As most everyone knows, PayPal is the largest and fastest growing online payment service. The company has grown from its beginning days as method of making payments for eBay auctions via email to an acceptable payment method for many retail websites including such recognized names as Dell, iTunes, and Walgreens.
A recent Wall Street Journal article offered a couple of tips which I thought were beneficial for both new and experienced paypal users as noted below.
1. Unless you are familiar with your merchant, PayPal users should strongly consider using the credit card option for paying for purchases. It is important to note that if you give paypal your bank account information, the service will default to pulling money out of your bank account rather than charging your credit card. While PayPal offers some level of buyer protection, it is a much more difficult process to obtain a refund through Paypal than simply disputing the charge through your credit card company.
2. Rather than funding your PayPal account through your checking account consider using a debit card instead of your bank.
3. Never click on any link in an email that purports to be from PayPal. Always go directly to PayPal’s home page to access your account.
4. Finally, I bet you didn’t know PayPal has a toll free number that’s worth writing down for future reference: 800-854-1366.
