PayPal: claiming buyer protection after a fake shop purchase
If you paid for goods via PayPal, you report a dispute within 180 days. If you cannot agree, you escalate it to a buyer protection claim within 20 days. Payments to “friends and family” are excluded.
Calculate your deadline
Deadline: 180 days from payment for the dispute, then 20 days for the buyer protection claim. Starts: Date on which you sent the payment.
Enter the date. The calculator then shows the end of the deadline and the days left.
- 180 daysopen a dispute
After that you have 20 days to escalate the dispute to a buyer protection claim. These 20 days count from the dispute, not from the payment.
The calculator counts calendar days and runs only in your browser. It does not replace information from your bank, whose terms apply.
Step by step
Check in your PayPal account whether the payment was “goods and services”. Buyer protection does not cover “friends and family”.
Send the shop a short message with a deadline, via PayPal or email, and save it.
Open “Resolution Centre”, choose the payment and report “item not received” or “significantly not as described”.
If you cannot agree, file the buyer protection claim within 20 days of reporting. Otherwise PayPal closes the dispute.
Upload the requested evidence in time. PayPal may also ask for a police report.
What to say and write
Call first, then send a written confirmation. Replace the square brackets with your details. Never include passwords, PINs or TANs; no legitimate party will ask for them.
On [date] I paid [amount] euros via PayPal to [shop address], transaction code [code]. The goods have not arrived and the shop does not respond. I have opened a dispute and want to escalate it to a buyer protection claim. Which documents do you need, and by when?
Hello, on [date] I paid [amount] euros via PayPal to the shop [shop address] (transaction code [code], payment type goods and services). The goods ordered have not arrived to date. My message to the shop of [date] went unanswered. I believe the shop is fraudulent and have filed a police report (reference [reference], if available). I request a refund under PayPal Buyer Protection. I attach the order confirmation, proof of payment and my message to the shop. Kind regards [Name]
Attach the order confirmation, proof of payment and your message to the shop.
What you will be asked
- Transaction code and date of the payment.
- Whether you tried to resolve the problem with the seller.
- Order confirmation, receipts and, if applicable, a police reference number.
- Whether you have already reported the same case to your credit card provider.
What to avoid
- Do not also dispute with your card company while the PayPal case is open. According to PayPal, this ends the buyer protection case.
- Do not let the 20-day deadline for the claim pass.
- Do not reverse a direct debit to PayPal to shortcut the case. PayPal may resubmit the debit and the amount stays open.
- Make no new payments to the shop, not even for supposed customs or shipping fees.
Background
How this route works
According to its terms, PayPal holds the money connected with the transaction in the seller’s account until the dispute is resolved. Whether money is still there when a fake shop empties its account is beyond your control. That is why an early dispute matters more than using the full 180 days. “Item not received” is ruled out if the seller provides proof of delivery, so keep tracking numbers that lead nowhere too.
What the law says
Excluded are, among others, payments via “friends and family”, payments not sent through your PayPal account, and gift and prepaid cards. If you used a credit card as the funding source in PayPal, PayPal requires you to choose whether to pursue the case with PayPal or with the card provider.
Do this in parallel
- Overview for those affectedOrder of steps, evidence, securing accounts.
- File a police reportPayPal may ask for a reference number.
Other payment methods
- SEPA direct debit8 weeks from the debit, 13 months for an unauthorised direct debit
- Credit card (chargeback)No statutory deadline; the card networks set it, your bank tells you the one that applies
- Klarna buyer protection120 days for “item not received”
- Bank transfer and instant transferNo reversal deadline; recall via the recipient’s bank, answer within 15 banking days
Frequently asked questions
What if I chose “friends and family”?
Then PayPal Buyer Protection does not apply under the terms. Report the incident to PayPal anyway and file a police report. Fake shops often ask for this payment type on purpose.
What happens after the 180 days?
You can then no longer open a dispute under the buyer protection procedure. Ask PayPal anyway, and check whether another route is open, for example a credit card as funding source.
This overview is independent editorial consumer information and not legal advice. It reflects German law and the terms of the providers named as of the check date. The current terms of your bank or payment provider are authoritative. For your individual case, a consumer advice centre or a lawyer can help.