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Original poster

DS bought a phone with Paypal

52 replies

LovelyBath77 · 02/05/2017 17:14

I'm not sure how, he doesn't even have a debit card. He's 12. Had a letter from a debt collection for Paypal today asking for £60. I told them his age and they said to send in proof. Obviously I'll speak to him, but what happens now, do I need to pay this? It looks like something he has bid for on Ebay, but not having a method of payment Paypal has somehow paid it? Not sure.

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GahBuggerit · 02/05/2017 17:18

He must have set up a PayPal account, not sure how though as I'm sure they need a debit card to set up an account?

You need to ask DS to show you how he purchased it so you can check what he has used as his PayPal details

FATEdestiny · 02/05/2017 17:21

Something is not ringing true here.

Have you spoken to your son and asked what he knows about this? It could be a fake letter you have received.

BlueChairs · 02/05/2017 17:26

You can take out PayPal credit on an account rather than a debit card and have to pay an amount per month - he has essentially opened an online credit card!
I used this to replace an expensive item I stupidly broke - easy to take out but difficult to understand payment x

Asmoto · 02/05/2017 17:32

Has he actually received a phone?

LunaMay · 02/05/2017 18:08

I e heard of similar scams, has your son admitted to anything. If he hasn't done anything I would be ringing PayPal/ the collection agency and or eBay but from details found elsewhere NOT what's on your letter!

Original poster
LovelyBath77 · 02/05/2017 18:50

Ok, I spoke to him and he did open a Paypal account, we logged onto the account together and it says things like need to verify- address, ID etc.

He has got the phone, but think it may be too late to return it. It seems it happened a couple of months ago- he bod on something on Ebay not realising it meant you could;t retract it. So Paypal paid for it.

He has a savings account and have told him we should pay for it out of that, however in the meantime I have contacted them to see what they say. The amount is identical on the Debt Collection letter, not sure whether to send them the ID asked for or not.

I'll be cross if anything goes on a credit file for the future either on his name or mine.

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Original poster
LovelyBath77 · 02/05/2017 18:50

Sorry for typos- bid on eBay

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MyKingdomForBrie · 02/05/2017 18:51

PayPal have paid for it?! I'm really sure that's not how it works.. I pay via PayPal with my debit card, since when is it an ad hoc credit facility?!

Original poster
LovelyBath77 · 02/05/2017 18:53

He says he entered the number of his simple bank card (not a debit card) attached to his bank account.

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Original poster
LovelyBath77 · 02/05/2017 18:54

I know! That's what I don't understand- with mine it comes off my debit card. As he doesn't have one I don't see why the transaction went through.

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MuffinMad · 02/05/2017 19:07

I used to sell a lot make-up on eBay a while back. What would happen in some instances is that a buyer would bid and win and then it would say next to the payment something like 'verification needed'.

I would always check my PayPal account to see the money there before sending the goods. Sometimes it could take a week or more for the payment to be made.

It could be that the seller, in your case, has not noticed the 'verification needed' and sent the phone anyway, assuming the money would be in their PayPal account.

Eventually,they have noticed it's not there and contacted PayPal.

Hope you get it sorted. 🙂

Intransige · 02/05/2017 19:09

You can set up PayPal to link directly to a bank account but it should require authorisation, both via PayPal authorisation process and then the bank. I'd speak to your bank about it. Anyone with access to your bank account number could set this up from the sound of it.

titchy · 02/05/2017 19:28

PayPal HAVENT paid for it at all. The seller hasn't received their money (they should have checked before they sent the phone) and has opened a dispute.

You should pay and make sure your ds pays you back.

I think you have to be 18 for a PP account anyway.

FATEdestiny · 02/05/2017 19:32

Papal pass almost all losses to the seller. Sellers hold almost all the liability of losses, not PayPal.

PayPal chase the seller for losses when transactions go wrong, not the buyer. Since the seller usually stands any loses for fraudulent buyer payments or losses.

The seller must have received legitimate payment, must have been expected to send the item and must have proved to PayPal the item was received.

Someone in your hose must have signed for receiving this phone through the post.

Something continues to not ring true here. It sounds very much like an act of fraud possibly being blamed on a child.

Why did you not question your 12 year old son getting a new phone?

Original poster
LovelyBath77 · 02/05/2017 19:36

It seems the seller has been paid and DS's account is now nearly £60 down. Anyway, have tried to contact Paypal and they should email me back.

It is worrying this can happen when it hasn't been my bank account used, (although maybe that's good in a way).

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Original poster
LovelyBath77 · 02/05/2017 19:37

I knew he had some birthday money and thought he had bought a secondhand phone with that.

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Original poster
LovelyBath77 · 02/05/2017 19:38

No, it was't signed for, just posted in the letter box.

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Redken24 · 02/05/2017 19:39

PayPal now offer credit? Must be what he clicked at payment.

BeachysSandyFlipflops · 02/05/2017 19:45

I think you'll find his 'simple bank card' is a debit card.....

Ellisandra · 02/05/2017 19:50

What's the worrying bit?
That he bought a phone with his own money?

I'd be worried that PayPal have sent a debt collection letter when the funds have cleared the linked account.

I would be worried that my 12yo set up the account and spent that amount of money, too. I wouldn't blame PayPal though.

You were OK with him buying a phone though, so sounds like the only issue here is PayPal not registering the payment.

Original poster
LovelyBath77 · 02/05/2017 20:10

It's not a debit card, it is a cash card, For children his age, Yes I am cross with him and have spoken to him.

I still think Paypal shouldn't have debited his account though without checking things including the bank card, it should have refused payment then the transaction would never have gone through and the seller wouldn't have sent the phone.

I'm not OK with him buying the phone and didn't say that, he already has a phone.

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Original poster
LovelyBath77 · 02/05/2017 20:12

I didn't want him to have a debit card due to this kind of thing! Which is why I chose a children's account which simply did a cash card. I do know the difference between a debit card and a cash card (sighs).

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titchy · 02/05/2017 20:13

Bank accounts for kids his age do give debit cards though.... they are flagged as an under 18 account to prevent them going overdrawn, but a debit card nonetheless.

titchy · 02/05/2017 20:14

Cross post. Not sure you can blame PayPal - they didn't decide what sort of account your ds has. The bank is to blame if anyone is.

AndNowItIsSeven · 02/05/2017 20:20

PayPal have refunded the seller and you know owe PayPal.
Where did you think he got the phone from?