohibited countries, which clearly states - “We don’t allow items on our site if they fall under the embargo regulations with the following countries - Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Sudan and Syria? Yes, the very same. And guess what? There were hundreds of items from these very countries up for sale, all having, of course, PayPal accepted. I had an online chat with their Customer Support Team to determine exactly what their policy was. Their reply concluded: “I would also like to help you in knowing that we have a specialised team that is working on the site round the clock. They remove the listings that are not in compliance with our policies.” Oh yes?

Found an interesting website – “screwpaypal.com” – take a look. You’ll find actual names and addresses of top dogs in Australia to whom you can air your grievances. I sent a compilation of mine to PayPal Europe by signed for mail (Yes, PP signed for it, so successfully tracked) That was 10 days ago however and have still to hear from them. Next letter will be to the home address of their M.D. In the meantime I think I might just trawl through eBay and report a few hundred listing violations to them, just for the hell of it. What do you suppose they will do?

Best wishes!

[gbsbks2010]

Thanks for the heads up Deano. I wasn't aware of this either.

I have a total of 7 Cuban and Korean stamps for sale, so I have removed the paypal option to buy them.

Just goes to show that robots do rule the world, and that even the most innocuous objects are deemed banned items.

[sherlock07]

I just recently had a restriction put on my Paypal account, they said that someone from Iraq(me) had tried to access it, Iraq is an embargoed country.

After a phone call to them and proof that I lived in the UK my account was restored, took them 48hours though.

They also admited that they knew that there were robots trying to find unsecure accounts, and that they suspected that my email address was tried by one of these.

[wilber11]

Tuck, i had same dillema but after my acc with PP was re-instated i (inadvertantly) bulk edited all my items to PP payment option and havnt heard anything from PP, maybe because the 'bots' had already been through and flagged the said items.either way, im selling embargo'd country items with no probs,

[FirstGreenIsGold]

I was just going to look for this thread so that I could have a read on this topic again. I have coins from Sudan / Cuba that I had listed and have old stamps from the embargoed countries to list as well. Thanks for the information. I guess that my payment options offered on those items will be very limited.

[darklisruthven]

what exactly is restricted besides banned items? I wasn't aware there were stamp or any other restrictions besides Cuban cigars and of course weapons of mass destruction.

Yes I am wondering the same. I mean, hell, I currently have a bulk lot of worldwide stamps I will be selling soon (I am offering them to somenoe I know first who asked to always have first dibs on that kind of thing, and if he isnt interested as a lot of the ones in this lot are very very old - like 19th century- then they will go on here), and in there, among stamps from all over the globe, there are some from Iran, Sudan and Cuba. Seems stupid if we are outside the US, to be restricted by US regulations. (I could go into a political rant here but will refrain...)

I cant imagine a load of used stamps being used to make a bomb, or for another nefarious purpose, or to raise funds for those countries (unless somehow the little English theatre group I founded has some link to those places that I, as co-founder, PR officer and secretary, know nothing about *eyeroll*)

[terry5732]

The embargo does not include such items but paypig has taken the same blanket, ban everything approach as ebid has on knives

I have Iranian magazines from the 1960s listed. They are pretty scarce as the revolution destroyed most of them. I don't use the word Iran in the listing, so it's OK with the bots. But that does make it a little hader to find for a buyer.

[darklisruthven]

I have some Iranian tourist guidebooks from before the revolution, that I found in a charity shop, I am not selling them, as they have a lot of interesting history in them (I love history!) but I will be careful if I ever decide to sell them then

[JDStamps]

Bah Humbug Paypal - They have limited my account from CHRISTMAS DAY for a supposed infringement; I sold 5 Cuban butterfly stamps in a sale of 95 items, all thematic, pre-embargo.
Didn't even realise they were in the order until the customer had paid. I have amended all of the extremely 'offensive' listings; though how a Cuban butterfly can bring down America I really don't know.
Big Brother is watching, even on Christmas Day........how sad

[FirstGreenIsGold]

Bah Humbug Paypal - They have limited my account from CHRISTMAS DAY for a supposed infringement; I sold 5 Cuban butterfly stamps in a sale of 95 items, all thematic, pre-embargo.
Didn't even realise they were in the order until the customer had paid. I have amended all of the extremely 'offensive' listings; though how a Cuban butterfly can bring down America I really don't know.
Big Brother is watching, even on Christmas Day........how sad

I agree. Rules are fine when they make sense. But a Cuban butterfly stamp is a problem? Sigh.