Ibotta sent funds to my PayPal but I can't accept

[Deedee1]

Hello all. I withdrew my earnings from the app and it was promptly sent to my PayPal. The cash is sitting in my account but I can't accept it because PayPal now requires verification with SS# to hold funds in your PayPal balance. This is the first time I've done this since their policy change I guess. They're asking for a picture of my social security card but I don't currently have one (haven't gotten a replacement yet). Does anyone, perhaps someone who works at ibotta, know what happens if funds are returned from PayPal? Will it go back to my ibotta account balance where I can withdraw another way? According to PayPal if funds aren't accepted within 30 days its returned to sender but what will ibotta do in that situation?

[OBSHOP]

@Deedee1 

This operation is getting sketchier everyday. 

[SoCalHal · Accepted solution]

Have you tried reaching out to Ibotta/Care Team directly about this? Hopefully someone there will be able to answer your question about what will happen to the returned funds. Since LaraL isn’t here anymore, there might not be anyone on this board who can address it. But I can confirm that when I attempted to withdraw funds directly to a checking account, and it failed, the funds quickly reverted to my Ibotta count. So I suspect the same will happen in your situation. 

I remember they’d started asking for SS# last year, so I stopped using PayPal and just redeem all Ibotta earnings to Walmart Gift cards. But I still have smaller amounts that go to PayPal from Coupons.com and a few other sites. I have my social security card, but still have zero interest in sending them a picture of it (WTF?). If that becomes the requirement, I’ll just stop using sites that have PayPal as the only payout option.

I wonder how many other users have complied with this, and just haven’t mentioned it on the board.

[Icequeen813]

@Deedee1  

 

[Deedee1]

Yeah this gets you an account to use to make purchases with a debit/credit card or bank account but not to keep funds in your PayPal balance or accept funds. 

[Deedee1]

Yeah I'll just send ibotta an email I was hoping this would be quicker. I gave PayPal my number but for whatever reason they said they needed to see the card to verify. I wish I'd just got giftcards now lol. Thanks for your help.

[Bct09]

I was worried when you mentioned that you had to  input your ss# for PayPal to receive your funds and so I panicked a bit and just tried to transfer my funds. I had no issues and didn’t need to input my ss#. I don’t recall having to previously provide my ss#, it has been a while since I’ve opened my PayPal account, and I keep funds in my PayPal account.

[Jc49004]

PayPal's never asked me for a social security number

[Jc49004]

You can have an added to your bank account as well

[mmoore01]

I have gotten MANY emails telling me I need to update my PayPal with my SS#.  I have ignored them since they all want me to click on a link in the email, which I won't do.

I also went out to my PayPal account this morning and transferred my current balance to my bank and it all worked fine.

My understanding was that a new bill was suppose to require your SS# on any account that deals with more than $600 in a year.  I thought that bill did not pass.  It is also possible that once you hit $600 or more, you may need to enter a SS#.  I have not done that much this year.

Instead of using PayPal with Ibotta, I have been buying Gift Cards.  You can use your earnings and they will pay you a small bonus for each gift card you buy.  In addition, each gift card (even the same store) counts towards bonuses.  Unless you don't shop at ANY of the stores listed (over 140), I don't know why anyone would use PayPal or their bank.