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14 March 2010 A8 sends:
A7 sends:
A6 sends:
From: <paypal.feedback[at]echosurvey.com> Dear John Young, We understand that your PayPal account may have been temporarily limited due to questions or concerns by our Account Review team. Thank you very much for your cooperation during this process. We are pleased that your account has now been reinstated. As part of PayPal's Commitment to excellence, we would like to ask you to take just a few minutes to answer questions about PayPal's account limitation process. To respond to our survey, please click on the web address below. If that does not work, please cut and paste the entire web address into the address field of your browser. NOTE: Please respond within five days. After 5 days, this invitation will expire. Thank you for your feedback and continued business with PayPal! Sincerely, PayPal Customer Support ** An important note from the survey vendor ** PayPal, as the party who controls the data collected in this survey, may use your responses together with existing data it has about you to ensure its products and services meet your needs. PayPal will treat data collected from you in accordance with PayPal's privacy policy. To review this privacy policy, please contact PayPal or visit PayPal's web site. If you want to be excluded from future surveys and survey correspondence, please click below:
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:24:12 -0800 PayPal logo Dear John Young, This is to confirm that you removed your JP Morgan Chase X-5265 account from your PayPal account on Mar 11, 2010. To link another bank account to your PayPal account (you may have up to 8 bank accounts on file), go to www.paypal.com?cmd=_profile-ach-add. Thanks,PayPal This email was sent to cryptome[at]earthlink.net, because your email preferences are set to receive these types of communications from us. Modify preferences (c) 2009 PayPal Inc. All rights reserved. PayPal is located at 2211 N. First St., San Jose, CA 95131. PayPal Email ID PP1430
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:26:53 -0800 Hello John Young, On Mar 11, 2010, the credit card ending in 8330 was removed from your PayPal account. Thanks, PayPal You are receiving this email notification because this email address is listed as the administrative contact email for your PayPal account. Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is not monitored and you will not receive a response. For assistance, log in to your PayPal account and click the Help link in the top right corner of any PayPal page. PayPal Email ID PP076
A3 sends 11 March 2010: I never was one to follow others or orders. And I certainly don't like a monopoly on payment methods through Ebay. To hell with them. I attached a .bmp of the screen when canceling my account.
A2 sends 10 March 2010: Just wanted to continue the inspiration for taking a stand against PayPal. I have attached a screen shot of me closing my account.
A writes from Sweden 10 March 2010: I have today closed my account with PayPal and left an explanation why, citing their actions against Cryptome. I hope everyone else does the same. Keep up the good show.
10 March 2010. Checked the Cryptome account and it appears to be back in full operation. Likely another PayPal ploy, hoping the FU will just go away, without apology, without admission of stupidity, declaring everything was done as it should have been, according to the arrogant rules of Microsoft, et al.
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:48:23 -0800 Hello John Young, Our review is complete and we have restored your account. We appreciate your patience and thank you for your help in making PayPal the safest and most trusted online payment solution. Thanks, PayPal Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is not monitored and you will not receive a response. For assistance, log in to your PayPal account and click the Help link in the top right corner of any PayPal page. ---------------------------------------------------------------- PayPal Email ID PP820
10 March 2010. About 1:30PM today Stephanie LNU of PayPal telephoned Cryptome to say the measely $120.00 balance in the account could be withhdrawn but the limitation on use (blockage) of the account will remain. Stephanie said the grounds for the limitation is the stated purpose of Cryptome, which she read on the telephone, saying, I am reading from the Cryptome site: "Cryptome welcomes documents for publication that are prohibited by governments worldwide, in particular material on freedom of expression, privacy, cryptology, dual-use technologies, national security, intelligence, and secret governance -- open, secret and classified documents -- but not limited to those. Documents are removed from this site only by order served directly by a US court having jurisdiction. No court order has ever been served; any order served will be published here -- or elsewhere if gagged by order. Bluffs will be published if comical but otherwise ignored." Cryptome said nothing in that purpose is illegal as the PayPal spokesperson wrote Andrew Orlowski of The Register: "... we don't allow PayPal to be used for items that encourage, promote, facilitate or instruct others to engage in illegal activity." Cryptome said that if the purpose was to engage in illegality Cryptome would be closed by the authorities. Stephanie said that the account limitation is not based on a charge of illegality. Cryptome asked if she was aware of the email making this charge sent to Orlowski. She said no. Cryptome said read it on Cryptome. Stephanie said PayPal has a right to decide who uses its services and that Cryptome does not meet its standard due to the activity described in its statement of purpose. Cryptome asked if that would be put in writing so it could be published to counter the unsubstantiated very serious allegation of illegality. She said no, nothing she has said will be put in writing. Cryptome said that if PayPal will not put its explanation in writing then it is surely a lie told to conceal some hidden reasons for limiting the account. Stephanie said I am not lying. Cryptome said you claim to be unaware of the serious PayPal allegation of illegality by Cryptome. You claim to know only generalities not the details about how decisions are made to limit accounts. You admitted you did not know that the purpose of Cryptome is legal. You have refused to put your comments in writing. You have avoided giving believable information about how PayPal decided to limit Cryptome's account and confiscate its funds, even though the PayPal practice is widely used not only on Cryptome but in thousands of other instances. You are not credible as a spokesperson -- you have said nothing of substance over what has been previously sent to Cryptome, now posted on the site. For these reasons you are a liar aiding PayPal to conceal its unscrupulous practices. _______ Shortly this email arrived:
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:23:32 -0800 Hello John Young, Your PayPal funds are now eligible for withdrawal. You may transfer the funds directly to your bank account via online bank transfer or you may request a check from PayPal. Please let us know how you would like to receive the funds by logging in to your account. As a reminder, access to your account will remain limited. While access to your account is limited, you may:
* place logos into your auction listings or on your website You may not:
* send or request money Thank you for using PayPal. Sincerely, The PayPal Team Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is not monitored and you will not receive a response. For assistance, log in to your PayPal account and click the Help link in the top right corner of any PayPal page. PayPal Email ID PP524
10 March 2010
Subject: Query re: Cryptome and PayPal Dear Mr. Young, I'm writing from ZDNet UK. We'd like to cover the dispute between yourself and PayPal over the funds in your PayPal account related to Cryptome. I've looked at the posts on cryptome.org about this issue and wanted to check with you regarding the statement sent to us by PayPal (which was also posted to the site): All funds associated with Cryptome have been released. Due to our privacy policy, we can't provide any further details about this account. PayPal's Acceptable Use Policy clearly states that we don't allow PayPal to be used for items that encourage, promote, facilitate or instruct others to engage in illegal activity. The full policy can be viewed here. Can you confirm that all funds in the account in question have been released? I am also contacting PayPal to ask for further details about the account, as you have requested that these be provided to outside inquirers. Any help you can give would be appreciated. Thanks, Karen
Karen Friar
ZDNET UK
From: Tom Espiner From: Sarah Tye [mailto:SarahT[at]lansons.com] __________
Subject: Query re: Cryptome and PayPal Dear Karen, PayPal is lying to cover unknown substerfuge by itself by invocation of a privacy policy now more often used by large corporations to hide corporate malfeasance against customers rather than protect them. No funds have been released by PayPal, my account remains blocked, and funds cannot be withdrawn. I have this morning posted on Cryptome several screen shots of my PayPal account showing evidence of PayPal's lying. I refunded the bulks of what was in the account at the time of blockage, about $5300, on my initiative to remove control by PayPal which said it would deny access to the funds for six months, then, might release them or might not. It is certain that PayPal attacked Cryptome for posting its secret arrangements with authorities to spy on customers http://cryptome.org/isp-spy/paypal-spy.pdf PayPal is following Microsoft's recent example in this attack. DMCA infringement or unsubstantiated allegations of illegality are the pretexts for these attacks when what is intended it to conceal embarrassing and unethical behavior toward the public. Emphasis: Privacy policy is a deception to conceal corporate misbehavior against customers. DMCA is a means to censor the web as EFF and others have vigorously argued. Please use any of this or the material on Cryptome. Best regards,
John
9 March 2010
From: Andrew Orlowski <andrew.orlowski[at]theregister.co.uk> Really? Begin forwarded message: From: "Nayar, Anuj" <Anuj.Nayar[at]paypal.com> __________
To: Andrew Orlowski <andrew.orlowski[at]theregister.co.uk> PayPal is a fucking liar, a cheat and a thug, quote me. Cryptome refunded about $5300 on March 5, 2010 without action by PayPal while the account was frozen. No funds have been withdrawn. The account was, and is still, frozen except for the capability of making refunds which I chose to do to get the wad out of PayPal's hands where PayPal could use them for its own purposes contrary to the purposes of the donors. See attached screenshots made just now of our account and an excerpt of the account history downloaded today showing refunds by me, not releases by PayPal. Another screenshot today shows that funds cannot be withdrawn. I left about $120 in the account to head off PayPal confiscating from my bank account payments for its refund services -- which it claims it has a right to do if there is insufficient funds in the account. I sent a letter yesterday to PayPal urging it to release all information about the account to anyone who inquires and releasing it from obligation under the privacy policy. Copy attached. This was sent in response to an email from PayPal to an inquirer which was forwarded to me. PayPal never told me the reason for blocking was for illegal activity, it merely said the account was risky without providing details or substantiation. This is a pattern it has followed with hundreds of others. I want PayPal to document the illegality, make it public, don't hide behind unproven allegations sent to you without proof. It will try to hide behind privacy policy, a current scam used to hide unscrupulous actions by a host of giant thuggish firms. Use any of this message and images. John
8 March 2010
A sends 6 March 2010:
6 March 2010 PayPal has confiscated donations made to Cryptome since February 24, 2010. The donations have have been refunded by Cryptome rather than leave them in the untrustworthy control of PayPal for purposes contrary to those of the donors. The total refund was about $5,300, not much but a peak in donations. The timing of the confiscation corresponds to the recent Microsoft-Network Solutions copyright imbroglio and public attention given to the lawful spying guide series including those of PayPal. PayPal's legal agreements describe a wide range of prohibitions -- among them DMCA infringement, counter-terrorism, violations of AUP and catch-alls -- for use of its services and urges reporting of violations. It "limits" (suspend and/or close) an account without fully explaining the reasons, some of which may be secret under spying law, others kept confidential to avoid law suits or bad publicity. Google lists thousands of instances of this asymmetrical high-handedness which is remarkably similar to that used by Microsoft and Network Solutions to shutdown Cryptome ten days ago. And it fits the business model of governments for financial-spying by use of informants and bank secrecy agreements. It is likely Cryptome was targeted by an informant or by the recent donation upsurge tripping a PayPal algorithm as yet another gov-com-business model risk. An anecdote in accord with this minimizing of risk, maximizing of profit: an Internal Revenue Service auditor described its business model to Cryptome that "unpaid public service was not desirable, IRS wanted taxpayers to make more money in order to pay more taxes." To support Cryptome use means other than PayPal.
Mail: John Young, Cryptome, 251 West 89th Street, New York, NY 10024
A PayPal victim asks 6 March 2010: I was reading Cryptome earlier this morning about the PayPal "confiscation." How the money was "confiscated" I understand, but were there other authorities involved? And if so does that mean that everybody's home address could be at risk also? Cryptome: PayPal has not indicated that authorities are involved but if so there is a law against revealing it. That is the very problem we are trying to call attention to by publishing the series on confidential lawful spying guides used by ISPs to handle government demands for information. Nobody knows what PayPal will do with its user data. Its privacy policy describes customer data protection measures, but few if any of these policies are trustworthy defense against government spying and the money to be made from cooperating with government. The best I can offer is that using the Internet exposes all your data to spying by those who sell services, operate and regulate the system, PayPal is not at all the only threat. Your operating system is probably much more dangerous.
5 March 2010 The Cryptome account has been shut down by PayPal. All DVDs requested through PayPal have been mailed and email confirmation sent. If you didn't get an email confirmation send a note to cryptome[at]earthlink.net. PayPal shutdown shenanigans are amply and angrily covered on Google (a poster says, "look, it's a banking service, expect to get screwed, first open-arms welcome, then back-stab treatment;" another says "the shutdown reason is always secret if its government.") and the matter is recounted in line with Cryptome's public information on gov-com censorship topics. Cryptome has published two of PayPal's lawful spying docs: http://cryptome.org/isp-spy/paypal-spy.zip http://cryptome.org/isp-spy/paypal-spy2.pdf The DVDs were and are intended to get the archive widely distributed as beneficial public information and partial protection against the shutdown of the site. Donations are welcome but not essential to continued operation -- Natsios Young Architects has been since 1996 the primary funding source. Shortly the PayPal topic will sink into the archive swamp. Consider using cash, check or money order until other online payment has been arranged. Or just email a shipping address, forget about pay, Pal. PayPal sends: Date: Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:03:37 -0800 4 March 2010
A writes: If you have not already done so, get another payment processor to handle your transactions. I went through exactly the same thing with PayPal, identical emails, etc. They froze the account for 6 months on the theory that they might have to refund all the transactions. If you have any bank accounts, credit card/debit card accounts associated with your PayPal account be aware that PayPal will draw from those accounts without notice to you. Better to open new bank accounts/debit card accounts immediately and transfer all your funds out of your present accounts to your new accounts. I use ProPay and recommend them. Also, Google has a great payment processing system which you can access with your Google account. Probably best to abandon PayPal now and not rely on any efforts on their part to reinstate your account.
It appears that PayPal is responding to, or preparing, a Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) about Cryptome. Cryptome's account was locked on March 3, 2010; money can come in, none can be withdrawn. PayPal has asked Cryptome to explain its "business model." The first email: Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:45:04 -0800
Cryptome provided the information at the website as requested on March 3. Nothing happened. An email request was sent to Paypal, which answered with these instructions (which had already been followed): From: service[at]paypal.com
Cryptome went to the PayPal site and found that there were no open items to be answered. Another email was sent and PayPal responded with this: Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:16:55 -0800
Cryptome sent Anna by email information about the site. The email bounced. This morning Cryptome telephoned PayPal and spoke to an agent, who directed Cryptome to the PayPal site where she had added a new item for Cryptome to provide information. The information was entered in a form along with other explanations of transactions: The PayPal transactions are donations to Cryptome.org a public service, non-commerical, website, for DVD copies of the open, free, archive. It is not a business. See the Wikipedia entry:
The information requested by PayPal appears to fit that required to file a Suspicious Activity Report. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspicious_activity_report One technique used by money launderers is to transfer money in small amounts to avoid triggering the amount for a SAR. The surge in small donations to Cryptome fit that pattern. There is a possibility that a SAR was initiated by another party for suspicions about activities other than money laundering. Or the PayPal lock is the result of some other aggression. The website shows no open complaints about Cryptome (one complaint led to a refund and was closed). Cryptome will report PayPal's determination to maintain the lock, shut the account, and the funds confiscated by forfeiture to FinCEN. Or re-open it as if all is well following the Microsoft-NetSol-Gov invasive spying business model. PayPal's policy for disclosing customer information and for cooperating with law enforcement: http://cryptome.org/isp-spy/paypal-spy.zip http://cryptome.org/isp-spy/paypal-spy2.pdf
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