Online shopping with Paypal or Debit?

[pooks]

I've seriously been wanting to stop charging my cycling purchases and would prefer to find places that accept paypal so I can use cash. Does anybody know of any? I think some or most of the ones on Ebay do, but I wondered about others.

Also, I don't have a debit card, but can you use one like a credit card, and make online purchases with them? That might work.

[CyclChyk]

There are several online stores that use paypal (I use Paypal frequently). If you go to a particular website where you want to purchase, there should be a link showing what payment types they accept. I have not ordered from bike stores via Paypal yet so I can't say of any that accept it as payment method.

As well, if your debit card has a visa/mastercard logo on it, you can use it online to pay for items. Just enter the info the same as you would with an actual charge card, and its deducted from your checking account.

[snapdragen]

I'd never be comfortable using my debit card online.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2002-11-07-debit-cards_x.htm

[CyclChyk]

I can't begin to tell you how many purchases I have made online and for how many years. Easily 10 or more. Many of those purchases were/are with debit card. The thing you have to be wary of is to make sure its a secure website (look for the lock) and its a seller you are familiar with. I will order from Home Depot all day online but lets say its "House Depot" - no way! Never heard of 'em and I'm willing to bet their website would not be secure/encrypted. (Just making "House Depot" up as an example).

I've had one problem in where there was a charge that showed up on me from the Este Lauder warehouse (I think its in NY). I disputed the charge and of course it was promptly refunded to me in full. After research, it was discovered that only employees and family members of the employees could purchase from the warehouse and my card number was not obtained from an online transaction, rather from a local transaction I completed in person. I had that debit card cancelled and was issued a new one and never had another mishap.

[SalsaMTB]

I would highly recommend going the debit card route. It just gives more options than paypal. I had my card # stolen before, around the holiday season, who knows if it was from online purchases or now. The bank promptly refunded all the charges and it was hassel free. My mother also had hers stolen and she NEVER purchases online. I think now adays though, banks have adapted to the problem and it's not much of a big deal. If the card gets stolen, you report it, tell them what charges you didn't makes, they refund it, and I think there is one form to fill out. Not bad. I'm guessing the process is basically the same as with a credit card.

[xeney]

That article is pretty old and I think a lot of banks have followed B of A's lead on the debit card issue. My debit card number has actually been swiped three times now ... once it was used in Australia while I was in California, once it was used to download a bunch of ring tones and cell phone games and some Norton software, and once the bank just canceled the card because they said it had been "intercepted" during an electronic transmission. (I am not sure I buy that one, since I had not used it online during the relevant time, only at Safeway and at an autoparts store.)

But I have never lost any money from any of those transactions, all of which were with B of A. With the Australia thing, they credited my account immediately when I reported the problem, and then I had to sign an affidavit saying that it wasn't me, I was in California at the time, etc. With the ring tones and the Norton software, I contacted the online retailers and they credited me, and of course I also called the bank and canceled the card. And the bank rep told me that if I had any problems with the credit from the retailers, that the bank would credit me since the charges were fraudulent.

I have actually had less trouble with that than friends have had disputing fraud on actual credit cards.

[snapdragen]

Well, since I have had problems using my debit card online in the past, I will not do it again. I don't believe you have the same protections as a credit card; I'm not willing to take the risk again.

Good luck.

[xeney]

Completely understandable. But the 2002 article you linked to does contain outdated information -- these days, debit card transactions are protected under a different federal act (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/atmcard.htm), although it is still important to report the loss very quickly or your liability could increase.

And that is really the only issue, the extent of your liability. Because it is no easier to steal a debit card number online than to steal a credit card number; it's just that in the past you had no legal recourse if it happened with a debit card. These days, you have almost the same protections you have with a credit card, and if you are paying attention to your accounts you are just as safe using a debit card as a credit card.

(For me, personally, I am safer. Because I check my online bank statement almost every day, but I hardly ever look at activity on my credit card until the statement comes in the mail.)

[mlove]

I guess I have been lucky--no problems with either my debit card or PayPal and I've used them both online for years. At this point in my life, I really don't have any credit cards.

[mimitabby]

I love paypal, it does make it so much easier. I am always delighted to find yet another shop that accepts it. Yes, I hope TE does that too. (huh, huh Susan?)

[cherinyc]

Just to mention something that happened to me over this past weekend...I haven't been enrolled in PayPal very long, and have made about 3 transactions through it to pay for things I have won on E-bay, so....I wonder if it's a bad idea or not. BECAUSE....
Sunday, I received an email (from PayPal) saying that my payment was recieved by seller "Brandon Stahl" dated Saturday 10/7. Immediately my stomach got queasy - b/c I hadn't used PayPal in at least 2 weeks - AND, I was off of my computer all day on Saturday (and most of Friday) so I KNOW I couldn't have bought anything.
I logged into PayPal, and sure enough saw a strange transaction. Even the subject of the transaction was strange. No item was described, just a lot of abreviated words (reminded me of a SPAM email). Granted, the transaction was for only $26.00, but my immediate concern was that this was a test... to see if they could access, before emptying my entire bank account. (I had linked my PayPal acct to my checking account, so as to not have to use a credit card).

I disputed the transaction through PayPal, and changed my password - and was notified that the seller had 7 days to respond to my dispute. 2 days later, I got a response saying that I would be refunded the amount, and the seller's response of why I would be refunded was "goods not shipped".
What goods? I still don't know what I "supposedly" ordered.
Anyway - I wonder if PayPal will now watch this seller? or just say, "well he refunded the money, it was just an error"
If he was able to get into my account, he probably got into other people's too - and maybe they won't notice it. Hence, this thief ends up making a bundle.

Just letting you - and anyone else - to beware, and monitor your accounts. These thiefs are getting way too smart.

[xeney]

Please tell me that when you logged into PayPal, you did it by typing "paypal.com" into your web browser, and not by following a link in that e-mail ... because those e-mails are usually phishing. They give you a link that looks like PayPal, but it's not, and then you enter your password and, bam, they have access to your real PayPal account.

If you followed the link in that e-mail, you should go to PayPal right now and make sure things are okay.

[cherinyc]

xeney - yes that was the first thing I had thought about, because days before I had received an email saying that PayPal need me to verify certain info. I clicked on it of course and right after signing in, I thought...this is strange, I've already verified everything, so I left the sight. 2 days later, I get this funky charge. I think you are right about someone sending emails out pretending to be PayPal.
Scary stuff!

[Bluetree]

Please tell me that when you logged into PayPal, you did it by typing "paypal.com" into your web browser, and not by following a link in that e-mail ... because those e-mails are usually phishing. They give you a link that looks like PayPal, but it's not, and then you enter your password and, bam, they have access to your real PayPal account.

If you followed the link in that e-mail, you should go to PayPal right now and make sure things are okay.

Agree. Paypal/eBay warns you not to respond to those links. I never have and have not had any problems (knock on wood). I use PayPal frequently and am very satisfied with it. I did have a few issues with stuff I bought in the past, but had it resolved on my favor when I filed claims. With over 300+ transactions as both a buyer and seller, I'm fairly confident with it --- yet I remain vigilant.

[xeney]

PayPal is not ever going to send you an e-mail asking you to verify some stuff that way. Those are phishing e-mails. Good luck getting all of that resolved.

[Eden]

Agreed - there are some very, very good phising emails out there trying to get paypal accounts. I got one once about a phone that I supposedly bought and I was completely ready to get on paypal and dispute the charge, but something seemed off about it. Turns out the email had nothing at all to do with my paypal account and was a really sophisticated attempt to gain my info. It almost took me in and I consider myself pretty saavy about that kind of thing. They made me mad and that's what almost got me. I was ready to charge right in and dispute the purchase. I'm glad I spotted the scam before I did anything.
I can't really blame paypal though, they do all that they can to make their site secure and its up to us to be sure to watch for phishers.

[texascyclist]

I use Paypal and my debit card all the time for online purchases. I have never had a problem yet....knock on wood. One option is do what my DH and I did. We opened a seperate checking account that we use only for online purchases and nothing else. We keep a very mimimum amount in that account just in case our card or number is ever stolen. We transfer funds between accounts as needed. This way it gives us a little more sense of security knowing that if someone stole our number they wouldn't get much out of it. This has worked for us for over 5 years now.

[chickwhorips]

i use paypal and my credit card online. i mainly use my AK airlines credit card (i need the miles). i haven't had any problems with either of them... knocking on wood.

being i have to order everything either online or over the phone living here i'm glad places accept either. usually if a websight accepts paypal they will have the logo sticker on their front page.

i've had those "fake" emails from 'paypa' before, i fwd them to paypal's email they have set up to try and catch the bad guys.

[uforgot]

You can actually get a debit card through paypal that acts like a charge card. You can only "charge" what is in your paypal account, but you get back 1.5% or so. This you can use on any site or in any store that takes Master Card. I like it because I can put money in my paypal account, and then when I "charge", I'm using money that's already there, not borrowing someone else.

[CyclChyk]

CheryinNY - just like Xeney stated, if you clicked on the link even for a second or two, its all the time needed for the hackers to get to your info. Even though you closed the link, the damage was done. Never click on links in emails, pop ups (if AOL users); etc. And if ever in doubt, call the company on the phone. I for one prefer to dispute/verify anything in "person" rather than via internet.

(if it wasn't for internet shopping I would never get christmas covered!)

[pooks]

I've never had an ATM or a debit card -- I have enough trouble remembering to record checks when the checkbook is open in front of me, without adding cardswipes/no checkbook into the mix.

However. I'm beginning to think it would be smart for online purchases. Thanks for the info.

And I have never clicked on any paypal or bank or credit card notice that comes to me in email. I usually don't even go to the sites to make sure there's no problem. There are so many scams I just figure if there were a prob, I'd know about it, and delete delete delete.