Posts by Lawrence Hall10

Look, there are probably smarter ways to handle this, but I was in such a rush to snag a better deal that I didn't give it much thought. 😛
Honestly, the security flaws in these apps are what really get to me. How does an unauthorized payment even slip through a system like Mastercard? Why did PayPal let it happen in the first place, and why on earth would Venmo cancel a transaction only to have it automatically retry a few days later without a single notification?

I’m relatively young, so I can navigate this digital mess somewhat easily, but imagine how overwhelming this would be for someone older. A legitimate, high-end application shouldn't have "better" or "worse" ways to operate—it should just work, flawlessly, every single time. And when things inevitably break, customer service should actually step up and fix it, rather than making you hunt them down like a detective.

It’s always a bit easier to hold a conversation when there’s actually some breathing room in your wallet. And look, you hit the nail on the head—avoiding those massive transfers isn't necessarily a bad thing; there are definitely upsides to playing it safe.
I went ahead and linked my Visa to my PayPal account so the funds pull directly whenever I need to pay for something. Now, my Cash App balance basically looks like $333, since everything is tied back to that card.
When I use PayPal to checkout, it just hits the card and the transaction is done. Simple as that...
Man, what a headache. :-)

First off, just wanted to update everyone: I sent an email to PayPal requesting they restore my balance to its state prior to that phantom withdrawal, following some legal advice. There are specific laws governing this kind of thing.
After a bit of waiting, they actually got back to me and returned the funds, so everything is settled now.
Phew... I was already picturing myself checking out early from life when I told my wife about it.

I went back through some old statements and realized they have PDF versions available now, so that was my own oversight. If I had needed them urgently a few days ago, they wouldn't have been there and I would've been stuck, but I needed hard copies as proof for daycare and stuff. Usually, when I use PayPal, I stick to bills I can verify instantly online, like Exelon or my phone provider.

The Keks Pay thing just popped into my head because I was in a rush. My insurance company had this great discount running, and it was the very last day of the promotion. On the insurance site, there was only a QR code, no standard barcode... so I somehow convinced myself I could make it work in my head. 🤦
But honestly, it shouldn't even matter... My logic was: I make the payment, it goes through, and then a few days later I see it was reversed and re-processed. But the insurance company never actually received the money, and there's no record of any successful payment in Keks Pay—just a notification that it was voided. Meanwhile, the PayPal app is showing these bizarre, nonsensical transactions. Where the hell did the money go? 😵
In my opinion, the aircash MASTERCARD should at least allow you to view all transaction details properly.

PayPal Mastercard Keks Pay scam - my money vanished from my account

My experience today dealing with the PayPal Mastercard, Keks Pay, and Laqo insurance.
I’ve been using PayPal for a while now—sometimes just to cover utility bills—but this time I planned to pay my Laqo auto insurance through the Keks Pay app, where I have my PayPal Mastercard linked.
I scanned the QR code around 7 PM, and everything seemed to go through perfectly fine. But then, two days later, the PayPal app shows me that this "successful" transaction was actually reversed at 11 PM that same night. To make matters worse, two days after that, Keks Pay pulled the exact same amount from my account again, completely without my authorization.

I called Laqo insurance, and they basically told me they have nothing to do with it; the payment never reached them.
Erste Bank (the Keks Pay side) isn't giving me any answers either.
And PayPal? They’re playing dumb, acting like their technical department is "looking into it"... meanwhile, the money is just gone.

I’ve been asking PayPal to provide a formal payment confirmation for this transaction. Nothing. Zilch.

Listen, people! Avoid these digital wallets and apps unless you absolutely have to. Especially when it comes to paying your bills. There was a time when you could easily download a PDF receipt from PayPal to prove a payment was made. That feature is gone. At this point, who knows if they’re even actually paying your utilities at all.
It's a good thing I have one cousin who's a lawyer and another who's a journalist, so we'll be handling this quietly. :-)