Paypal advice

ABBAFAN · 11-28-12, 05:30 PM

Hello Subsimmers, I have made a purchase on Paypal and wonder what people think of its reliability and security compared to other people etc.

11-28-12, 05:37 PM

I've been using Paypal for over 8 years, not had any problems with it at all.

Skybird · 11-28-12, 05:38 PM

When their server get hacked and your account info gets stolen, you're prey.

Gerald · 11-28-12, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

When their server get hacked and your account info gets stolen, you're prey.

These words that you deliver here Sky, could form the basis of any business, and paypal or Amex, etc, but my general opinion is that the paypal and Amex have good security.

CaptainHaplo · 11-28-12, 07:06 PM

@OP

I have used Paypal for about a year - and I was not thrilled with the idea - but so far I have had NO problems whatsoever.

@Skybird - I work in IT for a major bank. Where do you think all the financial data is kept? On servers. Lots of them. All over the place. We have a HQ, and a backup HQ just in the US. Every branch office you can visit has a server. It doesn't matter who you use - somewhere your "money" is sitting in digital format on a server. Which means its possible it could get hacked. Which means your financial institution is a target. Better run and put your money under your mattress - but wouldn't that make YOU the target for the thieves?

Do you want them hacking one of "my" servers, knowing I have a large, dedicated team of people doing Intrusion Detection and Response, another team concerned purely with Data Security - or do you want them "hacking" down your door with an axe to get to whats under your mattress?

At least in the US - if your personal info is breached - there are remedies you can make use of. If it was the waitress at the diner stealing your card info, then she can get busted. If your financial institution does not adequately protect your data - as stated in the law if they did not do their due diligence - then you have a claim against them. Also - deposits are insured by almost all financial institutions (using the FDIC) up to 250k.

Sailor Steve · 11-28-12, 07:36 PM

I was another who was leery about PayPal at first, and for a long time. Now I use it whenever I can. They gave me credit when no one else would, but that's only part of it. With PayPal I don't have to give anyone my credit card number, just my PayPal account. They have my CC (well, debit card actually, since no one will give me credit) number, and everything goes through them. Amazon has lost some business to eBay from me, because Amazon's bank won't give me the credit.

PayPal is now sending me a card I can use that works in stores, as it ties in with my bank account. Maybe it will even work on Amazon.

PayPal rules!

Onkel Neal · 11-28-12, 05:39 PM

Been using Paypal for thousands of transactions since 2002, never had an issue. They have support you can speak with by phone.

Skybird, that's true with any bank, merchant or utility. Has Paypal's server been hacked?

Skybird · 11-28-12, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Been using Paypal for thousands of transactions since 2002, never had an issue. They have support you can speak with by phone.

Skybird, that's true with any bank, merchant or utility. Has Paypal's server been hacked?

Remember Sony's promise some years ago at launch date of their PS3 that their servers are "unhackable"?

Where there is gold in a chest, pirates are not far away. And banking accounts on a server are chests bursting with gold and jewelry.

I just remind of that collections of such data are prey attracting a lot of attention.

I also remind of the many data accidents we have seen with military data. Lockheed loosing some terabyte of data on the F-35 to a probably Chinese hacker attack. Employees in the British MOD loosing or misplacing notebooks and datasticks. And so on.

Paypal may not have been hacked so far. But they sure as hell are positioned right in the centre of the crosshairs.

It is sound advice to instruct your bank to have limits on money that can be transferred per day. I have set that limit to the highest regular monthly payment that is automatically made for house maintenance costs. Any abuse of your paypal account would run into a wall there at the latest, plus it would ring the alarm bell.

And you are right, my criticism is valid for every shop I use online. That'S why I have deleted my ebay account this summer, my paypal account longer time ago (in protest over the Assange affair), my Visa-card. All transaction I cannot or want not to avoid I do via other people'S accounts.

Only Amazon I risk to leave active, but I know that there is a risk for sure. Else I only use shops where I can pay via manual money transfer after delivery.

Sorry dear BND and NSA, I think my electronic signature is relatively small for today's standards.

I'm a cash money fetishist.

Gerald · 11-28-12, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Been using Paypal for thousands of transactions since 2002, never had an issue. They have support you can speak with by phone.

Skybird, that's true with any bank, merchant or utility. Has Paypal's server been hacked?

Paypal's local servers may have been trespassing, but no serious errors, for me it has worked perfect for eight years, and then it is about transactions around our globe.

Takeda Shingen · 11-28-12, 06:47 PM

I've used paypal for SubSim donations and for selected online purchases. No problems what-so-ever for the past 10 years.

Gargamel · 11-29-12, 01:12 AM

I even had a money market / savings account for a while with them and a Visa debit card that tied right into that paypal account.

Catfish · 11-28-12, 05:40 PM

Despite my worries i never had any problem with it, or charging fee problems. I like it for very fast payment, so the seller instantly saw that i paid, and i will often have the product the next day, or a day after.

It is also great for buying all kind of things abroad with no problems, e.g. via eBay. I think it is very practical, which again this is why they will at some point tighten the thumb screws, and charge so much it will become a real pita

So much for my optimism ..

Skybird · 11-28-12, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catfish

e.g. via eBay.

No wonder - Paypal IS Ebay.

That'S why they push it for professional sellers at ebay, it is an additional money collector for ebay.

Dowly · 11-28-12, 06:05 PM

Been using it for years.

11-28-12, 06:07 PM

To Skybird :- I presume then, that you never cross a road ?
If your bank account gets hacked because you took a risk with someones server, you lose some cash.
If you get knocked down because you took a risk with someones driving, you could well lose your life.
I think I know which is the bigger risk.

11-28-12, 05:30 PM	#1
ABBAFAN Commander Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 456 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Paypal advice Hello Subsimmers, I have made a purchase on Paypal and wonder what people think of its reliability and security compared to other people etc. __________________ CHOOSE RFA! LESS GRAFT, MORE PAY.

11-28-12, 05:38 PM	#3
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,688 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	When their server get hacked and your account info gets stolen, you're prey. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

11-28-12, 07:06 PM	#5
CaptainHaplo Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4,404 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	@OP I have used Paypal for about a year - and I was not thrilled with the idea - but so far I have had NO problems whatsoever. @Skybird - I work in IT for a major bank. Where do you think all the financial data is kept? On servers. Lots of them. All over the place. We have a HQ, and a backup HQ just in the US. Every branch office you can visit has a server. It doesn't matter who you use - somewhere your "money" is sitting in digital format on a server. Which means its possible it could get hacked. Which means your financial institution is a target. Better run and put your money under your mattress - but wouldn't that make YOU the target for the thieves? Do you want them hacking one of "my" servers, knowing I have a large, dedicated team of people doing Intrusion Detection and Response, another team concerned purely with Data Security - or do you want them "hacking" down your door with an axe to get to whats under your mattress? At least in the US - if your personal info is breached - there are remedies you can make use of. If it was the waitress at the diner stealing your card info, then she can get busted. If your financial institution does not adequately protect your data - as stated in the law if they did not do their due diligence - then you have a claim against them. Also - deposits are insured by almost all financial institutions (using the FDIC) up to 250k. __________________ Good Hunting! Captain Haplo

11-28-12, 07:36 PM	#6
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	I was another who was leery about PayPal at first, and for a long time. Now I use it whenever I can. They gave me credit when no one else would, but that's only part of it. With PayPal I don't have to give anyone my credit card number, just my PayPal account. They have my CC (well, debit card actually, since no one will give me credit) number, and everything goes through them. Amazon has lost some business to eBay from me, because Amazon's bank won't give me the credit. PayPal is now sending me a card I can use that works in stores, as it ties in with my bank account. Maybe it will even work on Amazon. PayPal rules! __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

11-28-12, 05:39 PM	#7
Onkel Neal Born to Run Silent Join Date: Jan 1997 Location: Cougar Trap, Texas Posts: 21,385 Downloads: 541 Uploads: 224	Been using Paypal for thousands of transactions since 2002, never had an issue. They have support you can speak with by phone. Skybird, that's true with any bank, merchant or utility. Has Paypal's server been hacked? __________________ SUBSIM - 26 Years on the Web

11-28-12, 05:37 PM	#2
Twin Screws Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	I've been using Paypal for over 8 years, not had any problems with it at all.

11-28-12, 06:47 PM	#10
Takeda Shingen Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 8,643 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	I've used paypal for SubSim donations and for selected online purchases. No problems what-so-ever for the past 10 years.

11-29-12, 01:12 AM	#11
Gargamel Lucky Sailor Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Rome Posts: 4,273 Downloads: 81 Uploads: 0	I even had a money market / savings account for a while with them and a Visa debit card that tied right into that paypal account. __________________ Luck is a residue of Design.

11-28-12, 05:40 PM	#12
Catfish Dipped Squirrel Operative Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: ..where the ocean meets the sky Posts: 17,799 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	Despite my worries i never had any problem with it, or charging fee problems. I like it for very fast payment, so the seller instantly saw that i paid, and i will often have the product the next day, or a day after. It is also great for buying all kind of things abroad with no problems, e.g. via eBay. I think it is very practical, which again this is why they will at some point tighten the thumb screws, and charge so much it will become a real pita So much for my optimism ..

11-28-12, 06:05 PM	#14
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,054 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	Been using it for years.

11-28-12, 06:07 PM	#15
Twin Screws Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	To Skybird :- I presume then, that you never cross a road ? If your bank account gets hacked because you took a risk with someones server, you lose some cash. If you get knocked down because you took a risk with someones driving, you could well lose your life. I think I know which is the bigger risk.