Lewis Frauenfelder (Boing Boing founder Mark F.'s dad!) says, "I was incensed after reading [a reader comment] in your post "Katrina tech aid ideas continued" that PayPal was taking a slice of money sent to Katrina victims. I wrote them and here is the response."
Thank you for contacting PayPal.
We set up a fee free fund for victims. Whoever told you that has no idea what they're talking about.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us again.
Sincerely,
Aaron
PayPal Resolution Services
PayPal, an eBay Company
Reader comment: 43rdstateblues says,
Here is paypal's free donation point. Strangely, one goes from paypal to ebay back to paypal to get there…
Reader comment: Ted says,
Regarding Paypal's response this AM what they are offering is something very different from what I wrote to you about. See this link which appears to be what Aaron is referring to. [Incidentally, could be wrong, but I don't believe this was in place when I wrote.]
I'm delighted that they are doing this, but the point I made is not addressed by a generic donation to United Way, albeit fee-free. This is something entirely different from waving fees for payments made directly to individual friends and family based in the affected areas, which is what is sorely needed (as well as facilitating the means to convert those funds from PayPal to cash). There's clearly going to be a need among evacuees for an emergency banking network, and this is where PayPal could provide an invaluable service, and where it should not be making money per transaction. It's really the only game in town. That's what I was suggesting, not merely that PayPal should set up a link to a charity!
I feel, quite frankly, that the statement made by PayPal is somewhat obfuscating and wee bit self-serving, and has no relevancy. We are talking here of two entirely different issues.
Reader comment: tor says:
Must paypal customers don't have an atm card – so there is no way to quickly turn paypal money into real money. It sucks, but that's pay pal's business model.
It may not be as hip as paypal – but there is a system to get moeny quickly to hurricane victims already set up. And it can send that money pretty much anywhere in the area that has power. Western Union has thousands of outlets throughout the area, and if you want to get money quickly to your friends and family, send it that way.
Don't waste time arguing with paypal over a service they don't really provide.
Instead, yell at Western Union for taking a $25 cut of every wire going into the affected area. This may change at some point, but as of two days ago, when my friend in Mobile desperately needed money, that's what they charged – same as any other money transfer.
I understand that they have costs and expenses, but they don't have to make a profit off of other people's misery.
