Would you use a PayPal Virtual Debit Card? |
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Since its inception the popular PayPal service, owned by eBay now for awhile, has generated passion on both sides. Some love it and some really, really hate it. We’ve used the service for years both from a business and personal standpoint and haven’t had any problems sending or receiving money. However, I’ve heard enough horror stories from people I trust and respect that I remain neutral on the service overall.
Recently, I’ve been hearing about Paypal offering a Virtual Debit Card and was intrigued.
Basically it generates a virtual card number each time you make a transaction online so you don’t have to use your personal debit or credit card number. Will people be more comfortable making online purchases with this, or will it flop because its too much of an inconvenience?
I didn’t see a way to sign up for and check out these Virtual Debit Cards through the link in the main slashdot story, so I scanned further down in the Slashdot comments where ahecht points out that this isn’t anything new:
Just go to paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/shop/vdebitThis feature has been around for years and years.
Following ahecht’s link, I tried to use and saw we didn’t qualify because we had no credit card associated with our PayPal account. I added a credit card and then immediately was able to use the system which pops up in two windows. A frame which fits along the bottom of the screen with a PayPal Virtual Debit Card number bearing the Mastercard logo (pictured above) and the fully maximized window of the shopping site you are at. You can visit other shopping sites. When you find what you want to buy you just copy/paste the info from the Virtual Debit Card to the form and the transaction deducts from your existing PayPal balance.
To answer the question posed by the Slashdot post, there are some places we shop at online that don’t accept PayPal directly and this seems like a fairly convenient solution, as long as you can remember the Paypal virtual debit card page. I’m not sure if what Slashdot is referring to is a newer version of the same thing (in beta) or if it’s what ahecht is pointing out as already being available for awhile, they could be different, but appear similar.
Am curious what other readers think of these virtual debit cards? Would/do you use them?
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well, apparently it’s been slashdotted…
just tried to shop through it at half.com, and got the following:
“We’re sorry. Due to heavy site load, this feature is unavailable at this time. Please try again in 24 hours.”
Comment by william — December 27, 2006 @ 7:52 pm PST
Is it back for you now, william? I just tried clicking on the bolded link above and it works fine here.
Comment by TDavid — December 27, 2006 @ 8:46 pm PST
The link works fine, it’s when you select a store that you get the error message. I tried 5 different ones, to no avail.
Comment by Candice — December 28, 2006 @ 5:53 am PST
Hi Candice - I was able to select multiple stores and go further in the process (note the screenshot in the post) — still am this morning — no problem. Are you sure your PayPal account is validated? If you see a red text error message that means you have to do some things like I had to do first. This wasn’t the slashdot effect, this was me needing to add a credit card to my account.
Then again, maybe I got through the process and it’s denying other folks?
Comment by TDavid — December 28, 2006 @ 9:13 am PST
I have a verified Paypal account with 2 credit cards on file and still receive the error: http://nietha.net/paypal.jpg
Perhaps it’s because I’m Canadian (therefore won’t work with US sites?), or because I have no balance? Although I only receive the error after a pick a site or click on “Go”… maybe Paypal should work on having more accurate error messages if “heavy site load” is not the actual reason. I personally don’t care as I’ve no problem paying directly with my credit cards, it’s just kinda curious.
Comment by Candice — December 28, 2006 @ 1:19 pm PST
Yeah that’s strange. Thanks for taking the screenshot. Maybe it is a US-only thing.
Comment by TDavid — December 28, 2006 @ 2:05 pm PST
I love the virtual debit card feature, but it only works if the store doesn’t require the 3 digit verification code from the back of the card. Last time I used it, Paypal had not added this as a feature and I could not complete my purchase.
I just ordered one of their physical debit cards and use that now.
Comment by Wayne — December 28, 2006 @ 2:40 pm PST
“I just ordered one of their physical debit cards and use that now.”
Me too, Wayne. Waiting for them to send that out.
Comment by TDavid — December 28, 2006 @ 5:55 pm PST
Wayne & TDvaid,
For the verification code thing, or what ever it is called, use a combonation of zeros. (000 or 0000).
Comment by Addurobi — January 10, 2007 @ 1:06 am PST
[…] Not sure what took our business so long to get a PayPal debit card but shortly after writing about the PayPal virtual debit card recently, we filled out the short online form request and had our business account approved within a business day. […]
Pingback by How to receive 1% cash back bonus with PayPal » Make You Go Hmm — January 14, 2007 @ 3:42 pm PST
I used the Paypal Virtual Debit Card for about two months, removed it from my system and would not use it again until they make some changes described below. I found it to be LESS SECURE than a standard credit card.
The Paypal literature states that a unique credit card number is generated for each transaction implying that the and is good for only one transaction. However each generated credit and is good for three months allowing unlimited transactions up to the total amount in all of the credit cards, debit cards and bank accounts listed with your Paypal account. I had two vendors charge my Paypal Virtual Debit Card for more than the one charge I authorized.
It took me one and one half hours on the phone with Paypal to find out I have to download a hard to find form, print it, fill it out and mail it to Paypal to contest a charge. All of my credit cards allow me to contest a charge over the phone. I am still waiting to find out if Paypal will refund the unauthorized transactions. (At the end of this post are the Paypal instructions for downloading and using the form to contest transactions)
It took me another hour on the phone to find out that I can cancel a virtual debit card through a supervisor. You have to call Paypal and request a supervisor to do this.
I would not recommend the Paypal Virtual Debit Card until it allows only one transaction for a set amount per card number And they provide a simpler means to contest a charge.
Instructions to locate the Chargeback Affidavit Form:
1. Log in to your account at https://www.paypal.com
2. Copy and paste this link: https://www.paypal.com/wf/f=dc_unauth in to your browser.
3. Click the “Affidavit of Disputed PayPal ATM/Debit Card Transactions”
link (This is the form used for virtual Debit Card disputes).
4. Complete the form. (You may leave the “ATM/Debit Card Number” field blank).
5. Click “Preview this form” at the bottom of the affidavit to view the completed form before printing it.
6. Click “Print Form”.
7. Once the form is printed, your signature is required.
Comment by Nelson Hochberg — March 17, 2007 @ 9:54 am PST
Great information Nelson, thank you for sharing.
Comment by TDavid — March 17, 2007 @ 10:05 am PST
[…] March a comment here by Nelson Hochberg pointed out how difficult and convoluted it was to contest charges for these virtual cards with PayPal […]
Pingback by Revisiting the Paypal Virtual Mastercard, er, now PayPal Secure Card? » Make You Go Hmm — November 19, 2007 @ 1:55 am PST