June 01, 2004

stavrosthewonderchicken needs help. One of my favorite MeFi characters is having a hard time getting money from Paypal donations. Does anyone have any advice on how to get this turned around?

He was so chagrined to ask for help, and now that he's got it, he can't get it.

  • "Favorite MeFi Characters" That phrase is so perfect. Seeing as we're all just watching, from the outside. Charachters. Yessss. I have no idea how to help Stavros. Maybe he can paypal the money to a friend, have him transfer it, turn it into cash, and then hand over the cash to Stav?
  • How I envy someone who's web pages are so popular affording them is a problem. That only happened to me once, and then only for a month.
  • It'll have to be a Korean friend, Captain.
  • How about buying a Gift Certificate at Ebay using Paypal, and get a friend to give him cash in exchange for that Gift Certificate?
  • I don't see how that reduces the workability of the plan Rodgerd.
  • Forex costs are murderous when doing interbank transfers or cashing foreign cheques - you can easily lose a huge percentage of smaller sums.
  • 1) Find an off-licence that accepts Paypal. 2)
  • 3) Profit!
  • Let me see if I understand this: it's his money, but he needs to give PayPal his credit card number to get it? I'm afraid I don't understand. What is the justification for this policy?
  • It's one of two things: either (1) they're worried about money laundering, and so require some kind of paper trail, or (2) they're being dicks. Personally, I think it's both. Having worked for three banks, I know how closely you have to watch customer accounts for suspicious activity, so I can understand why they'd need something to chase you down. But $100 is arbitrarily low. Banks don't report transactions several times that size unless there's something unusual going on. And, if I'm reading this correctly, it's not a weekly or monthly limit; you're only allowed to get a hundred, period. If that's the case, there's no excuse for it.
  • I dunno, Wolof; I wasn't really thinking that far into the future.
  • my wife went through the same limit problem and she upgraded to a commercial account. I'll see what she has to say on the issue.
  • Ha, maybe someone is trying to 'punish' his latest feather-ruffling tantrum?
  • Flagpole: Nice example of what MetaFilter has become. Although I used to admire the wonderchicken; his antics, and the subsequent "fuck you!" volleys that result from them, are one of the reasons I never read mefi anymore. It's like 'Lord of the Flies' over there.
  • What's up with cyberbegging? Sorry, but IMHO, Paypal beg-buttons are just tacky... like a camwhore, but without the cam. Help me buy an ipod! I need breast implants! I have credit card debt! Sheesh. Call me when you can't afford to eat.
  • To be fair to Stavros, he's asking for money to help cover his hosting. It's more akin to tipping a waiter. It's not necessary, but it's nice all the same.
  • don't any monkeys have a paypal account, so stavros could give them access and they could get the money and write him a check? i'm clueless as to how paypal works, but there must be SOME way to get at the money.
  • This is precisely why I don't use paypal. I'd rather wait for a check going through the mail than have to deal with those fuckers ever again. "Paypal: We're like a bank, except we're not subject to any governmental regulations!"
  • Speaking of online donations, weren't we going to donate to a monkey habitat when we reached 1000 or something? what? What'd I say?
  • Speaking of Stavros, this scene is just too weird for me. Came away feeling v. uncomfortable. About the PayPal thing, that's awful. I hope he gets his money some way - but in the comments, it doesn't look like anyone's come through with a way for him to get it yet. Pete_best, I too remember that.
  • this scene is just too weird for me. Good grief, no kidding.