Choose the right PayPal dispute reason after a bad transaction

A charge you never approved is not the same as a laptop you ordered but did not receive. PayPal's Resolution Center presents different reasons, including unauthorized activity, item not received, not as described, billing errors and subscription problems. Selecting the wrong reason can slow evidence collection or misstate what happened. Review the real transaction, check for legitimate recurring agreements, and file under the reason supported by your records. For Romania, PayPal warns that dispute and escalation periods matter.

Before you start​

Use PayPal Activity in a trusted session, not an email's dispute link. Collect the transaction ID, date, amount, payee, order confirmation and any shipping record. Check whether a family member, employee or automatic agreement used the account before declaring a charge unauthorized. If you suspect takeover, secure the account and its linked email immediately.

Do it step by step​

1. Open the completed payment in Activity and confirm it actually posted. A pending money request or invoice is handled by decline and report, not by claiming a completed-charge refund.
2. Decide the factual category. Choose unauthorized only when you did not approve the account activity. For an item you intentionally bought, choose the relevant purchase issue and preserve messages, delivery promises and photographs of a misdescribed item.
3. In the Resolution Center, select Report a Problem, the payment and the closest accurate reason. Describe the chronology concisely and attach only relevant evidence. Do not embellish or label a voluntary Friends and Family payment as an account takeover.
4. Monitor the case and answer requests in the Resolution Center. PayPal's Romanian help says a purchase dispute can be escalated to a claim when unresolved, often after a minimum period, and that a dispute can close if not escalated in time. Read the current deadlines displayed in your own case.
5. If the payment was funded by a card or bank, keep that institution informed through its own secure channel. Avoid contradictory duplicate claims; explain any parallel action to each provider and follow their rules.
6. Keep copies of case messages and the decision. If you have new compelling evidence or believe a decision misapplied the policy, use PayPal's official appeal or complaint path rather than a paid recovery agent.

Check the result​

The case references the correct completed transaction, the dispute reason matches what actually happened, evidence is uploaded, and the next response or escalation deadline is recorded.

If something goes wrong​

If the item is not in Activity, check the correct PayPal account and the funding card statement. A forged email may never correspond to a charge. If the seller says to close the case before a refund, verify PayPal's current rules first; closing can affect your ability to reopen it.

Know the limit​

An unauthorized-transaction process and purchase protection apply different facts and terms. PayPal decides eligibility under local agreements, so no guide can promise an outcome. Deadlines and remedies can vary by country, payment method and claim type; use the terms for your own account and act promptly. PayPal Romania dispute workflow PayPal Purchase Protection terms