If you suspect a PayPal scam, first secure your account and then report the issue through the route that matches what happened. A payment you did not authorize is handled differently from a purchase that never arrived, an unwanted billing agreement, or an unpaid suspicious request. Acting quickly matters: PayPal’s US deadlines vary by issue, and reporting does not guarantee reimbursement.
This guide reflects PayPal US guidance. PayPal’s procedures and your rights can vary by country, transaction type, and funding source.
First, secure your account and check what happened
Open PayPal by entering its address in your browser or using the app you already have. Don’t use links or phone numbers in an unexpected email, text, invoice, or message. PayPal advises that if an account action is genuinely needed, you can find it by logging in directly: PayPal’s guidance on spotting fake emails and websites.
If someone may have accessed your account, change your PayPal password and security questions right away. Review your email address, phone number, mailing address, linked cards and bank accounts, recent transactions, and automatic payments. Change the password for the email account tied to PayPal, and for any other account that reused an exposed password. PayPal also recommends contacting your bank or card issuer if financial details may be compromised: PayPal’s fraud and unauthorized-transaction guidance.
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- TEST THE CARD: Test the card is working at your local supermarket. At the self-service checkout machines, combine the card and a contactless card on the payment reader. Payment with the contactless card will be blocked and an error message should occur on the reader.
Write down the transaction date, amount, recipient, and any relevant communications. Keep receipts and messages that may help explain what happened. Separately check connected bank and card accounts for unfamiliar activity.
Choose the reporting path that fits the problem
A payment you did not authorize
Use PayPal’s Resolution Center to report an unauthorized transaction. On the web, the route is Resolution Center → Report a problem → select the payment → Continue → “I want to report unauthorized activity”, then follow the prompts. PayPal says it will investigate and email an update within 10 days; that is a response window, not a promise of a refund. See PayPal’s steps for reporting unauthorized activity.
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Before reporting, check whether the charge was actually an automatic payment or subscription, or whether another person with access to your account made it. If it is a recurring payment you recognize but no longer want, cancel the automatic payment rather than describing it as unauthorized. If you still believe it was unauthorized, report it promptly.
A purchase you made that never arrived or was materially different
For an authorized purchase, open a seller dispute in the Resolution Center and select the issue that matches the facts. Choose Item Not Received if the item did not arrive; choose Significantly Not as Described if what arrived was materially different from the listing. PayPal describes the process at How to open a dispute with a seller.
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A dispute is a chance to resolve the issue with the seller. If you cannot resolve it, escalate it to a claim before the dispute closes so PayPal can review it. PayPal says disputes automatically close after 20 days unless escalated, and it often requires at least 7 days after payment before escalation. Check the case status and any instructions in your Resolution Center rather than waiting until the last day.
An unwanted subscription or billing agreement
Review PayPal’s automatic-payment settings and cancel a billing agreement you no longer want. If the charge was not authorized, report the transaction as unauthorized as well; cancelling future payments does not by itself dispute a charge that has already occurred. For a statement error that is neither an unauthorized transaction nor a purchase dispute, PayPal lists a separate reporting timeframe below.
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- SECURE YOUR WALLET FROM e-PICKPOCKETING: Prevent potential identity and financial theft through your contactless cards. This is the simplest and most effective prevention solution! Block RFID and NFC signals, protect your personal information, and enjoy peace of mind wherever your travels or business take you.
- JAMMING CHIP: An antenna and jamming chip makes up the main components of the card. The antenna will sense incoming radio waves and draw power for the chip to create a jamming signal. Lifetime usage as the card does not require battery.
- BROAD WORKING DISTANCE: With a 2.4” working distance, your entire wallet stays protected. The premium RFID blocking card helps secure cards within 1.2” on either side, providing reliable protection against electronic pickpocketing.
- ULTRA-THIN & COMPACT: At the size of a standard credit card and at only 0.03” thick, the card will fit into any wallet, purse or card case. Keep your wallet compact with no added bulk from this card. Best for travel, business, and everyday use.
- TEST THE CARD: Test the card is working at your local supermarket. At the self-service checkout machines, combine the card and a contactless card on the payment reader. Payment with the contactless card will be blocked and an error message should occur on the reader.
An invoice or money request you have not paid
Do not pay a suspicious invoice or money request, call a number printed in it, or visit a suspicious link. Report an unwarranted request from PayPal’s website or app. If you received a suspicious PayPal email, forward it to [email protected], then delete the message. PayPal explains these scams at its invoice and money request scam guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Know the PayPal US filing deadlines
PayPal’s current US dispute-filing-timeframes page lists these windows. They depend on the type of problem, so identify the right category and check the live terms before relying on a deadline:
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- Item Not Received: file within 180 days after payment.
- Significantly Not as Described: file within 30 days after delivery or fulfillment, or 180 days after payment, whichever is sooner.
- Other statement errors, excluding unauthorized transactions: report within 60 days after the first statement showing the issue.
- Unauthorized activity: PayPal says to report it “at once”; it does not state a universal numerical limit for this category on the cited page.
These are PayPal US policy timeframes, not a substitute for any rights or deadlines that may apply through your card issuer, bank, or local law. See PayPal’s dispute filing timeframes and act as soon as possible.
Coordinate PayPal with your bank or card issuer
Contact the fraud department at the bank or credit union connected to the payment, or the number on the back of the card, if that account or card may be affected. Ask what protections and deadlines apply to your specific payment source. PayPal and an issuer do not always offer parallel routes for the same transaction.
For a Purchase Protection issue, PayPal says that pursuing a dispute with the card issuer means you cannot later pursue a PayPal dispute or claim for that same issue. Its guidance treats unauthorized activity and billing errors differently depending on the issue and funding source. Before choosing a route, explain the transaction to the institution and ask how a case there may affect a PayPal case. Details are in PayPal’s guidance on transaction errors after filing with a financial institution.
Take follow-up steps if personal or financial data may be exposed
If the incident may involve identity theft or access beyond PayPal, consider broader containment and reporting. PayPal lists contacting your bank or card issuer, reporting identity theft or fraud to the FTC, reporting relevant internet crime to the FBI’s IC3, contacting local law enforcement, and placing fraud alerts with credit bureaus as possible steps. These actions can help document or limit wider exposure; they are not promises of a PayPal refund. Consult PayPal’s fraud and unauthorized activity page for current guidance.
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