PayPal Anti-Gun

[WoofersInc]

I have been looking high and low for mags for my Cobb 50. I finally found a shop online that had some in stock. The shop requested that PayPal be used. PayPal banned the transaction. They have a policy of not allowing any transactions that are firearm related. No ammo, mags, parts, nothing.
I immediately called PayPal and have cancelled my account with them. I felt though that the shooting community needs to be aware of their anti-gun policies.

 

[gaudio5]

paypal anti-gun??? really?!?!?! jk everyone knows paypal sucks.

 

[ABTOMAT]

Dylan's gone electric, too.

 

[spankaveli]

They're not anti-gun, they're pro self-preservation.

http://www.njcsd.org/forum/showthread.php?t=66

 

[akanotken]

something not quite right here ....

How does a shop that sells gun parts stay in business by using pp?

Either you were the first customer to use them after paypal id'd the shop as gun stuff, or (more likely) you included a description of a part that alerted pp as to the nature of the trxn.

PP's anti 2a bias is well known. Folks usually go one of 2 routes. Boycott PP and use MO's, echecks, another service, CC's, etc.

OR

Be discreet about what is on the PP form. i.e.
"Drum that holds 100 army bullets" gets changed to "c drum"
"machinegun part maker" gets changed to RDIAS.
"WWII 1911" gets changed to "brownings finest period piece"


Hey, this is fun. Maybe I should start another thread asking for folks favorite "alternate descriptions"?

 

[budney]

Does anyone know...

...of a straight-up replacement? I.e., an online funds transfer agent, widely accepted on EBay, that allows firearm-related transactions?

I have some affection for e-gold, but they're banned at EBay...

--Len.

 

[CNYCacher]

 

[Big Calhoun]

Only alternative I can think of is a direct-bank transfer...if you want speed. I long stopped using E-Bay and PayPal over their horrendous service and ridiculous fees. My bank allows me to do free transfers to anyone with an account, and I think it's like $10.00 for an account outside the bank. I'll save the inconvience and just put up with the $10.00.

 

[SWMAN]

Ya gonna' cancel your ebay account too? Ebay and Paypal are owned by the same company, people.

 

[AZTOY]

I read this on other forum

The owner of GearPay is also the owner of another firearms forum, one that has had several "Flame Wars" with other boards and whose stated intention is to be "the only gun board on the internet".
He's made some enemies around the web with some impolitic things he has said and done and allowed to be said and done by his moderators.

<Forrest Gump voice> And that's all I've got to say about that. </Forrest Gump voice>

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

It's unfortunate that Paypal has a no firearm/accessory policy since when it comes to auction payments they are practically the only game in town.

I haven't had any purchases denied. I try to be ambiguous with the description of what the payment is for though. IMO it's none of PP's business anyway. With their mountain of user agreements they wouldn't be held accountable for selling the planet to N. Korea.

 

[bogie]

I don't think that Paypal is all that "anti." I just think they don't wanna take a chance on getting embroiled in all the legal crap that can hit the air handler in the event that someone does something illegal on an interstate firearms transfer. So, rather than spend person-_years_ learning and training, they just don't mess with it. It's a LOT easier to just say "no" to everything around a small percentage of their overall market.

Also, most "storefront" operations can deal with visa/mastercard - why not these folks?

 

[Desperado]

I used pp when I bought some magazines for my Marlin a few months back and a holster for my handgun about two months ago. I dont know why they messed with your transaction. Thats pretty messed up when a company tells you how you can or cant spend your money.

 

[MudCamper]

Ya gonna' cancel your ebay account too? Ebay and Paypal are owned by the same company, people

Ebay bought paypal. That's when the trouble started. Since then it's been all down hill.

CNYCacher, GearPay - that's interesting. Do you know how they make their money? Do they charge the seller a small fee or what?

 

[AndyC]

Dylan's gone electric, too.

Now that's funny

 

[hotpig]

They recently sent me a link to my web store and cancelled my account. I had no transactions with them other than some dvd's and misc purchases on Ebay.

I sent them proof that I used a credit card processing service and a copy of my Paypal account and the Ebay auctions showing that there was not any sneaky stuff on my PP use.

They sent me a automated reply saying this matter was not open for review.

 

[velojym]

Being a private company, I don't have any philosophical problem with their denying anything with which they aren't comfortable. If it's a government regulation/liability problem, then I'd look square at the bloodsucking lawyer/politicians.
As for the former, I'd not do business with them, as the same free market philosophy which has me shrugging my shoulders at their practices also allows me to avoid business with them, or anyone with whom I don't agree.

The government, on the other hand, doesn't give us the choice. Comply or die.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

My $0.02... I am anti-paypal.

I went through their verification process a while back. According to Paypal, it is to verify that you are who you say you are. After I changed my bank account, they un-verified me. I will stick to money orders.

 

[tmajors]

I've used my PayPal debit card to buy many gun related stuff with no problems, both in retail stores and online auctions.

I've used my PayPal debit card to pay for many things that they take credit cards, but emphatically state that they do not accept PayPal payments.

 

[akodo]

I was reading an article about how a lot of on-line escort services (prostitutes) are now using paypal

Similarly, I have heard that kraigslist bans firearms and firearm related sales, but I saw an interview of kraig, and he was asked about the sale of drugs and of prostitutes avertising on his site. His reply was along the lines of 'that stuff always goes on, if I try and stop it it just moves or goes underground'

seems to me he has it backwards. help law abiding people follow the law and do what they want, stand up and prevent lawbreakers from using your stuff to make their crimes even easier.

 

[gezzer]

Sell gun parts on Auction Arms or Gunbroker and see how long it takes for theme to seize your acount. PAYPAL Sucks.

 

[karlsgunbunker]

http://www.paystone.com/

Also gun friendly or at least not anti.

 

[chemist308]

Ya gonna' cancel your ebay account too? Ebay and Paypal are owned by the same company, people.

Absolutely.

 

[dfaugh]

there was a thread abouta week agoa about paypal, that talked about the many, many issues of using Paypal, besides the anti-gun stuff....Do a search...

 

[sansone]

scre* paypal+ebay