Like 300 million people around the world Debbie relies on PayPal to take payments for her children’s clothing shop. The mum has been using PayPal for 10 years, but recently discovered her account had been frozen out of the blue.
To make matters much worse, PayPal said the account would be inaccessible for a staggering six months.
Debbie couldn’t sell anything or access her own money, at the time she had over £10,000 in her account.
She said: “Everything that I’d worked for all these years has come crushing down on me because PayPal has said that I’ve violated – when I know I haven’t – which is why I’m so adamant that I’m not going to sit down and be quiet.”
Despite providing PayPal with evidence that she’d refunded the £6 that was paid to her in error, the tech giant wouldn’t budge.
But it didn’t end there, two days before the 180 days were due to end she alleges PayPal took £3,680 from her account.
Debbie continued: “Two days before that 180 days unfortunately PayPal decided they would take my money and say it was all for damages caused to PayPal.
“Because of £6 I’ve lost ten and a half thousand pounds that they’re holding and revenue wise I would probably say I’ve lost between £80,000 and £100,000.
“The stress that PayPal has caused me personally and my family, because in turn I come home stressed and take it out on my nearest and dearest.”
“I don’t think they actually understand the massive impact it’s had.”
Presenter Gloria Hunniford read out the response it had received from the company.
She said: “PayPal said it has responsibility to ensure that customers don’t break the rules outlined in its user agreement.
“It has the right to access damages and take appropriate action when a customer engages in certain restricted activities.”
However, the show’s consumer expert Martyn James said PayPal should have investigated Debbie’s case much sooner.
Express.co.uk contacted PayPal which declined to comment further as it said its statement had already been covered in the programme.
