Even though PayPal recently agreed to fork over $25 million in fines for deceptive business practices, it seems that the online payments company is up to its old tricks yet again.
Ahead of its planned split from eBay, PayPal is planning to roll out a new terms of service agreement for its customers which would allow the company to pepper its userbase with robocalls and text messages. What’s more, the updated terms of service would allow PayPal to contact users at either their designated phone number or even an undisclosed number PayPal managed to obtain through other means. Set to go into effect on July 1, PayPal’s updated user agreement is not an opt-in type of deal, which makes it all the more worrisome.
DON’T MISS: Cool Amazon Prime perks you’ve probably never heard of
The updated user agreement is up on PayPal’s website for all to see.
It reads in part:
You consent to receive autodialed or prerecorded calls and text messages from PayPal at any telephone number that you have provided us or that we have otherwise obtained. We may place such calls or texts to (i) notify you regarding your account; (ii) troubleshoot problems with your account (iii) resolve a dispute; (iv) collect a debt; (v) poll your opinions through surveys or questionnaires, (vii) contact you with offers and promotions; or (viii) as otherwise necessary to service your account or enforce this User Agreement, our policies, applicable law, or any other agreement we may have with you.
…
If a telephone number provided to us is a mobile telephone number, you consent to receive SMS or text messages at that number. We won’t share your phone number with third parties for their purposes without your consent, but may share your phone numbers with our Affiliates or with our service providers, such as billing or collections companies, who we have contracted with to assist us in pursuing our rights or performing our obligations under this User Agreement, our policies, applicable law, or any other agreement we may have with you. You agree these service providers may also contact you using autodialed or prerecorded calls and text messages, as authorized by us to carry out the purposes we have identified above, and not for their own purposes. Standard telephone minute and text charges may apply if we contact you.
If PayPal needs to get ahold of users to resolve account issues or to collect a debt, by all means, they should be able to call away. But unsolicited phone calls and text messages regarding promotions and company surveys is completely absurd and terribly concerning.
Again, the user agreement is not opt-in and provides no room for users to opt-out. On the contrary, PayPal notes in bold capital letters that if you’re not on board with the new agreement, you’re welcome to close up your PayPal account completely:
“IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE AMENDED USER AGREEMENT, PRIVACY POLICY OR ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY, YOU MAY CLOSE YOUR ACCOUNT BEFORE JULY 1, 2015 AND YOU WILL NOT BE BOUND BY THE AMENDED TERMS.”
Talk about user friendly.
