For a U.S. PayPal purchase problem, start with the transaction in your PayPal activity and open the Resolution Center. Choose the reason that accurately matches what happened, submit evidence, and save every deadline shown in the case.

Under PayPal's U.S. Purchase Protection Program, the initial filing deadlines generally are:

• Item not received: Open a dispute within 180 days after sending the payment.
• Significantly not as described: Open a dispute within 30 days after delivery or fulfillment, or within 180 days after sending the payment, whichever comes first.

Opening a dispute isn't the same as asking PayPal to decide it. If you and the seller can't resolve the problem, you must escalate the dispute to a claim by the deadline displayed in the Resolution Center. Other deadlines may apply to evidence, responses, appeals, and returns.

Don't close a case merely because the seller promises a refund, replacement, or return. Wait until the agreed resolution is complete.

Choose the correct route

A seller refund, PayPal case, card dispute, and unauthorized-payment report are separate processes.

A chargeback isn't an appeal of PayPal's decision. It is a separate process handled by the card issuer under applicable law, card-network rules, and the issuer's procedures.

Before opening a card dispute while a PayPal case is active, ask the issuer how the two processes interact. Don't seek or accept two reimbursements for the same loss.

Check the PayPal deadline before contacting the seller

Contacting the seller may solve the problem, but don't let negotiations consume the filing period.

For an item-not-received complaint, PayPal's stated deadline is 180 days from payment. For a significantly-not-as-described complaint, the earlier of two dates controls: 30 days after delivery or fulfillment, or 180 days after payment.

For example, suppose an item arrives 170 days after payment. The significantly-not-as-described deadline would generally be 180 days after payment, not 30 days after the late delivery, because the earlier limit controls.

Filing on time doesn't guarantee reimbursement. PayPal still determines whether the transaction, item, complaint, and account activity qualify under its policy. Some transaction and item categories may be excluded, and ordinary dissatisfaction doesn't necessarily mean an item was significantly different from its description.

Once a case is open, rely on the dates in the Resolution Center. The original filing period doesn't replace later deadlines to provide documents, escalate the dispute, return an item, or respond to PayPal.

Build an evidence file

If time allows, contact the seller in writing before filing. Identify the order, explain what happened, state the relevant dates, and request a specific solution, such as a refund, replacement, delivery update, or return authorization.

Save copies of:

• The PayPal transaction ID, payment date, amount, and seller details
• The listing, invoice, receipt, order confirmation, and product description
• Messages with the seller, including marketplace messages
• Tracking history, delivery scans, and signature information
• Photos or video showing damage, missing parts, or material differences
• Return authorization, shipping receipt, tracking, and delivery confirmation
• Relevant records concerning the item's condition or authenticity
• Any promised refund date or replacement arrangement

Screenshots should include enough context to identify the order, sender, date, and relevant statement. A cropped sentence without transaction details may be difficult to evaluate.

After a phone conversation, send a written recap. For example: "As discussed today, you agreed to send return instructions by Friday and issue the refund after the package is delivered."

Don't send a seller your password, bank login, full card number, or unrelated identity documents through ordinary messages.

How to file and escalate a PayPal dispute

1. Sign in to PayPal and open the Resolution Center, or find the payment in your activity.
2. Select the transaction and choose the reason that accurately describes the problem.
3. Present the events in date order: payment, promised delivery, seller contacts, what arrived or failed to arrive, and the resolution you want.
4. Upload readable evidence with clear file names, such as order-confirmation, full-tracking-history, and received-item-photos.
5. Check all dates, amounts, and statements before submitting.
6. Monitor the case for seller replies, PayPal requests, return instructions, and the escalation deadline.

During the dispute stage, the buyer and seller can communicate through PayPal. If they don't reach an agreement, use the escalation option shown in the case to ask PayPal to decide the matter as a claim.

An un-escalated dispute can close without a PayPal decision. Likewise, a case may be weakened or closed if a required response or document isn't submitted on time.

Don't close the dispute because the seller says a refund is "processing" or asks you to close it first. A voluntarily closed case may not be available to reopen.

Match the evidence to the complaint

The strongest submission addresses the selected dispute reason directly. A large collection of unrelated screenshots is less useful than a short, organized record tied to the transaction.

Item not received

Provide the order details, expected delivery date, seller correspondence, and the carrier's complete tracking history. A label-creation notice doesn't necessarily establish that the carrier received or delivered the package.

If tracking shows delivery, don't omit it. Explain the issue accurately and provide any records PayPal requests. Depending on the circumstances, relevant material may include carrier correspondence or documentation showing that the delivery information doesn't match the order.

A delivery scan can make an item-not-received claim harder to establish. PayPal will assess the available records under its policy rather than treating the buyer's statement alone as proof of non-delivery.

Significantly not as described

Identify the material difference between the listing and the item received. Examples may include:

• A different model or version
• Undisclosed major damage
• The wrong quantity
• Missing essential parts
• Specifications that materially conflict with the listing
• A used item sold as new

Pair the listing language with a photo, measurement, model number, or other record. "The listing promised a 15-inch model, but the model number and measurement show a 13-inch version" is more useful than "This wasn't what I expected."

Minor color variation, subjective dissatisfaction, or a defect disclosed in the listing may not support a significantly-not-as-described complaint.

If you believe an item is counterfeit, follow the instructions in the PayPal case before returning, destroying, or transferring it. PayPal may request specific evidence or handling.

Return the item without losing the paper trail

Don't send an item back until you understand the instructions from PayPal or the seller. Returning it to the wrong address, or without shipment proof, can create a second dispute over whether the return was completed.

If a return is authorized or required:

• Save the authorization and return address.
• Check whether PayPal has provided specific instructions.
• Use a trackable shipping method appropriate for the item's value.
• Keep the carrier receipt and tracking number.
• Photograph the item and package before shipment if condition is disputed.
• Save the final delivery confirmation.
• Upload the requested records before the case deadline.
• Keep the case open until the refund posts or PayPal confirms the outcome.

A seller's acknowledgment of the return arrangement isn't proof that the package reached the required destination. Retain the shipping records even after delivery.

How a seller should respond

A seller should answer through the PayPal case by the stated deadline and address the buyer's specific allegation. A general statement that the order was completed may not answer a non-delivery or product-description complaint.

For an item-not-received dispute, relevant records may include:

• Order and payment details
• Shipment date and carrier
• Tracking number and complete tracking history
• Delivery confirmation or signature information, if available
• The delivery address associated with the transaction

For a significantly-not-as-described dispute, useful evidence may include:

• Original listing text and photos
• Model, size, quantity, and condition disclosures
• Messages showing what the buyer selected or accepted
• Packing records and product documentation
• Return instructions sent to the buyer
• Proof of a completed refund or documented replacement

Each document should be legible and tied to the disputed transaction. A shipping label alone may not prove carrier acceptance or delivery. A generic product photo may not establish the condition of the item actually sent.

If the seller agrees to refund the payment, the refund should be processed through the relevant PayPal transaction when possible. The seller shouldn't require the buyer to close the case before completing the agreed solution.

If a card funded the PayPal payment

Paying through PayPal doesn't necessarily prevent a consumer from asking the card issuer about a separate dispute. The issuer decides whether it will accept the dispute, which deadline applies, and what evidence is required.

Ask the issuer:

• Whether the transaction and dispute reason qualify
• The exact filing deadline
• Whether notice must be submitted online, by phone, or in writing
• Which address or portal should receive supporting documents
• Whether an active or closed PayPal case affects the process
• How notices and decisions will be delivered

Don't assume that a commonly quoted 120-day chargeback period applies. Deadlines can vary by payment type, issuer, card-network procedure, and dispute reason.

Federal credit-card billing-error protections are also distinct from PayPal Purchase Protection. The FTC's credit-card dispute guidance says consumers seeking the applicable billing-error protections generally should send written notice so it reaches the issuer within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was sent. The notice should go to the issuer's designated billing-inquiries address, which may differ from the payment address.

According to the FTC guidance, the issuer generally must acknowledge the complaint in writing within 30 days unless it has already resolved the problem, and must resolve the dispute within 90 days after receiving the complaint.

The 60-day process isn't a universal deadline for every product-quality complaint, and credit-card protections shouldn't be assumed to apply to a debit card. Report the problem promptly and follow the issuer's instructions. The FTC provides a sample letter for disputing credit and debit card charges. Adapt it to the facts, include copies of supporting records, and keep the originals.

Report unauthorized payments differently

If you didn't authorize the payment, report it promptly to PayPal and the bank or card issuer. Change your PayPal password, review other account activity, and secure the email account connected to PayPal.

Don't label an authorized purchase as unauthorized merely because the seller didn't deliver or the item was defective. Those facts generally belong under an item-not-received or significantly-not-as-described complaint. Using an inaccurate reason can delay the review or weaken the case.

If PayPal denies or closes the case

Read the decision in the Resolution Center. Determine whether PayPal denied the case after review, closed it because a deadline was missed, or gave another reason.

If an appeal or additional-information option appears, submit material evidence that addresses the stated reason. That might include a completed carrier investigation, newly available delivery records, or proof that an authorized return reached the required address.

Not every case can be reopened or appealed. Use the option and deadline shown in the account rather than assuming another review is available.

If a card funded the payment, contact the issuer promptly to ask whether a separate card dispute remains available. Be ready to provide:

• The PayPal transaction record
• The PayPal decision and case messages
• The original listing or order confirmation
• Seller correspondence
• Shipping, delivery, or return records
• A concise timeline

Avoid preventable case problems

Common mistakes include:

• Waiting until the last day to open or escalate a dispute
• Selecting a reason that doesn't match what happened
• Submitting screenshots without dates, names, or order details
• Writing a long narrative without stating the requested resolution
• Returning an item without instructions, tracking, or delivery proof
• Closing a dispute based on an uncompleted promise
• Ignoring document requests in the Resolution Center
• Starting overlapping PayPal and card disputes without checking how they interact
• Claiming non-delivery while omitting known delivery tracking
• Assuming every product, service, digital item, or personal payment qualifies

Open the PayPal case before the applicable deadline, organize the evidence around the exact complaint, and keep checking the Resolution Center until the case is resolved. If a card funded the transaction, ask the issuer about its deadline early enough to preserve that separate option.