Survey Spot Paypal Ripoff Scam

[Whatatay]

I finally was able to reach $10 at Survey Spot so I could cash out and quit in order to stop their free survey spam emails. I was about to cash out when I saw this on their website -

"Before attempting your next claim through PayPal please read through our claim checklist and confirm you have met our claiming requirements ."

I have a Paypal account in good standing so figured there would be no problem, but being distrustful of these survey companies, I thought I better look at the "claim checklist". I met all the requirements except # 5 which said -

"Verified PayPal Account: PayPal gives you the possibility to have your account verified. That means that you have more freedom and flexibility in sending and receiving money through PayPal. In addition the “verified” status will also give you more credibility with anyone you send payments to or receive payments from. Please note that you will only be able to receive your redemption if your PayPal account has a “verified” status.

As you may or may not know, Paypal encourages users to have verified accounts so they can freeze or withdraw money from them. You have to give Paypal you bank account number. This allows them to withdraw any and all money from your account whenever they like and for any reason. They are basically on the account with you and can empty it anytime they want.

Since most people aren't dumb enough to let PayPal into their bank accounts, Survey Spot uses this as an excuse not to pay them. From searching around, it appears you redemption status will show as "redeemed" but you will never get the money and your points will go to zero.

The only other option is to use their WebShop which just happens to be "temporarily unavailable" and if you read the details it says "Please note: Members will still be able to redeem their points for cash via PayPal while the WebShop is temporarily unavailable."

Survey Spot used to send checks. Looks like they started this scam after the site went downhill earlier this year.

[kbennette200]

I finally was able to reach $10 at Survey Spot so I could cash out and quit in order to stop their free survey spam emails. I was about to cash out when I saw this on their website -

"Before attempting your next claim through PayPal please read through our claim checklist and confirm you have met our claiming requirements ."

I have a Paypal account in good standing so figured there would be no problem, but being distrustful of these survey companies, I thought I better look at the "claim checklist". I met all the requirements except # 5 which said -

"Verified PayPal Account: PayPal gives you the possibility to have your account verified. That means that you have more freedom and flexibility in sending and receiving money through PayPal. In addition the “verified” status will also give you more credibility with anyone you send payments to or receive payments from. Please note that you will only be able to receive your redemption if your PayPal account has a “verified” status.

As you may or may not know, Paypal encourages users to have verified accounts so they can freeze or withdraw money from them. You have to give Paypal you bank account number. This allows them to withdraw any and all money from your account whenever they like and for any reason. They are basically on the account with you and can empty it anytime they want.

Since most people aren't dumb enough to let PayPal into their bank accounts, Survey Spot uses this as an excuse not to pay them. From searching around, it appears you redemption status will show as "redeemed" but you will never get the money and your points will go to zero.

The only other option is to use their WebShop which just happens to be "temporarily unavailable" and if you read the details it says "Please note: Members will still be able to redeem their points for cash via PayPal while the WebShop is temporarily unavailable."

Survey Spot used to send checks. Looks like they started this scam after the site went downhill earlier this year.

PayPal is not trying to freeze anyone's bank account or empty it so stop telling people that. They want you to verify so that they actually know who you are. I've been PayPal verified for over 3 years. I sell things online and I have to be verified. Also, what I don't spend out of my PayPal account with my PayPal debit card is transferred to my bank account.

[TSP1973]

I agree with Kbennette on that one. I have had them for 2-3 years and have not had a problem with them taking any money out of my bank account that was not authorized. The only time when they do is if I don't have enough money in my paypal to cover the purchase. I always double check my paypal before I make a purchase!

[kbennette200]

I agree with Kbennette on that one. I have had them for 2-3 years and have not had a problem with them taking any money out of my bank account that was not authorized. The only time when they do is if I don't have enough money in my paypal to cover the purchase. I always double check my paypal before I make a purchase!

Exactly. They will only withdraw money from your bank account when you request them to. I've done it before when I wanted funds to be added to my PayPal account from my bank account. And you're also right about the backup funds feature on PayPal. If you don't have enough money to cover the purchase with your PayPal account or PayPal debit card, you can use a bank account as a backup.

[Guest Anonymous]

Paypal had limitations on my account for 3 weeks and lost money because of that and they charged me 80c to recieve 11.95!

[kbennette200]

Paypal had limitations on my account for 3 weeks and lost money because of that and they charged me 80c to recieve 11.95!

You have limitations because you aren't verified. Also, PayPal will only charge you a fee depending on who is sending you the money and how they are sending the money. If the company sent you money using a credit card or a debit card, then PayPal will charged you a fee. If a company sends you money directly from their PayPal account, then PayPal won't charge you a fee. Read the terms and conditions before you decide on what type of PayPal account you want as well.

[Guest Anonymous]

Yeah I know but it was limitted after I erified it because I had to send them my photo ID, SSN, bank statement and something else. I did that within the first week and it took 3 weeks to get erfiied.

[TSP1973]

Yeah I know but it was limitted after I erified it because I had to send them my photo ID, SSN, bank statement and something else. I did that within the first week and it took 3 weeks to get erfiied.

You sure it was Paypal and not some Spoof site claiming to be paypal? They shouldn't be asking about your SSN! If I were you I would check your credit report.

[kbennette200]

Yeah I know but it was limitted after I erified it because I had to send them my photo ID, SSN, bank statement and something else. I did that within the first week and it took 3 weeks to get erfiied.

You sure it was Paypal and not some Spoof site claiming to be paypal? They shouldn't be asking about your SSN! If I were you I would check your credit report.

I never had to send in a photo ID, SSN or a bank statement. Just had to wait for PayPal to make 2 small deposits in my bank account, and go back to the PayPal site and enter the dollar amounts of the deposits and was verified

[Whatatay]

PayPal is not trying to freeze anyone's bank account or empty it so stop telling people that. They want you to verify so that they actually know who you are. I've been PayPal verified for over 3 years. I sell things online and I have to be verified. Also, what I don't spend out of my PayPal account with my PayPal debit card is transferred to my bank account.

The purpose of the verification is for PayPal to freeze or remove funds from your account if they feel there is a problem. It has nothing to do with verification. If you were foolish enough to buy into the "verification" thing, that's your fault. If someone has a dispute, PayPal wants the ability to go into your bank account and take out money, if there isn't any in your PayPal account. Since there are no laws governing this, they are free to empty your account for any reason.

[Whatatay]

I agree with Kbennette on that one. I have had them for 2-3 years and have not had a problem with them taking any money out of my bank account that was not authorized. The only time when they do is if I don't have enough money in my paypal to cover the purchase. I always double check my paypal before I make a purchase!

Just because you havn't had a problem doesn't mean you won't. If someone has a dispute against you and PayPal decides your are at fault, even if you feel you aren't, they can simply go into your account and take the money out. I am not saying they do this to rip people off, just that you have given them authorization to do so by giving them access to your bank accounts.

[Whatatay]

Exactly. They will only withdraw money from your bank account when you request them to. I've done it before when I wanted funds to be added to my PayPal account from my bank account. And you're also right about the backup funds feature on PayPal. If you don't have enough money to cover the purchase with your PayPal account or PayPal debit card, you can use a bank account as a backup.

Totally wrong. You have given them access to your account which allows them to withdraw anything they want. If you Paypal account doesn't have enough money to pay back someone who has a dispute, PayPal can go into your bank account and take the money. You don't need to request this. You already gave them access to your bank account.

I can't believe you people gave them access to your bank accounts without knowing any of this. Of course they are not going to raid eveyone's accounts as that would put them out of business, but you have given them access to withdraw anything they want or feel they need to. They may be honest and you can hope they are, but that doesn't change the fact that they can clean out your account if they feel the need.

[kbennette200]

Exactly. They will only withdraw money from your bank account when you request them to. I've done it before when I wanted funds to be added to my PayPal account from my bank account. And you're also right about the backup funds feature on PayPal. If you don't have enough money to cover the purchase with your PayPal account or PayPal debit card, you can use a bank account as a backup.

Totally wrong. You have given them access to your account which allows them to withdraw anything they want. If you Paypal account doesn't have enough money to pay back someone who has a dispute, PayPal can go into your bank account and take the money. You don't need to request this. You already gave them access to your bank account.

I can't believe you people gave them access to your bank accounts without knowing any of this. Of course they are not going to raid eveyone's accounts as that would put them out of business, but you have given them access to withdraw anything they want or feel they need to. They may be honest and you can hope they are, but that doesn't change the fact that they can clean out your account if they feel the need.

Whatatay...GET A LIFE!!!...PLEASE DO FOR YOUR SAKE!!....SMDH

[Whatatay]

Whatatay...GET A LIFE!!!...PLEASE DO FOR YOUR SAKE!!....SMDH

I can tell by your response that you now realize I am right. I am glad you are now educated on the matter. Please do not feel foolish for not knowing that PayPal can empty your account as most people don't know this. I am here to help protect consumers and glad I could help. As soon as you give your banking info to a company, you are authorizing full access to your account. Even if you have direct deposit of your paycheck, the company you work for can pull money out of your account. Here is a message from the internet about a company pulling money from someone's bank account. I love how they always say "I didn't authorize it".

"We canceled our sorry service after 1 year , which we thought and were told is all we signed up for. This morning I went to check our account and DIRECT TV had taken 226.00 out of our account for early cancellation fee. When I tried to talk to CSR about the problem , they were rude , uncaring, and could not hardly speak english. When I asked for phone numbers for their supervisors I could not get any #. They last person I talked with for a copy of my contract told me I couldn't get a copy. He was in Mexico. I will go without food this month and will also have a check bounce because of what they did to me. The banks should not authorize these debits to be pulled out of our accounts, I did not authorize them to take my money so why are the banks supporting it."

[Whatatay]

They can send a man to the moon, but they can't protect us from ourselves.

Here is proof for those who don't believe what I am saying.

https://www.paypal-community.com/t5/Rec ... /m-p/99964

Here are some excerpts -

I just received an email to my e-mail address that I had requested Paypal to activate Balance Manager on my Paypal account and that $200 was being transferred to my Paypal account. I did not request this.

I had the exact same problem. According to a "supervisor" at PayPal, they did some "upgrades" and it caused a lot of people's "balance manger" to activate without authorization. $200 was taken from my bank account and transferred to PayPal, and now I have to wait approximately a week to get that money back.

Same thing here, except their unauthorized withdrawal cost me $35 when it overdrew my account. THANKS PAYPAL.

Same here. $100 in unexpected charges. I had never even heard of balance manager and now it is somehow activated.

Ditto. I called them and they acted as if they had no clue what I was talking about. Paypal said they would have a manager call me back to fix things. I don't have much faith in that. My bank account has a negative balance now and they charged me a hefty fee. I love how they charged all of us the maximum $200 instead of say $20.

One more victim here, the balance manager take $100 from my bank account and overdrafting it.

Another victim here. $50. Never heard of balance manager or saw any sort of opt-in/opt-out message for it.

I had the same problem. $50 just flew out of my bank account into PayPal's.

I am so angry with this scam Paypal has got going... I am currently racking up bank fees since we don't have sufficient funds when this 50-dollar withdrawal was made twice. They have offered no explanation for this and was even suggesting that I may have agreed to this "promo" they have.