I help run a small charity, HAPsI, which helps some of the poorest people in Tamil Nadu, southern India. The project is being put at risk because of PayPal’s inability to explain why our account has been frozen. An independent school visits the area every year, and the pupils decided to donate £2,000 via PayPal. As a result, PayPal (after taking its commission) froze the account and I have been trying to find out why ever since.
I have sent six emails requesting an explanation. I have had one reply which gives an instruction to follow the steps given online, but there are none. I have called eight times. After nearly two months of trying to elicit a response I have made no progress.
DK, by email
You are not the first person to complain that contacting PayPal is a nightmare. However, a call to its HQ was able to get things moving. It seems you had breached the €2,500 (£2,257) EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive limit. Someone has since talked you through the process to free up your account, and the money is yours again. You had to supply extra verifications to demonstrate you were not money laundering. PayPal has apologised and made a £100 donation of its own.
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