How does one get a paypal account

Im getting tired of money orders! how do you get a paypal account? how much money to start it?

It's free! http://www.paypal.com/

Put a bank account in there or credit card to get money from. There is no minimum!

Unless Paypal has changed the rules, there is a maximum limit to spending before verification. Being a Verified member, requires both a CC and a bank account to be verified.

You don't have to keep anything in the Paypal account. I don't. I just use it as an online transaction service.

must you have a credit card to use a paypal account or is all you need a bank account from anywhere in the world?

I highly recommend that you use a credit card and do not get verified. From what I've read, credit cards give you some protection. When credit card fraud occurs on the internet the law shoves the loss onto the retailers backs. THey have to take the burden of the theft. They lose their merchandise and the US legal system forces the retailer to pursue sueing to recoup losses.

Do you know who absorbs the losses if you use a debit card even with a visa logo on it? YOU DO! The US legal system says that the retailer gets to keep your funds if your card is used by a thief and the thief gets to keep the goods. The US legal system says don't worry, our citizens can sue in court to uphold their rights and recover their funds. Yeah, right at $250 - $400 per hour for an attorney forget it. And if you goto small claims you have a cap on your damages. And even if you goto small claims nobody is going to repay you for the shitload of time and blood your going to pour over paperwork and driving to court and waiting and filling out forms and serving papers to sieze assets and wages etc to revover once you do win a settlement. Bottom line is I think you'd have to be insane to use a bank account. Unless, you immediately open a different account after you apply for verification and transfer all your funds to the new bank and account and keep the other one open only to appease paypal.

Safest bet for storage of money is a money market fund at Vanguard or Fidelity mutual funds. And make sure your account there has no debit or visa card tied to your account. Only use checks sparingly so no one gets your number and keep in a safe place. Transfer money by check into a free bank checking account when it comes time to use. This makes it harder on the thieves.

Ok, I'm confused now. (no big deal, it happens numerous times a day... )

Do not get verified? I automaticly got international verified when I signed up with my Visa card afaik....
I got PayPal for it's ease and security...
Are there major problems with that?

So, the bottom line for me is : is it secure or is the better way to pay with a CC, and send that info every time...

I have been a Paypal verified Premier member since the beginning. I have a paypal debit card for my online account. I even got a paypal Visa through Providian Bank. I have never been nothing but pleased with paypal.

edit to add: http://www.bidpay.com will send money orders for you.

Bidpay only works at official auction sites like Ebay and Yahoo. At least, that`s what they kept telling me when I tried to use it to pay someone for a private deal.

Still, for overseas auction buys from folks who`re frightened of Paypal or the Ebay Billpoint thing, it`s handy even if it`s a bit expensive with the high commission they charge.

:

...Moved to Cafe...

--dan

ledfanfromjuno: thanks for the informative post i think i might open a separate bank account to use with a debit card should i apply for one.