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Consumer Alert: PayPal's Problems

Customer service woes continue to plague popular payment service.

Tom Mainelli

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How To Pay It Smart

Online payment services are just too darn useful for many of us to give up. If you're going to use one, follow these commonsense tips.

  • Read the fine print. If you see a privacy or service term you don't like or understand (a demand for your Social Security number, or e-mail-only customer service), reconsider signing up.

  • Protect your passwords. Use different passwords for multiple accounts, make them tough to guess, change them often, and never share them. Broken passwords lead to most fraud.

  • See what others are saying. Check a favorite auction site's message board, or visit AuctionWatch or the Online Traders Web Alliance for user opinions. AuctionBytes also has payment service reviews at its site.

  • Don't use a debit card. And think twice about giving the service your checking account information. Using only a credit card keeps your exposure low, and you can contest fraudulent charges. You may, however, have a spending cap.

  • Don't keep large sums in your account. That way, if the service freezes your account, you're not out the cash while the problem is resolved.

  • Read your e-mail. Don't assume a message from your payment service is spam. It could be your only warning that something is wrong.

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