How secure is PayPal?

In many shops you can pay with PayPal. But the legitimate question remains whether the service is more secure than a bank transfer or direct debit.

Pay more securely on the Internet with PayPal

With PayPal you can pay safely and easily on numerous platforms and online shops such as Ebay. The transfers are also free of charge. If you receive money in your PayPal account, a fee will be charged.

• Data protection: The great advantage of PayPal is that your sensitive data remains locked with the service. The seller only knows your PayPal email address, nothing more. This does not reveal data such as your account number. Only PayPal has the data and regulates the payment process internally.
• PayPal Buyer Protection: If you fell for scammers when shopping online, you can report this to PayPal. PayPal will then transfer your money back to your account immediately after contacting and settle the matter alone. So you don't have to worry about your money for days or weeks.
• Encryption: The PayPal website not only uses the well-known https encryption, but your data is also encrypted and kept internally. When you open a user account, PayPal also checks whether you are the legal holder of the bank account and provides other optional security settings. TÜV Saarland has checked PayPal and declared it to be a secure online form of payment.
• Problems: Unfortunately, the service does not only make good headlines. Often there is an unjustified freezing of PayPal accounts. This happens when buyers or sellers complain to PayPal if the trade did not proceed properly. Unfortunately, accounts are not only frozen in the right cases, which often leads to misunderstandings that lead to unjustified freezing. This arbitrariness of service is legally controversial.
• Conclusion: If you do not want to run the risk of freezing your finances, you should not use the service as an account replacement, but only as a trustee for your online transfers.

Criticism of PayPal buyer protection: Not everything is covered

PayPal not only promises to be secure, but also to secure users when making online purchases. However, consumer advocates warn of PayPal's big promise. As can be read in the 80-page terms and conditions, not all purchases are secured.

• You can contact buyer protection if you have any problems up to 180 days after purchase. However, you are only covered if the ordered goods never reach you, or deviate significantly from the product description.
• In addition, there are entire product groups that are exempt from buyer protection per se. This includes, among other things, cars, ships, planes and land. Gold bars and vouchers are also not covered.
• PayPal listens to both the position of the buyer and the seller. In order to ultimately get back the right from buyer protection and thus your money, you should collect and submit as many documents and evidence as possible.
• PayPal's decisions are not legally binding. If you are right with PayPal, you will definitely get your money back from PayPal. If you don't get a right, you can still go to court.

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