If money is not showing in PayPal, first identify where the process stopped: the sender may have used the wrong email or phone number, the payment may be unclaimed, pending or held, your account may require verification, or the money may already be available but not withdrawable. Sign in through the official PayPal app or by typing PayPal’s address yourself, then check Activity, notifications and the Resolution Center. Do not send or request a duplicate payment until the original transaction’s status is clear.
Start with the status you actually see
| What you see | Where to investigate |
|---|---|
| No transaction appears | Recipient email or phone, direct login, country restrictions or a fake notification |
| Unclaimed | Whether the address is linked and confirmed; the sender’s cancellation or resend options |
| Pending | Funding, review, currency or an action PayPal is requesting |
| On hold | Seller-risk review, fulfillment information and release options |
| Documents requested | Identity verification or an account limitation in the Resolution Center |
| Balance visible but transfer fails | Bank/card eligibility, matching details, negative balance or transfer review |
| Withdrawal pending | PayPal notifications and the review period before trying another withdrawal |
Receiving a payment and withdrawing an available balance are separate processes. The detailed steps below are primarily for U.S. personal accounts; PayPal features, currencies and receiving requirements vary by country.
1. Confirm the payment was addressed to you
PayPal normally delivers money to the email address or mobile number the sender entered. Ask the sender for the exact identifier, transaction ID and status shown in their account. Check every character, including old email addresses, phone numbers, PayPal.Me links and payments sent to another recipient.
- Compare the sender’s address or number with the identifiers listed in your PayPal profile.
- Ask whether the sender sees Completed, Pending, Unclaimed, Canceled, Declined or Refunded.
- Do not ask for a second payment until the first transaction is identified; a duplicate can create another charge without fixing the original.
PayPal’s receiving guidance explains that the recipient opens a PayPal account and confirms the relevant email address to accept money: PayPal receiving guidance.
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- Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- Double check if the URL/website is genuine before entering card details online. Do not provide any gift card details (example: claim code) to someone you do not know or trust. There are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- If you believe that your Card has been lost or stolen, notify Mastercard immediately by calling 1-833-791-7288. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Mastercard Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Mastercard debit cards are accepted, including online. Your Amazon.com Balance cannot be used to purchase Mastercard gift cards.
2. Link and confirm the receiving email
Sign in directly, open your profile or Settings, review the email addresses on the account and select the address the sender used. Request or resend PayPal’s confirmation message, then follow its confirmation link. Return to Activity and notifications to see whether the payment is now claimable.
Labels differ between PayPal’s website and app and can vary by country and account type, so follow the function shown rather than relying on one universal menu path. If the sender used an address that is not on your account, add and confirm it if PayPal permits, or have the sender check whether their transaction offers a cancellation option. Cancellation depends on the payment’s status and type; the sender may be the person who must cancel and resend it.
3. Check for a limitation or identity request
Open the Resolution Center and the notification bell while signed in. A limitation can restrict receiving, sending or withdrawing. PayPal may request identity documents or other account information because of regulatory checks, suspected unauthorized activity, acceptable-use concerns, unusual claims or chargebacks, rapid changes in selling activity or inactivity. See PayPal’s account-limitation guidance.
- Read the exact request and deadline shown in your account.
- Submit only the requested documents through the logged-in PayPal interface.
- Check for follow-up requests and keep the case number.
- Do not open a second account to bypass the limitation.
Phone support often cannot remove a limitation directly; completing the review steps and waiting for PayPal’s response may be required.
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Identity verification and holding a balance
For U.S. users, PayPal says it must confirm identity when a user wants to hold a PayPal balance. If verification cannot be completed, you may still be able to pay with a linked bank account or card, but balance functionality can be restricted. Check that your legal name, date of birth, address and phone number match your government ID and financial accounts. Details are in PayPal’s identity-confirmation explanation.
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- Mastercard Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Condition: a.co/9V5i70m
- When you access your Mastercard Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Mastercard Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. - Mastercard Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Mastercard Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call Mastercard customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
4. Understand unclaimed, pending and held payments
Unclaimed
An unclaimed payment commonly means the recipient has not registered or confirmed the email, the sender used an unlinked address, an acceptance action is required, or a currency preference prevents automatic acceptance. Compare the sender’s transaction details with your exact PayPal identifiers. The sender should check whether PayPal provides a cancellation option; do not assume every unclaimed payment can be canceled.
Pending
Pending means the transaction exists but is not yet available. Funding checks, security review, currency acceptance or another action can cause it. Wait for the status and instructions shown inside PayPal, and do not ship goods based only on an email, receipt or screenshot.
On hold
For some new sellers or accounts returning to selling, PayPal says initial payments can be held for up to 21 days. Eligible transactions may show Know your options, allowing you to add tracking, confirm shipment or update delivery status. Adding tracking does not guarantee immediate release, and the option depends on the transaction. PayPal’s U.S. agreement also describes risk-based holds of up to 21 days, subject to account-specific conditions: new-account hold guidance and U.S. User Agreement.
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Completed but unavailable
A completed payment can still be unusable if the balance is restricted, a foreign currency needs acceptance or conversion, or an account review is active. Investigate those issues before requesting another payment.
5. Fix a balance you cannot withdraw
If the money appears in PayPal but will not move to a bank or card, switch from receiving troubleshooting to withdrawal troubleshooting:
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- Confirm the bank account or debit card is linked correctly and eligible for the selected transfer method.
- Make sure the account-holder name and account details match the bank’s records; correct or relink inaccurate details.
- If offered, try a standard transfer when instant transfer is unavailable, or an eligible debit card when the bank is not eligible for instant transfer.
- Check for a limitation, negative PayPal balance or pending identity review.
- Review the fee and timing displayed before confirming an instant transfer.
PayPal lists standard transfer, instant transfer, a PayPal Debit Card and, in some situations, a mailed check as alternatives: transfer-error guidance. A PayPal Debit Card cannot bypass a hold, limitation or unavailable balance. Certain U.S. personal-account check withdrawals without a linked Balance Account carry a $1.50 non-refundable fee under the User Agreement.
PayPal may hold a withdrawal for review for up to 72 hours because of unusual activity, a new device or network, incomplete verification, a recent limitation or incorrect bank/card information. A withdrawal cannot be canceled once initiated. See PayPal’s withdrawal-review guidance.
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A login or payment challenge can appear after activity that looks new or unusual. PayPal may offer text, phone, email, security questions, card information or a push notification. If a code fails:
- Request a new code and check spam or junk folders.
- Confirm the current phone number is on the account and that your carrier allows short-code messages.
- Try another verification method shown on screen.
- If PayPal tells you to stop after repeated attempts, wait 24 hours before trying again.
- Contact PayPal through its official support flow if the check remains impossible.
Email and text codes may expire after approximately 5–10 minutes, depending on the method and screen. Guidance: PayPal security checks.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.7. Check country, currency and account type
PayPal does not offer identical receiving features everywhere. Depending on your market, receiving may require a linked local bank or licensed partner, may be limited to cross-border payments, or may exclude a domestic transaction. Verify:
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- That PayPal supports receiving in your country.
- Whether domestic payments are supported and whether a local partner or bank is required.
- That the sender’s currency is supported.
- Whether you must accept or convert a foreign currency or create a balance in that currency.
- Whether your personal or business account supports the transaction type.
Country and partner availability are described in PayPal’s receiving article; currency and account rules appear in the U.S. User Agreement.
Personal versus business use
Personal accounts are intended for personal, family or household activity. PayPal says business accounts are for selling goods or services and receiving donations. Freelancers and sellers who primarily conduct commercial activity should use the account type intended for that activity; changing account type will not bypass identity checks, holds or risk reviews. Fees and dispute treatment can differ. PayPal’s current U.S. consumer-fee page says qualifying personal transactions without currency conversion have no receiving fee, while commercial and conversion charges follow applicable terms: consumer fees.
8. Treat “you received money” messages as unverified
Never pay a release, upgrade, clearance or verification fee to receive PayPal money. Do not provide a password, one-time code, gift card, cryptocurrency or remote access.
Sign in by typing PayPal’s address manually or using the official app. If no matching transaction appears in Activity, notifications or the Resolution Center, the message is not proof of payment. Be especially cautious about urgency, account-closure threats, unexpected attachments and links, or a sender who supplies only a screenshot.
If a purported limitation email is not reflected in the Resolution Center, PayPal says to forward it to [email protected] and delete it. If you clicked a link or opened an attachment, review account activity and change your password. See PayPal’s limitation and phishing guidance.
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9. Contact PayPal with usable evidence
Use the support option inside your logged-in PayPal account. Include:
- Transaction ID, date, amount and currency.
- Sender’s PayPal email address or phone number.
- The exact status or error text.
- A screenshot with passwords, full card numbers and security codes removed.
- Confirmation that the correct email or phone is linked and confirmed.
- Any Resolution Center case number.
Explain whether the failure is at addressing, claiming, account access, balance availability or withdrawal. That distinction helps support investigate the right transaction instead of treating it as a generic missing payment.
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