If you worry about the security of linking your bank account to your paypal account, you can always set up a new bank account specifically for the paypal account. I know a lot of folks won't sign up for Paypal because they don't like linking their bank account to it. I've done it for years with no problem, but folks hear a horror store here and there and think that's the norm. I actually think paypal is much safer because I'm not giving my cc # to everyone I buy from. Only PP has my cc#. Please be aware of spoof emails that appear to come from PP tho. It may say something like you account is suspended, you have extra funds, you've sent a large sum payment to someone (when you know you haven't) and they need to verify that it was really what you meant to do, etc. The email will look very legitimate, but it always has a link in the email that you must click to take you to your account where you're asked to sign in. THEN the email sender gets your account info when you sign in from the link in the email. NEVER click on a link in a "paypal" email. Instead, open a new browser and go to paypal and log into your account yourself. Then you can check out the validity of any claims in the email. And forward the email to "spoof@paypal.com". They'll let you know if it came from them or not. NancyAnn

I read that and thought it might be good to post about it here and you had beat me to it LOL Thanks for posting I think it needs to be spread around since it seems they have been having a lot of success with it.

The reason terilyn gives for disliking them is probably the reason I like them. They won't give out info easily at all. Plus, a charge on your credit card you didn't make is your credit card companies responsibility to take care of. I had one on mine years ago for a company I never did business with. I never had to contact that company myself... my complaint was directly with the credit card company. You're probably mad at the wrong entity. Your gripe should have been with the credit card company, not Paypal. Next time send a certified letter to your credit card company stating you did not make those charges, and I think they probably have to take them off.

When I opened my account - and this may have chenged in the many years since then - you HAD to have a bank account and they verified who you were by putting a few pennies into the account and you would then report a day or two later how much that amount was. I never use my account for paying...I use a credit card. The problem with changing my bank account is that I have several automatic withdrawals each month - two of which are mortgages which ask for at least 30 days notice of any account change - and I am even at a loss for things like account numbers on some "paperless" monthly charges, like Comcast. I have been to the bank (actually, credit union) to fill out fraud papers and have spoken to both EBAY and Paypal. EBAY has no record of this "win" and someone WAS able to change my password for both my Ebay and PayPal accts. NO I have not responded to any phishing emails and I do have antivirus software installed.