In June 2020, as the country grappled with the civil unrest that followed the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others, PayPal CEO Dan Schulman said that the company wouldn’t simply condemn racism, but would also take steps in the fight for racial equality, including a $535 million commitment to help Black- and minority-owned businesses and communities.
See Press Release: PayPal Announces $530 Million Commitment to Support Black Businesses, Strengthen Minority Communities and Fight Economic Inequality - Jun 11, 2020.
Corporate conductAllegationAgainst
PayPal is accused of defrauding Merchants through cookie stuffing
PayPal is accused of defrauding Merchants through cookie stuffing by surreptitiously redirecting Affiliate Commissions rightfully owed to Plaintiffs under the contracts.
Plaintiffs allege that PayPal through Honey has intentionally interfered with their contractual relationships with Merchants and Affiliate Networks and has surreptitiously redirected for itself Affiliate Commissions rightfully owed to Plaintiffs under the contracts by “cookie stuffing,” i.e., defrauding Merchants and Affiliate Networks to receive credit for purchases for which it did not actively perform any marketing as set forth by the parties’ contracts.
Privacy & surveillanceSettlementAgainst
PayPal settles over Venmo privacy and transfer misrepresentations
The Federal Trade Commission approved a settlement with PayPal over allegations that Venmo misled consumers about transferring funds to bank accounts and controlling transaction privacy.
PRESS RELEASE: PayPal Settles FTC Charges that Venmo Failed to Disclose Information to Consumers About the Ability to Transfer Funds and Privacy Settings; Violated Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
The Federal Trade Commission has reached a settlement with PayPal, Inc. over allegations that the company told users of its Venmo peer-to-peer payment service that money credited to their Venmo balances could be transferred to external bank accounts without adequately disclosing that the transactions were still subject to review and that funds could be frozen or removed.
PayPal Settles FTC Charges that Venmo Failed to Disclose Information to Consumers About the Ability to Transfer Funds and Privacy Settings; Violated Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act | Federal Trade Commission
PayPal Settles FTC Charges that Venmo Failed to Disclose Information to Consumers About the Ability to Transfer Funds and Privacy Settings; Violated Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
PayPal Settles FTC Charges that Venmo Failed to Disclose Information to Consumers About the Ability to Transfer Funds and Privacy Settings; Violated Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
The Federal Trade Commission has given final approval to a settlement with PayPal, Inc. over allegations that its Venmo peer-to-peer payment service misled consumers about their ability to transfer funds to external bank accounts and control the privacy of their Venmo transactions.
Privacy & surveillanceSettlementAgainst
PayPal settles for $1.75 million over deceptive practices
New Hampshire Attorney General Formella announced a $1.75 million settlement with PayPal over unfair and deceptive consumer practices.
New Hampshire Attorney General Formella announces $1.75 million relief settlement with PayPal concerning unfair and deceptive practices
“Today’s settlement with PayPal sends a strong message that companies who encourage consumers to trust them with their financial resources must be transparent regarding the ability of its customers to freely access their funds,” said Attorney General Formella.
New Hampshire Attorney General Formella announces $1.75 million relief settlement with PayPal concerning unfair and deceptive practices | New Hampshire Banking Department
Attorney General Formella Announces $1.75 Million and Injunctive Relief Settlement with PayPal, Inc. and PayPal Holdings, Inc. Concerning Unfair and Deceptive Practices | New Hampshire Department of Justice
“Today’s settlement with PayPal sends a strong message that companies who encourage consumers to trust them with their financial resources must be transparent regarding the ability of its customers to freely access their funds,” said Attorney General Formella.
A New Hampshire Department of Justice investigation raised serious concerns that PayPal had violated New Hampshire’s consumer protection laws by, among other things:
Attorney General Formella Announces $1.75 Million and Injunctive Relief Settlement with PayPal, Inc. and PayPal Holdings, Inc. Concerning Unfair and Deceptive Practices
The Department of Justice found that PayPal used deceptive advertising on being able to use funds anytime, imposing hurdles for "purchase protection" and implementing inadequate disclosures regarding the privacy of Venmo users' sensitive financial information, according to a news release.
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office reached a $1.75 million settlement with PayPal over unfair and deceptive practices, requiring significant changes to be made by both PayPal and Venmo.
The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office negotiated with PayPal, an e-payment platform, a $1.75 million injunctive relief settlement concerning unfair and deceptive practices, the office said Tuesday.
Workplace equitySettlementYou decide
PayPal settles $30M DEI program rollback
PayPal settles $30 million over DOJ forcing it to scrap its DEI business initiative.
PayPal made the decision to pay for employees to travel for abortions in necessary after the Texas Supreme Court upheld a law prohibiting abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, something that can happen within six weeks of pregnancy.
MasterCard, PayPal and Starbucks are among the companies on a growing list to say they'll help pay for employees to travel for abortions if the procedure is not available where they live.
Community investmentConfirmedIn favor
PayPal grants $250,000 to Los Angeles food bank
PayPal granted $250,000 to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank via its Corporate Advised Fund in response to wildfires.
Its 2024 annual report says it developed a rapid-response toolkit for PayPal and describes a $250,000 grant to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank from PayPal’s Corporate Advised Fund, which PPGF accelerated in response to Los Angeles-area wildfires.
Corporate conductSettlementAgainst
PayPal will pay $6 million to the Hawaiʻi Office of Consumer Protection to resolve a lawsuit alleging consumer-protection violations
PayPal has denied the claims, but will pay $6 million to OCP to resolve the lawsuit.
RELEASE: HAWAIʻI OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION ANNOUNCES $6 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH PAYPAL - DCCA Hawaii
PayPal has denied the claims, but will pay $6 million to OCP to resolve the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleged violations of Hawaiʻi’s consumer protection laws, including that, to encourage consumers to make and receive payments on PayPal and Venmo, PayPal deceptively advertises that it provides broad “Purchase Protection” for goods-and-services transactions on Venmo, privacy for Venmo users’ sensitive financial information, consistent and easy access to funds, and platforms safe from scams and fraud.
HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection (OCP), on behalf of the state of Hawaiʻi, announced today a settlement with PayPal, Inc. and PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PayPal).
The settlement resolves OCP’s lawsuit, filed in December 2022, alleging unfair and deceptive acts or practices through PayPal’s operation of the PayPal and Venmo e-payment platforms.
On December 20, 2022, a civil lawsuit captioned State of Hawai‘i, by its Office of Consumer Protection, v. PayPal, Inc., and PayPal Holdings, Inc., Case No. 1CCV-22-0001610, was filed in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit of the State of Hawai‘i (the “Hawai‘i Action”).
On December 20, 2022, a civil lawsuit captioned State of Hawai‘i, by its Office of Consumer Protection, v. PayPal, Inc., and PayPal Holdings, Inc., Case No. 1CCV-22-0001610, was filed in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit of the State of Hawai‘i (the “Hawai‘i Action”).
PayPal, Inc., and PayPal Holdings, Inc., Case No. 1CCV-22-0001610, was filed in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit of the State of Hawai‘i (the “Hawai‘i Action”). The Hawai‘i Action asserts claims for unfair and deceptive acts and practices under Hawai‘i Revised Statutes Sections 480-2(a) and 481A-3(a). Plaintiff seeks injunctive relief as well as unspecified penalties and other monetary relief. On July 14, 2023, the court denied Defendants’ motion to dismiss the complaint.
On December 20, 2022, a civil lawsuit captioned State of Hawai‘i, by its Office of Consumer Protection, v. PayPal, Inc., and PayPal Holdings, Inc., Case No. 1CCV-22-0001610, was filed in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit of the State of Hawai‘i (the “Hawai‘i Action”).
Workplace equityAllegationAgainst
Desai sued PayPal over allegations of racial bias in its investment program
The allegation involving PayPal concerns race and ethnicity.
PayPal is being sued by the founder of venture firm Andav Capital, Nisha Desai, who claims she was excluded from the payment giant's diversity and equity program because she is Asian, according to a suit filed this week.
In a consolidated class action, bloggers and influencers bring claims of unjust enrichment, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage and intentional interference of contractual relations against PayPal and its Honey browser extension.
Workplace equitySettlementAgainst
PayPal settles DOJ over 2020 investment program
PayPal settled a DOJ investigation over a 2020 program that guaranteed $530 million for Black and minority-owned businesses.
The settlement resolves a DOJ investigation into PayPal over a 2020 program that guaranteed a $530 million investment for Black and minority-owned businesses.
Speech & moderationConfirmedAgainst
PayPal bans Gays Against Groomers for political commentary
PayPal banned Gays Against Groomers, an LGBT group, for political commentary deemed right-wing.
PayPal's Acceptable Use Policy says its services cannot be used for activities that promote "hate, violence, racial or other forms of intolerance that is discriminatory," "items that are considered obscene," or "certain sexually-oriented materials or services."
In recent years, PayPal has been known to censor or deplatform organizations or individuals for certain political commentary, particularly that which is considered right-wing. It recently banned Gays Against Groomers, a group composed of LGBT-identifying people that claims to call attention to the sexualization and medicalization of children via gender ideology and the transgender movement.
Corporate conductConfirmedAgainst
PayPal withdraws 2027 financial targets
PayPal withdrew its 2027 long term financial targets following an announcement of disappointing financial results.
"Customer data was exposed after PayPal implemented changes to existing data flows to make IRS Form 1099-Ks available to more of its customers," explains DFS.
Following the faulty implementation, cybercriminals holding valid credentials for PayPal accounts were able to access those accounts and their 1099-K forms, which revealed a lot of sensitive information.
The settlement terms mandate that PayPal must pay a fine of $2 million within 10 days, while no further action will be taken unless New York's DFS discovers new violations.
The Department of Financial Services (DFS) action says that threat actors took advantage of security gaps in PayPal's systems to conduct credential stuffing attacks that provided access to sensitive customer information.
deceptively advertising that customers would be able to access their funds anytime when in fact, many consumers reported difficulty in doing so when PayPal wrongfully froze their accounts;
Corporate conductConfirmedAgainst
PayPal rejected first offer as insufficient
PayPal rejected the first offer as insufficient, indicating no guarantee talks would result in a deal.
In October 2024, PayPal provided a donation to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund to support recovery efforts in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.
Coca-Cola, Disney, Deloitte, GM, PayPal, Chipotle, Comcast, Accenture, Boeing, Molson Coors, Brown-Forman (Jack Daniels) – Also confirmed to be scaling back DEI initiatives.
Corporate conductConfirmedAgainst
PayPal Holdings Inc. — shares
The documented action involving PayPal Holdings Inc. concerns shares.
PayPal Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) shares tumbled sharply, falling over 12% in overnight trading following reports that a consortium led by Stripe and Advent International has abandoned its $53 billion takeover pursuit.
Corporate conductConfirmedAgainst
PayPal — financial services
Between September 19, 2009 and August 5, 20I3, PayPal appears to have violated§ 560.204 of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.P.R. part 560 (ITSR), when it exported financial services to Iran by processing 25 transactions totaling $2, I 09.82 that related to payment for purchases of goods or services destined for Iran.
Between September 19, 2009 and August 5, 20I3, PayPal appears to have violated§ 560.204 of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.P.R. part 560 (ITSR), when it exported financial services to Iran by processing 25 transactions totaling $2, I 09.82 that related to payment for purchases of goods or services destined for Iran.