Paypal stopped a hacker from charging my Apple App store account years ago. I was inline while it was happening and couldn't get anyone in Apple customer service live at the time. I was able to get ahold of PayPal and they blocked new charges. It took about 3 days to get the first couple of payments reversed. Since it was the app store it didn't amount to much money but it was scary watching it happen real time. That said, I only use them for online payments not regular bills. I would never use them or any third party service for regular payments. I use them as a buffer between my bank accounts and online merchants. Answer from Deleted User on reddit.com
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PayPal
paypal.com › us › cshelp › article › is-paypal-safe--help321
Is PayPal safe? | PayPal US
PayPal offers secure online payment services with protection for both buyers and sellers, ensuring safe transactions and the safety of personal information.
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Security.org
security.org › home › digital safety › is paypal safe?
Is PayPal Safe?: What You Need To Know | Security.org
September 30, 2025 - Despite all of PayPal’s security features, it has downsides. After all, no service — no matter how good — is perfect. PayPal, however, really is one of the safer digital-payment services, and the risks of using it are minimal.
People also ask

Is it safe to link my bank account to PayPal?
Linking your bank account to PayPal is generally safe, as PayPal employs encryption and robust security measures to safeguard your information. However, it's important to regularly monitor your account for any suspicious activity, such as unauthorized transactions or unfamiliar logins. If you spot any discrepancies, report them to PayPal immediately.
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us.norton.com
us.norton.com › blog home › scams › is paypal safe? discover paypal’s safety features and potential risks
Is PayPal Safe? Discover PayPal’s safety features and potential ...
Is PayPal safe to use with strangers?
PayPal can be safe to use with strangers if you mark payments as Goods and Services, which offers buyer protection. Avoid sending Friends and Family payments to people you don’t know personally.
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us.norton.com
us.norton.com › blog home › scams › is paypal safe? discover paypal’s safety features and potential risks
Is PayPal Safe? Discover PayPal’s safety features and potential ...
Is PayPal safer than a credit card?
Both PayPal and credit cards offer strong security, but credit cards generally provide better fraud protection and chargeback options. On the other hand, when you use PayPal, don’t share your credit card details directly with merchants, which helps to shield your sensitive financial data.
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us.norton.com
us.norton.com › blog home › scams › is paypal safe? discover paypal’s safety features and potential risks
Is PayPal Safe? Discover PayPal’s safety features and potential ...
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PayPal
paypal.com › jm › webapps › mpp › paypal-safety-and-security
Secure Online Payments with PayPal - PayPal
Because PayPal transactions need only your username and password, you don’t expose your sensitive financial information. No need to fill in your credit card number, expiration date, or security code every time you pay.
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PayPal
paypal.com › us › digital-wallet › security-and-protection
PayPal Security | Protect Your Financial Data | PayPal US
When you pay with PayPal, eligible purchases are protected at no extra cost.1 · Pay it safe across the table or globe knowing we help you spot scammers and report suspicious money requests.1
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AVG
avg.com › en › signal › is-paypal-safe
Is PayPal Safe and Secure? 10 Tips for Buyers and Sellers
February 10, 2023 - PayPal secures and encrypts ... buyers and sellers. As long as you have a secure connection to the legitimate PayPal website, your personal information and data should be safe when paying with PayPal....
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Bankrate
bankrate.com › credit cards › advice
PayPal vs. Credit Cards: Which Is Safer? | Bankrate
June 4, 2025 - If you are going to put a purchase on your debit card, doing so through PayPal is the safer option. Whether you opt to shop online with your credit card or use any form of payment with PayPal, you’ll want to take steps to keep your account details as safe and secure as you possibly can.
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PayPal
paypal.com › us › digital-wallet › buyer-purchase-protection
PayPal Purchase Protection | Secure Shopping | PayPal US
Shop confidently with PayPal Purchase Protection. Get covered if an eligible item doesn’t arrive or isn’t as described, so you can shop smart and secure.
Find elsewhere
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Norton
us.norton.com › blog home › scams › is paypal safe? discover paypal’s safety features and potential risks
Is PayPal Safe? Discover PayPal’s safety features and potential risks
August 22, 2025 - When shopping online, always mark ... and refund options. PayPal, Cash App, and Zelle are all fairly safe to use if you take advantage of their security features and carefully vet payment recipients....
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Experian
experian.com › home › personal finance › is it safe to use paypal?
Is It Safe to Use PayPal? - Experian
February 9, 2022 - PayPal is generally a secure way to transfer money or make payments online. But it's still important to take steps to keep your data and linked financial accounts safe. Just like you would with any other online account, when using PayPal set ...
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MONEI
monei.com › blog › is-paypal-secure
Is PayPal a Secure Payment Method for merchants and customers? | MONEI
February 8, 2024 - PayPal is safe and has robust security measures in place but it is possible for hackers to steal money if they get unauthorized access to a customer’s account. That’s why they need to regularly monitor their account and it’s better for ...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/privacyguides › is paypal safe?
r/PrivacyGuides on Reddit: Is Paypal safe?
February 17, 2022 -

Was thinking of maybe getting an account, but would like to know any risks beforehand. Is Paypal safe for the most part or should I use something else?

Edit: Wow, I did not expect this to blow up as it did. Thanks to everyone for the helpful responses so far, as it does help give me a better idea on Paypal as I wanted in the first place. I will try to respond to as many as I can.

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Investopedia
investopedia.com › articles › personal-finance › 011215 › which-safer-paypal-or-credit-card.asp
PayPal and Credit Cards: A Comparison of Safety Measures
January 12, 2015 - PayPal and credit cards both have safety features built in and can be used online and offline for routine transactions between buyers and sellers. The SecurityKey feature of PayPal and the chip technology of credit cards offer significant protection.
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PayPal
paypal.com › pw › webapps › mpp › paypal-safety-and-security
PayPal Security for Buyers and Sellers | PayPal PW
When you pay with PayPal, your financial information is never shared with the seller, and you can pay using only your email address and password.
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PayPal
paypal.com › an › cshelp › article › is-paypal-safe--help321
Is PayPal safe? | PayPal AN
We keep all your information secure. For example, when you use PayPal to send a payment, the recipient doesn’t receive any sensitive financial details like your credit card or bank account number.
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Credit Karma
creditkarma.com › money › i › is-paypal-safe
Is PayPal Safe? | Intuit Credit Karma
February 22, 2024 - PayPal is a safe and convenient way to make payments for goods and services, send money to friends and family or receive customer payments. The platform also provides robust safety protocols for buyers and sellers, such as fraud protection, ...
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Wise
wise.com › us › blog › is-paypal-safe
Is PayPal safe to use? Complete guide & tips to avoid scams - Wise
March 27, 2023 - Used sensibly, PayPal is pretty safe for money transfers. When you send a payment to someone with PayPal, you don’t need to get their bank details - just an email address will be enough.
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Avast
avast.com › c-paypal-scams
Is PayPal Safe? How to Spot and Avoid 10 PayPal Scams
October 1, 2025 - PayPal is widely considered a safe and reliable online payment system, used by over 400 million users and 36 million merchants worldwide. While PayPal itself is safe to use, scammers have been known to use PayPal to trick strangers into transferring ...
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Fox News
foxnews.com › tech › dark-side-paypal-stay-safe
The dark side of PayPal and how to stay safe | Fox News
May 29, 2023 - ... PayPal is a payment app used by businesses and individuals. (CyberGuy.com) PayPal is considered to be one of the safest ways to pay online, as all transactions are protected with advanced data encryption.