Bank statement charge
What is a PAYPAL * charge on my bank statement?
Who charged you
A business you paid through PayPal
PAYPAL * means you paid a business through PayPal, or a business took your card payment through PayPal. The name after the star is the shop or person you paid, and the charge is usually an online order, a subscription or an automatic payment you approved.
How it can show on a statement
PAYPAL *PAYPAL *[MERCHANT]PP*[MERCHANT]PAYPAL *[MERCHANT] [phone number] CA
1 more way it shows
PAYPAL [number] GBR
Find out what it was
- 1
Open PayPal and go to Activity: look for a payment with the same amount around the statement date; it names the seller and has a transaction ID.
- 2
On the PayPal website, open Settings, then Payments, then Subscriptions and saved businesses (called Automatic Payments on some accounts), to see subscriptions that charge this card.
- 3
Search your inbox for PayPal plus the amount, since PayPal and the seller both send receipts.
- 4
If you do not use PayPal, read the name after PAYPAL * or PP* and look for an order or receipt from that business in your inbox.
- 5
Open your PayPal Wallet to see which cards are linked, since a linked card you forgot about can explain the charge.
- 6
Still a charge you did not agree to? File your complaint here. We write it with you and send it to the business, so you do not have to chase it yourself.
Not in any of your accounts? If nobody in your household made it, someone else may have used your card details. Your card issuer can stop the card, so the charges do not continue.
Why does it say “PAYPAL *”?
PayPal is the party that charges your card, so PAYPAL or PP comes first and the business name is cut to fit the space that is left. Where a city would normally be, there is usually one of PayPal's own numbers, though some businesses put their own number there instead; it makes the line look stranger than it is.
Some shops take cards through PayPal without showing the PayPal name, so the line can show only the shop, and some UK lines show PAYPAL with a number and no business name at all.
Why you might see this charge
- A purchase at an online shop where you chose PayPal at checkout.
- A subscription or automatic payment you approved through PayPal, such as streaming, apps, games or memberships.
- A card payment to a small business that takes cards through PayPal, even if you have never used a PayPal account.
- A small temporary charge with a four-digit code when you confirmed a card in PayPal, which PayPal refunds once the card is confirmed.
- A payment someone else made from a PayPal account that has your card linked.
- Money you sent to a person through PayPal using your card.
Is PAYPAL * legit?
PayPal is a real, widely used payment company, and the number printed on the line is usually PayPal's own, though some businesses show their own number there. The business named after the star is the one you paid.
Fake PayPal invoices, receipts and account warnings are common, so check payments in your own PayPal activity, never through a link or a number in a message.
Which PayPal charge is it?
An unknown PayPal charge on your card is one of these:
| On your statement | Who charged you | What it usually is |
|---|---|---|
| JPMC RE PAYPAL | PayPal | JPMC RE PAYPAL is PayPal, collecting money from your bank account under the Direct Debit you agreed to when you linked… |
| PAYPAL INST XFER | PayPal | PAYPAL INST XFER is PayPal taking money from your checking account by bank transfer. |
| ZETTLE | Zettle | ZETTLE means you paid a small business that takes cards with Zettle, PayPal's card reader and till app, now called… |
| PAYPAL * this page | PayPal | PAYPAL * means you paid a business through PayPal, or a business took your card payment through PayPal. |
Other charges people look up
| On your statement | Who charged you | What it usually is |
|---|---|---|
| TST* | Toast | TST* means you paid a restaurant, bar or cafe that uses Toast, a checkout and payment system built for restaurants. |
| SUMUP | SumUp | SUMUP means you paid a small business that takes cards with a SumUp card reader or payment link. |
| BLUESNAP | BlueSnap | BLUESNAP or BLS* on a statement means an online business took your payment through BlueSnap, a payment company that is… |
| ANE* | Anedot | ANE* means Anedot, a donation platform and payment processor that churches, nonprofits, schools and political… |
| VTSUP.COM | Verotel | VTSUP.COM is the statement name of Verotel, an Amsterdam payment company that bills for thousands of websites, many of… |
| AMEX EPAYMENT ACH PMT | American Express | AMEX EPAYMENT ACH PMT is a payment to an American Express card account, taken from a bank account. |
| TRANSAK | Transak | TRANSAK is Transak, a crypto payments company that sells crypto through the Buy button in wallet apps such as MetaMask… |
| SP * | Shopify | SP * means you bought from a store that runs on Shopify and takes payments through Shopify Payments, online or in… |
Questions about PAYPAL *
What is the PayPal number on my statement?
It is usually PayPal's own number, printed where a city would normally be on a PAYPAL * line, though some businesses show their own number there instead. It means the payment went through PayPal; the business you paid is the name after the star.
How does PayPal show up on a bank statement?
Usually as PAYPAL * or PP* followed by the business name, and in the UK sometimes as PAYPAL with a number and no business name. Your PayPal activity shows the full details.
Why is there a PayPal charge when I do not use PayPal?
Many small businesses take card payments through PayPal, so the line can say PAYPAL * even if you never opened a PayPal account. Look for a receipt from the business named after the star.
What if I did not agree to a PAYPAL * charge?
File a complaint on Complain.biz. We write it with you and send it to the business, so you do not have to chase it yourself.
Based on
- Why is the number 402-935-7733 showing on my bank or credit card statement? (PayPal)
- DoReferenceTransaction: soft descriptor, PAYPAL * and PP * prefixes (PayPal Developer)
- Embedded integration reference: descriptor formats per card brand (PayPal Developer)
- What payment methods can I use with PayPal? (PayPal)
- See how PayPal appears on your bank statement (Emma)
- Are You Showing a Mystery Charge from 402-935-7733 via PayPal? (The Internet Patrol, SERP top 5)