Debit card online payments vs Paypal online payments, which is the safest and what are the pros and cons?

[Cockneycarl]

I've always used a debit card to make online payments and have wondered whether paypal is safer but haven't come to a conclusion as i know nothing about paypal and to be honest i don't know what rights, dangers or protection using my debit card brings either.
Can anyone knowledgeable about the two tell me which one's the safest and why?

[carlton23]

Paypal is regarded as the best of the two.

[boxtops]

With a debit or credit card, you have to enter your card details on line and they go through to the seller.

with PayPal, all that's behind the scenes, PayPal know your bank details but the person you're buying from never does, they just debit your PayPal account.

[Gizmonster]

Agreed with above - Paypal is def the safest option.
If you buy off a dodgey seller, or if the seller has an unscrupulous employee, then they have your card details to do with what they want.
With Paypal, all they'll have is your username (usually your email address I think). When you pay with Paypal, you have to log onto your account in order to make the payment, so unless they manage to hack your Paypal account, or find out your password in any way - they can't authorise any payments from your account.

[Cockneycarl]

Are the workers of paypal vetted and as reliable as bankers? What's to stop the paypal workers from passing along our details and how do you know that the site you use is really a paypal partner and that the paypal popup isn't a clone used to siphon away funds?

[boxtops]

Carl, you don't - but PayPal has a massive reputation, and any incident like that would seriously dent their standing. The questions you ask about vetting are ones we can't answer, you'd need to ask PayPal.

[boxtops]

... and "reliable as bankers"?? That's not very reliable then, in the current climate!

[vodkancoke]

I would trust Paypal before I would trust any banker!

[boxtops]

Me too, vodka, and I've been using PayPal for several years for my eBay transactions.

[tonyav]

I always use Paypal when I buy of Ebay.

[Cockneycarl]

I've just read this and tbh it's quite alarming

http://www.pcadvisor....aypal-account-hacked/

[rockyracoon]

Paypal all the way, you don't even need your debit card with you to purchase once it's registered, just your username and password.

[Frank97]

If you use Paypal but get them to charge your credit card rather than taking the money straight from your account you will get the protection of both.

[hc4361]

That is not true, D97. You are referring to s.75 of the Consumer Credit Act which states that if you buy goods or services over £100 and pay using your credit card then the credit card company is equally liable if things go wrong and you can't got your money back from the retailer.
This applies only to three party transactions - the buyer, the seller and the credit card company. The credit card must be used to pay the seller directly and not via a fourth party money handler like PayPal.

I don't know why you are alarmed by that report, Cockneycarl - the account holder lost nothing as PayPal realised something was wrong.

[boxtops]

I am no more alarmed by that report than I was when the hole in the wall told me it had given me £20, but spat out no money. It was investigated and the money was refunded.

[Frank97]

Ok, my mistake, I got the impression that was the case because of a company that closed down recently leaving lots of people in the lurch who had paid in full for a made to order leather jacket vie Ebay, the ones who had been charged through their credit cards got their money back much easier than the ones who had only used paypal.
Perhaps I misunderstood exactly what happened.

[sidkid]

Ebay strongly recommends that you use Paypal......but few realise that they actually own Paypal....

[hc4361]

I think most eBayers know that.

[sidkid]

Do you HC? I'm not sure that they advertise the fact very much anywhere...

[vivandorron]

Paypal always...if it were possible, for all 'on-line' purchases.

It's computers by which our transactions are being processed, not individuals; and I take the view that 'Paypal' will ensure that us mortals do not loose-out on internet purchases.

Ron.

[rosamundjohn]

PAY PAL will take the money from your elected bank account. You are therefore not giving out your credit card details online so are less likely to be skimmed......