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Consumer Alert: PayPal's Problems

Customer service woes continue to plague popular payment service.

By Tom Mainelli, PCW Print   

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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