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[dex3108]

According to an internal source, the online payment company Paypal today initiated a mass chargeback on "thousands" of Sony Entertainment Network transactions, for reasons yet-unknown. Because these transactions were charged back it has ended up putting the PSN accounts affected into debt, which triggers the system to auto-ban that account until it's back in the black.

Sony is apparently speaking with Paypal in order to work out what has caused this problem and fix it, we've contacted both for comment, but at the minute this is all the information available.

http://www.kotaku.co.uk/2017/06/29/psa-paypal-just-did-a-mass-chargeback-on-psn-transactions

Plot thickens

Just saw this on the Kotaku page in the comments.

Just off the phone with PayPal. They have advised that this error is on Sonys end and is to do with them closing or somehow limited their GDP account, meaning that the funds didn't credit the accounts.

 

[hwy_61]

Oh no. I hope this doesn't result in massive bans. Even temporary bans would suck

 

[Captain Zyrain]

That's, uh, not good.

 

[10k]

Wish they would have charged back No Man's Sky.

 

[eternalcircle]

Maybe this will be good cause for them to finally re-evaluate their chargeback = automatic ban policy.

 

[Plum]

Fucking what?! I guess hat's why my PSN transactions were "pending" when I checked.

I'm gonna go back to pre-paid cards, I can't trust anyone when it comes to purchases on the Playstation. Sony, Paypal need to get their shit together.

 

[Vanethyr]

Welp.

This would explain why I can't get onto the store anymore.

Just checked my PayPal e-mail folder and lo and behold, there was an e-mail titled "Your Payment was Returned".

Edit: Here's the e-mail if anyone's interested:

 

[TheGamingBox]

how would you know you are affected?

 

[KHlover]

Once again glad I don't have any payment info connected to my PSN account. No matter what turns out to be the cause of this - I won't have to deal with Sony's awful CS reps.

 

[Fireblend]

Oh no, I just bought Ratchet and Clank the other day.

My account better be safe.

 

[WaterAstro]

Trying to understand the situation.

Customers are doing the chargeback via Paypal on PSN, right?
And when the chargeback occurs, Sony's system puts the PSN account that made the chargeback in a banned state until they can clear out the debt.

 

[Cruxist]

And maybe Sony will change their auto ban policy because of this.

Or not, and they'll continue to have horrible customer service.

 

[Alkastelca]

Paypal:

 

[eternalcircle]

Trying to understand the situation.

Customers are doing the chargeback via Paypal on PSN, right?
And when the chargeback occurs, Sony's system puts the PSN account that made the chargeback in a banned state until they can clear out the debt.

But it's saying that PayPal itself initiated the chargeback on thousands of purchases today. Doesn't seem like it's just users simply doing a chargeback.

 

[stuiggs07]

Just been trying to deal with this. Spoke to Sony and they weren't very helpful, just told me to wait for further instructions. Currently trying to get in touch with Paypal to see whats happening on their end.

 

[Kadin]

Wow. Think this might alter Sony's approach to immediately ban?

 

[Spade]

...wow. So glad I get prepaid cards instead of using my card or paypal on these services.

 

[Fisty]

Holy shit, this must have been why I couldn't check out with PayPal these last 2 days.

Thank god it didn't let me, I would have been pissed if I caught a ban for that shit. Plus I found 10% off cards on ebay

 

[adj_noun]

There's an easy way to tell if you're affected: check your email. Those who are should find an email from Paypal about a refund from transactions relating to Playstation.

Paypal folks may want to take a look.

 

[cyberheater]

Wow. Think this might alter Sony's approach to immediately ban?

Why would it?

 

[Grim Patron]

Screw this. Done with it. Gonna stick to steam where the platform holder actually cares for me.

 

[LQX]

PayPal and digital codes sometimes do not mix. Many people bought codes from them for BestBuy and other stores only to find out the funds have been stolen. I had no idea until weeks later. I was lucky I got a refund without any issues and I imagine there are still many sitting on digital codes with no value.

 

[Iva Demilcol]

Hope they don't do the same in other countries. I use PayPal for 90% of my online transactions, PS store included.

 

[Retro Edge]

Oh no. I hope this doesn't result in massive bans. Even temporary bans would suck

Oh it will. :/

 

[darkside31337]

Wow. Think this might alter Sony's approach to immediately ban?

I think it'd be more likely they'd just stop doing business with Paypal?

 

[DataGhost]

Wow. Think this might alter Sony's approach to immediately ban?

No. They can be quite stubborn.

 

[Ban Puncher]

 

[benicillin]

Everyone does know that Steam will ban your account for chargebacks too, right?

 

[Ein Bear]

Didn't they just recently do a 'change primary payment method to PayPal and get a PSN credit voucher' deal as well? Can see a lot of people getting hit by this.

 

[Fisty]

Screw this. Done with it. Gonna stick to steam where the platform holder actually cares for me.

Uhhh this is Paypals fault

 

[Plum]

Paypal folks may want to take a look.

Nothing in my email but my Paypal account has one of my past PSN purchases as "pending." Funnily enough it's not the most recent, the most recent is just in "completed" as usual.

 

[Kassu]

Haven't noticed anything weird on my Paypal or PSN accounts but removed Paypal payment method from my account just in case

 

[TeeDoff]

I bought 12months of Ps+ membership on the 9th June, yet the payment is still pending in my account - just checked and wasn't cancelled, bit still seems odd?

 

[Kadin]

Why would it?

Because a situation like this, which isn't caused by the consumer directly, creates another shitstorm of bad PR for them. Or they just ignore it and continue on, I guess.

 

[Lothars]

Screw this. Done with it. Gonna stick to steam where the platform holder actually cares for me.

How is this Sony's fault at all? It looks like it's paypal that caused the issue or does that hurt the narrative your trying to start?

 

[Jeremy]

Those affected need to get ready to lose everything.

 

[Cess007]

Screw this. Done with it. Gonna stick to steam where the platform holder actually cares for me.

Everyone does know that Steam will ban your account for chargebacks too, right?

lol

Either way, Sony should just move fast and lift the ban on the affected accounts due Paypal error

 

[Plum]

How is this Sony's fault at all? It looks like it's paypal that caused the issue or does that hurt the narrative your trying to start?

Uhhh this is Paypals fault

Whynotboth.jpg

It's Sony's policy of banning automatically on chargeback that's causing the bans (and their responsibility to unban the accounts of those affected) and it's Paypal's fuck up that's showing how crap that policy is.

 

[J4g3r]

I haven't used my PayPal on Sony's store for a very long time (last time was 2015 and it seems I haven't been affected), switched to buying cards off Amazon after seeing all the "hacked" threads pop up.

 

[Salty Rice]

One of the many reasons why only pay in PSN cards.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

Those affected need to get ready to lose everything.

Sony let's you buy a PSN card and give them the code over the phone to put your account in the positive to get unbanned in chargeback situations.

 

[benicillin]

Whynotboth.jpg

It's Sony's policy of banning automatically on chargeback and it's Paypal's fuck up that's showing how crap that policy is.

I'm fairly sure that every platform holder will ban or suspend an account that has a chargeback. That's like, a normal policy.

 

[JaseC]

Everyone does know that Steam will ban your account for chargebacks too, right?

Valve stopped doing that more than half a decade ago:

#1 is wildly incorrect. If he's referring to chargebacks specifically, even that is off the mark as Valve stopped banning/disabling/suspending accounts all the way back in early 2011 in favour of implementing a restriction-based penalty system that just denies access to certain features and doesn't get in the way of library access at all. Additionally, in cases of a chargeback, full functionality is automatically restored after nine weeks (not my image):

 

[pelican]

My account is banned. Fuck Sony.

 

[Shin]

Screw this. Done with it. Gonna stick to steam where the platform holder actually cares for me.

Lmao...
LMRTFY ---> PayPal's system triggered a charge back, has nothing to do with Sony doing anything, beside that their system which is probably like most will trigger a auto-ban.

And another one...

My account is banned. Fuck Sony.

 

[Kill3r7]

Once again glad I don't have any payment info connected to my PSN account. No matter what turns out to be the cause of this - I won't have to deal with Sony's awful CS reps.

Ditto. I don't understand why you would use anything but a PSN card to replenish your account.

 

[GetDigitized]

Hmm there was a promotion recently where Sony was going to email a £5 voucher if you linked your pp. I did that begrudgingly, luckily I didn't spend anything.

My account is banned. Fuck Sony.

Not sony's fault.

This is why PR have to be careful with everything they do. People blame them just for standing.
Yes Sony's system autobans until the account balance becomes positive, but that's not absurd or non-standard.

 

[Lifeline]

This is why I only pay with PSN cards. No PayPal or Credit cards.

 

[LelouchZero]

I don't think I've used PayPal with PSN before. I just use PSN cards and occasionally a debit card for something like a £5 purchase.

EDIT: Actually, I don't use debit cards on PSN. I did use PayPal a couple of months ago for a really small purchase though.

 

[benicillin]

Valve stopped doing that more than half a decade ago.

They should update their support page then.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=5406-WFZC-5519