Paypal + Direct2Drive = Kinda Scammy

[David Milch]

Before I rant, if there is some hidden setting I'm missing, please let me know.

So I go to d2d to buy a game-->choose paypal as payment method-->get transfered to the PP site-->log in [so far so good]-->then I'm presented with a page to allow d2d to bill my PP account directly. Ok, never done that before, but I guess I might as well. Get transfered back to d2d site.

Here is where the scammy part comes in. Usually when you pay with PP, you do it at their site and you can change the funding source (in my case Amex, MC, and bank account). I pay with MC or Amex because they have better protections/insurance etc. Paypal WILL NOT allow you to change your primary/default funding source. It is always your bank account no matter what. But I was always able to change the funding source manually for each transaction. Until now.

The only option once I got back to the d2d site was one to pay immediately with PP. You don't get transfered back to PP to be able to change funding sources, they just use your primary/default one which is always your bank account.

IMO, what is going on here is that paypal is feeling the heat from merchants because the merchants have to pay credit card fees and paypal fees; and the merchants, because of the agreement with paypal, cannot charge extra for paypal or even let their customers know that there are fees they have to pay if a customer uses paypal.

So PP now has a way to force customers to use their bank accounts to help their merchants avoid paying credit card fees. Slimy. I've pretty much stopped using ebay as the best deals are never there, and its always a bit of a crapshoot. I guess I'll be avoiding pp now too.

[headsh0t]

Ya but if there's no money in your bank account it will come out of your CC, and if it's coming out of your bank account, who cares it's better to pay it off now then throw it on CC anyways. Can't you pay with CC through D2D anyways?

[thorn]

Didn't notice, though the only thing tied to my PP account is my credit card, so it has to use that regardless.

I am trying to think back when I pre ordered DA2 if D2D brought me to paypal's site. I know when I buy through steam it does, though since I only have one 'source' tied to my pp account I have never seen anything that would allow me to change it.

[Thund3rball]

Originally Posted by headsh0t

Ya but if there's no money in your bank account it will come out of your CC, and if it's coming out of your bank account, who cares it's better to pay it off now then throw it on CC anyways. Can't you pay with CC through D2D anyways?

I second this. Why are you jumping through a PP hoop to pay with a CC? Doesn't make any sense to me. My PP is only tied to one CC. I would never tie it to my bank but that's just me I guess?

[_dangtx_]

having paypal tied to a bank account where there are always funds,i.e. your primary bank account, calls for trouble.

if you have to have an account, have one that is secondary,always empty unless you make a transfer.

long term wise, its a good idea to pay 5 bucks a month to another bank where you have an account for paying bills and what not. can be a real pain with transfer times....but security wise cant beat it.

they tried long ago to screw me lol, wouldve been a 'few' k out and of course theres no protection...

[BobLoblaw]

Originally Posted by Thund3rball

I second this. Why are you jumping through a PP hoop to pay with a CC? Doesn't make any sense to me. My PP is only tied to one CC. I would never tie it to my bank but that's just me I guess?

Right now PayPal is having a 5% cash back promotion for the holidays. Add that to my 2% dividends CC and I'm saving an extra 7% on all purchases through PayPal. That is why I'm jumping through the hoops at least.

[Thund3rball]

Fair enough, I had no idea about the cash back. I never use PP unless the seller requires it, which is very rare these days.

[thorn]

Hmm, where do you see 5% cash back? nvm I see you need to have received an email, obviously I am not an infrequent enough (that sounds odd) user of paypal to have received this promotion.

[On2wheels]

This was a glitch with PP and D2d, I emailed d2d on it, same reason: they say you can choose your funding source on the next screen, then when it appears it says "thankyou for your purchase, funds were transferred from your default payment source". I think they've since fixed it, but I bitched paypal out for it too, and they've finally let me change my default payment to CC. A linked bank account is needed for certain transactions, I had to link mine, and instant transfers went through ok, but yeah it's scary thinking they have control like that. I still use extra caution when buying through D2d and paypal and prefer to use CC all the time.

[oppo4sale]

Yeah I always hated the fact that they wouldnt let us change the main funding source from bank to CC, funny how they say its more secure, more like they dont want us to be safe with CC as primary given the automatic chargeback protection, its really hard to get money back from a bank account if something goes wrong you simply dont have the same level of protection.