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Your security is serious business

Our success has always depended on the security of our users. That’s why we’re constantly working to improve it. So whether you’re a buyer or seller, you can run all your transactions securely and smoothly from one place.Sign Up for Free

World-class security

You're covered

As PayPal transactions need only a login and password, you don’t expose your financial information, such as credit card numbers. It’s an additional layer of protection for you.

We never close

We monitor transactions 24/7. So rest easy — even when you let your guard down, we won’t.

Superior technology

We build and invest in some of the finest protection available. Next-level encryption keeps transactions heavily guarded from start to finish.

Fraud prevention

Contact us if anything seems suspicious so we can help you prevent fraudulent transactions. Remember: we’ll never ask for personal information in an email.

Dispute resolution

If there’s a problem with a transaction, we’ll put a hold on the funds until the issue is resolved. We’ll investigate and guide you through every step of the process.

Global transactions

Buy or sell around the globe. We accept and convert 26 currencies from 203 countries to make buying and selling around the world simple and secure.

PayPal Buyer Protection

We protect you from checkout to delivery and use the latest anti-fraud technology to help spot problems before they happen. We don’t reveal your financial information to sellers. And if something goes wrong with an order and your transaction qualifies for Buyer Protection, we’ll reimburse you for the full purchase price plus any original shipping costs. Note: Return shipping costs are not covered by PayPal’s Buyer Protection.

Buyer Protection covers all eligible online purchases where PayPal is used, as well as payments made through our website. To take advantage of Buyer Protection, we require, among other things, that accounts be kept in good standing and ask that a dispute be filed within 180 days of your purchase or payment.

For full requirements see our User Agreement

Examples of transactions covered by Purchase Protection:

  • You bought a book, but received a DVD
  • You bought an item described as “new,” but received something that was used
  • You purchased 3 items, but only received 2
  • The item was substantially damaged during shipping
  • The item is missing major parts (that the seller didn’t report)
  • You purchased an item described as authentic, but received a knockoff instead

Examples of transactions not covered:

  • Real estate
  • Motorized vehicles
  • Custom-made goods that aren’t as described by the Seller
  • Travel tickets
  • Industrial machinery
  • Items or services equivalent to currency, including prepaid or gift cards.
  • Items that violate our policies
  • Anything bought in person (not over the internet)
  • Disputes filed more than 180 days after the purchase for item not received and significantly not as described claims
  • Items that were described accurately by the seller for significantly not as described claims.

Account Protection

If you report an unauthorized transaction within 180 days from the transaction date, we’ll investigate right away.

Responsive Support

We're here to help. Tell us if you suspect strange activity, identity theft, or phishing and we’ll be on the case. Help us by forwarding any suspicious emails to phishing@paypal.com so we can investigate.

You're protected If:

1. Your order never arrives

All you have to do is log in to your account and open a dispute until 180 days after the purchase to get the refund process started. (If you made the purchase on eBay, start here instead.)

2. Your order arrives, but it's significantly different than it was described.

There are a variety of scenarios that meet this condition, for instance:

  • You received a completely different item.
    Example: You purchased a book, but received a DVD.
  • The item is missing parts or features, and this was not disclosed.
    Example: The listing said batteries included, but they weren't.
  • You purchased a specific quantity of an item, but received the wrong amount.
    Example: You purchased five pairs of fuzzy dice and only received four.
  • The item was substantially damaged en route to its destination.
    Example: You bought a beautiful antique lamp, and it arrived in pieces.
  • You received a counterfeit version of the item.
    Example: You purchased a Rolex, but received a Faux-Lex.

3. You were charged for something you didn't purchase

This may mean someone has used your PayPal account without your knowledge or approval. Report it within 180 days and PayPal will investigate. If we determine that there was indeed an Unauthorized Transaction or Error, you will be covered by our $0 Liability for Eligible Unauthorized Transactions program.

Refunds

If an order doesn’t arrive or it doesn’t match the description, we may reimburse the full cost of eligible purchases plus original shipping.