Comments on: PayPal’s Electronic Profiling http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=paypals-electronic-profiling Ideas, Development, Data and Design Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:32:03 +0000 hourly 1 By: Mbugua Njihia http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/comment-page-1/#comment-1697 Mbugua Njihia Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:46:05 +0000 http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/#comment-1697 I share the same frustration. We had our account flagged so many times despite telling PayPal that access for the next couple of months would be from Kenya as our partner who is based in the US was working from the Nairobi office. Numerous emails later and after tonnes of frustration and "frozen" cash, we wound up that account. We may reopen it later but the stress was not called for. How many times will be email or fax identification docs? But later i figured using US based proxies while accessing the service would have worked.Never got to try it though. I share the same frustration. We had our account flagged so many times despite telling PayPal that access for the next couple of months would be from Kenya as our partner who is based in the US was working from the Nairobi office. Numerous emails later and after tonnes of frustration and "frozen" cash, we wound up that account. We may reopen it later but the stress was not called for. How many times will be email or fax identification docs? But later i figured using US based proxies while accessing the service would have worked.Never got to try it though.

]]> By: jongos http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/comment-page-1/#comment-1680 jongos Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:58:31 +0000 http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/#comment-1680 Apparently over 15 comments on this thread have vanished. I have no idea how or why but it's got something to do with Intense Debate. Sorry for any inconvenience. Apparently over 15 comments on this thread have vanished. I have no idea how or why but it's got something to do with Intense Debate. Sorry for any inconvenience.

]]> By: jongos http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/comment-page-1/#comment-1681 jongos Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:51:26 +0000 http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/#comment-1681 Although I'd love to blame Paypal for that too, I'm certain they weren't behind it. lol Although I’d love to blame Paypal for that too, I’m certain they weren’t behind it. lol

]]> By: ally http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/comment-page-1/#comment-1677 ally Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:16:24 +0000 http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/#comment-1677 Jona, I understand the frustrations. Been facing the same for a while in trying to use PayPal from Uganda. I setup a paypal account in the US over six years ago. I always have to supply a credit card number as a way to verify my identity. Then I have to review a bunch of previous transactions and confirm that they were authorized by me, before I am allowed to do anything. I now avoid using PayPal, unless I really really really have to. Pray someone out there will come to our rescue in Africa! Jona, I understand the frustrations. Been facing the same for a while in trying to use PayPal from Uganda. I setup a paypal account in the US over six years ago. I always have to supply a credit card number as a way to verify my identity. Then I have to review a bunch of previous transactions and confirm that they were authorized by me, before I am allowed to do anything. I now avoid using PayPal, unless I really really really have to. Pray someone out there will come to our rescue in Africa!

]]> By: mcTim http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/comment-page-1/#comment-1668 mcTim Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:52:28 +0000 http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/#comment-1668 Folks have been complaining about this for years, from Pakistan to Pretoria. Smells like a market vacuum to me. Know any developers with ties to folks like Grameen and Google :-) Folks have been complaining about this for years, from Pakistan to Pretoria. Smells like a market vacuum to me. Know any developers with ties to folks like Grameen and Google :-)

]]> By: the Apprentice http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/comment-page-1/#comment-1667 the Apprentice Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:13:38 +0000 http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/#comment-1667 This is indeed shocking. My small business has to use paypal to make payments to our hosting providers.I never realised that we had indeed been blanketed as a scam continent. I suppose I could easily blame it on the nigerians but it's simply smells like a bit of racism or segregation. I'm honestly disappointed that a highly successful and innovative company like paypal can be so shallow at the same time. Thanks for the article. I will tread carefully. This is indeed shocking. My small business has to use paypal to make payments to our hosting providers.I never realised that we had indeed been blanketed as a scam continent. I suppose I could easily blame it on the nigerians but it's simply smells like a bit of racism or segregation. I'm honestly disappointed that a highly successful and innovative company like paypal can be so shallow at the same time. Thanks for the article. I will tread carefully.

]]> By: SimonB http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/comment-page-1/#comment-1665 SimonB Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:47:57 +0000 http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/#comment-1665 Thank you for this post and for highlighting this problem. The global monetory system is designed to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. This is something that sharEpay the firm I established in South Africa aims to change. Put the power into the hands of the people, with the worlds first person to person mobile cash transfer system. Why should it be so hard, expensive and time consuming to send $50 to my sister in Uganda, or R50 to my uncle in South Africa. Global person to person payment, will soon be possible. Well thats at least the idea, I am working to achieve with sharEpay. . Thank you for this post and for highlighting this problem.

The global monetory system is designed to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. This is something that sharEpay the firm I established in South Africa aims to change. Put the power into the hands of the people, with the worlds first person to person mobile cash transfer system.

Why should it be so hard, expensive and time consuming to send $50 to my sister in Uganda, or R50 to my uncle in South Africa. Global person to person payment, will soon be possible. Well thats at least the idea, I am working to achieve with sharEpay.

.

]]> By: Allan Rwakatungu http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/comment-page-1/#comment-1662 Allan Rwakatungu Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:16:09 +0000 http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/#comment-1662 Ive been trying to find a payment provider for a startup in Kla Uganda. Most of them(included google checkout) require that you have a verified US address; pay-pal does not but like this post alludes, their charge backs and reversals can take you out of business. I have found some guys called wallie who do prepaid payments (very friendly) .... all in all getting paid for a service out of Africa is a pain. Ive been trying to find a payment provider for a startup in Kla Uganda.
Most of them(included google checkout) require that you have a verified US address; pay-pal does not but like this post alludes, their charge backs and reversals can take you out of business.
I have found some guys called wallie who do prepaid payments (very friendly) …. all in all getting paid for a service out of Africa is a pain.

]]> By: Ssembonge http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/comment-page-1/#comment-1661 Ssembonge Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:13:26 +0000 http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/#comment-1661 I recently used Paypal while I was in Kenya to make payments and I did not encounter any problems. Ebay/Skype/Paypal have a thing about closing accounts before asking any questions. That is why I do not recommend anyone using Paypal as their sole merchant services provider because they can terminate their services without notice. I recently used Paypal while I was in Kenya to make payments and I did not encounter any problems.

Ebay/Skype/Paypal have a thing about closing accounts before asking any questions. That is why I do not recommend anyone using Paypal as their sole merchant services provider because they can terminate their services without notice.

]]> By: Ohmal http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/comment-page-1/#comment-1660 Ohmal Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:07:29 +0000 http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/09/07/paypals-electronic-profiling/#comment-1660 Can you use this post to mobilise a number of entrepreneurs you're incubating/investing in? As has been highlighted, you're not the only one facing this issue. What can be done to solve it? If it's a blanket ban in certain geo-located IP addresses, with enough users from those countries, could we not display the benefits (socially and financially) to organisations that would need to be involved? Just a thought Can you use this post to mobilise a number of entrepreneurs you’re incubating/investing in? As has been highlighted, you’re not the only one facing this issue. What can be done to solve it?

If it’s a blanket ban in certain geo-located IP addresses, with enough users from those countries, could we not display the benefits (socially and financially) to organisations that would need to be involved?

Just a thought

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