An anonymous reader writes: If you do any kind of business through PayPal, you might want to reconsider. The Big Tech platform is reportedly now seizing accounts and threatening to steal cash from people and companies that question the government.
Consortium News and MintPress both learned this the hard way recently after PayPal deleted their accounts. Both independent media outlets received a message stating, “You can’t use PayPal anymore,” along with the following:
“At PayPal, we value a safer community for our customers to do business. We noticed activity in your account that’s inconsistent with our User Agreement, and therefore we can no longer offer you PayPal services.”
The message went on to explain that any associated bank and credit card details can no longer be removed or added, and that any money in the account “will be held for up to 180 days.”
“After 180 days, if applicable, we’ll email you with information on how to withdraw any remaining money from your PayPal account,” the message concluded.
According to Consortium editor Joe Lauria, who was able to speak to an actual human at PayPal about the frozen or “held” funds, PayPal could keep the money forever if it deems that “there was a violation.”
“It is possible,” a company representative told Lauria, that his paper’s remaining $9,384.14 balance in PayPal could be seized for good if the company decides to keep it. That amount would cover “damages,” he was told.
Brighteon.TV
“A secretive process in which they could award themselves damages, not by a judge or a jury,” Lauria explained to Matt Taibbi. “Totally in secret.”
