Conventionally, you can’t withdraw money from a permanently limited PayPal account or spend money on a limited PayPal account. However, I’ve made this guide through my experiences to help you recover your money before 180 days. The permanent PayPal limit is there to stop people from removing their bank accounts or cards. As such, you won’t also be able to open another PayPal account with the bank information. Perhaps, that’s when you want to consider a stealth PayPal account.
If the sender does not open any disputes in 180 days, PayPal normally allows you to withdraw the funds as long as you’re more than 18 years old and the PayPal account was opened in your legal name and the country of your residence, and not a banned country.
Do note that PayPal sometimes confiscates funds under this policy: https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/ua/useragreement-full?locale.x=en_US#actions.
Also, Paypal may request documentation from you before you are allowed to withdraw the funds.
How to withdraw money from a permanently limited PayPal account
If you can’t wait to withdraw money from a limited PayPal account before 180 days, do the following:
1. Identify the reason for the limitation
PayPal may limit an account for various reasons, such as verification issues, unauthorized transactions, or if it suspects illegal activity. Before proceeding to withdraw money from a permanently limited PayPal account, determine why your account is limited in the first place.
2. Contact PayPal
My first suggestion is for you to contact PayPal. You can contact them by phone to get the limit removed. But before you proceed with the PayPal account permanently limited appeal, be sure that the account limit notification is actually from PayPal. It could even be a scam, so you want to be 100% certain before you click the links in your email.
First, try to log into your PayPal account before taking any further action to appeal for your permanently limited account to be restored.
In the past, I’ve received a dozen emails notifying me that my account is permanently limited when in fact it was not because those emails were scams. I advise you to visit your account directly to confirm and don’t click the link from your email.
If your account has indeed been permanently limited and you need to withdraw money from a permanently limited PayPal account, it may now be too late but use the PayPal contact options by clicking help/contact at the bottom left of PayPal pages. You can contact PayPal through:
- Phones. Paypal phones are slowly re-opening and increasing in numbers. Try using the guest option if you can’t log into your account.
- Live chat. The live chat is also randomly available, so try using that to reach PayPal.
- Message PayPal. PayPal may allow you to send them a message during business hours whilst logged out of your account.
- Social media. Try contacting PayPal customer service via their Twitter or Facebook handle. PayPal’s Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/PayPal and @AskPayPal for Twitter.
3. Wait for 180 days
Is PayPal refusing to release funds? Try waiting for 180 days. After 180 days have passed, you can withdraw and spend money from your permanently limited PayPal account.
PayPal will allow you to move funds to your bank account. You may have to update or add your bank account details to withdraw your money. In fact, this is the surefire way to withdraw money from a permanently limited PayPal account.
Read also: getting PayPal to release funds faster!
4. Sell your limited PayPal account
If for whatever reason you can’t get to withdraw money from a permanently limited PayPal account or spend from your permanently limited PayPal using the methods above, you want to sell the PayPal account.
Unfortunately, this is against PayPal policy and both you and the account buyer will be in violation. Note also that you would be selling your personal information to someone who may use your identity to commit fraud.
Why does PayPal permanently limit accounts?
It’s also important to know the possible reasons why PayPal may have limited your funds. With this knowledge, you should be able to protect your account in the future if you decide to go against PayPal policy and open another account.
1. Counterfeit item sales
If you sold counterfeit goods, it could be the reason PayPal permanently limited your account. You provided false or misleading information to the buyer which is against PayPal policy.
2. Fraudulent funds
Did you recently send or receive fraudulent funds into your PayPal account? PayPal probably took the funds to be potentially fraudulent and placed a permanent limit on your account.
3. Double dipping
You’ll be limited by PayPal if you try to double dip while a dispute is ongoing by receiving or trying to receive funds from PayPal and the seller, bank, or card issuer for the same PayPal transaction.
5. Unauthorized use of your account
Perhaps, PayPal thought someone else was using your account without your permission. In some cases, you’ll notice declined PayPal payments.
But in this case, usually, they just limit the account to protect you from being fraudulently charged while the PayPal team investigates any suspicious transactions.
Moreover, PayPal will take the same investigative steps if your bank or debit/credit card issuer informs PayPal about someone using your card without permission.
6. Your account does not comply with regulatory requirements
PayPal also limits accounts, even permanently, if it’s not in compliance with regulatory requirements. For example, if failed to provide documents confirming that you’re a registered nonprofit organization receiving donations, your account could be limited.
In most cases, however, PayPal only temporarily limits your account while you gather the documents to satisfy any other regulatory requirements.
7. PayPal policy violation
PayPal will permanently limit your account if you are found in violation. You’ve probably violated PayPal’s Acceptable Use policy. This permanent limitation takes place if you have been selling banned items such as prescription drugs or guns or you created a new account after initially getting banned.
8. High number of claims and chargebacks
If your account has recorded a high number of claims and chargebacks, PayPal will permanently limit it after investigation and account review show that you’re at fault.
While the review is underway, PayPal will still limit your account but not permanently until you’re found to be in severe violation.
9. Changes in sales
If your number of sales has suddenly and rapidly changed, thereby increasing the amount of money you earn, you’ll experience the first stage of limitation while PayPal investigates the cause of the surge.
Apart from a sudden increase in the number of items you sell, if you start selling an entirely new type of product, specifically high-end items such as jewelry, PayPal will limit your account. If PayPal eventually finds an unexplainable reason for the changes, they can permanently limit your account after the review.
Ultimately, if any PayPal account you own is permanently limited, it will affect other accounts that you manage if PayPal traces them to you.
