What PayPal doesn't tell you is they can only obtain a refund IF the seller has money in their PayPal account. I lost over $150 because a seller went out of business, and there was only enough money to cover a partial refund. So much for protection! Use your credit card - safer!

Deanna Foster, Menlo Park, CA, US

The hazards of ebay/PayPal are already bad enough, but to add insult to injury, starting from this month, ebay has begun to forbid sellers to announce that they accept payment in the form of cheques or money orders. I definitely would prefer to take my business OUTSIDE ebay/PayPal entirely.

Christopher Witmer, Tokyo, Japan

I bought a Krugerrand on PayPal and I am still waiting

Alfred, Portsmouth, UK

Thank you so much for highlighting just how poor the protection offered by paypal is! I have removed my bank details and now only have 1 low-limit card registered with them.

Of particular concern is that sending a credit card payment to a merchant via paypal would removes the consumer protection which is normally part of a credit card purchase.

Tyke, Sheffield, GB

I 'r' not smart enuff to werk a Paypal account! I also 'r' not TRUSTING enuff, to keep banking/cc info on my computer, much less the internet. Paypal may take flying pursuits at rolling donuts to their heart's delight - I shan't be engaging their services EVER!

Bob M., Bridgewater, USA

Protect yourself from thoroughly reading sellers' feedbacks and comments and only bidding for things which don't seem too good to be true. If you use paypal make sure that your password is secure and make sure you use Internet banking so you can cancel direct debits quickly if there are problems

Tom Swade, Manchester,

anyone who uses Paypal is an idiot I refuse to use it

peter c, Devizes, Wessex

My girlfriend had £600 removed from her account by paypal for something she never purchased. After much effort on her part they returned the money, but they had taken the amount out in Euros, and returned it in the same - the exchange rate had changed losing her £40, which they have still not paid.

Wil Treasure, Nottingham,

I have never used either eBay or PayPal, having read many less than savoury reports about both. The number of complaints is far too great to be doing business through them. Even one complaint tells a story and serves to warn. I'd rather just stick an advert in the local paper to sell my junk.

Mike Mitchell, Spalding, England

I have been using paypal for 5 years and have never had any problems whatsoever!
The same goes for Ebay too.
Just use your common sense, dont buy/send money to anyone selling something too good to be true.
Check sellers feedback properly as well!

Paul , chichester ,

Ebay and pay-pal are fine for small purchases like books, dvds and casual clothes from brands you know anyway, if simple rules are followed. NEVER bid more than a third of what you know would be the RRP and reckon that one in ten purchases will be disappointing.

William, Cheltenham.

William Mortimer Moore, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

I don't use the computer for any transactions at all.I have no sympathy for people who get ripped off on the internet.

ron, topsham,

Having had paypal double a transaction (by following their advice) of about 1000 pounds and I completly failed to get anywhere with paypal in terms of getting my money back.

Will I get my money under this new arrangement.

Mike, London, UK

Sign up to PayPal at your peril!

Giving PayPal your bank details is deadly.

I know.

I suffered.

Reuben Camara, Morecambe, UK