Option One: Using a Family or Friend’s Name
Special Note: This option is HIGHLY dependent on your situation.
An account with personal information that can later be verified by eBay and PayPal can withstand a lot more abuse than just an account with any random name, address and DOB. For example if you have a relative who has never signed up for an eBay or Paypal account and they give you their permission to use their information for an account, do it! Not before you read and understand the rest of the guide of course. If you mess up somewhere and accidentally become linked to an old suspended account you’re screwed. Creating an account in a friend or family member’s name, address (optional), and DOB will enable you to easily provide whatever documents PayPal requests from you including a SSN if you’re in the US. It’s a lot easier then getting caught with a stealth name and address, of course that is still an option (discussed later).
Outside the US?
If you’re outside the United States then all you need is a friend or relative’s permission to use their name, DOB, and address (optional) to open a new account. The reason to go this route is because if you become limited by PayPal, you’ll then be able to provide the requested documents for example a photo ID because of your friend or relative.
Note: It’s a good idea that your friend or relative does not already have an eBay or PayPal account because if something happens to one of your accounts for example a limitation, it’ll happen to any linked account as well. Remember a linked account can happen by your address as well, so if you plan on using your friend or family member’s address, which is optional, keep that in mind.
Who Should Go This Route?
If you sell VeRO related items or items regarded as high risk, then this option isn’t for you. If you plan on defrauding eBay or PayPal, or not paying taxes then this isn’t an option for you (nor do I support such actions). However if you can trust the person you’re working with (maybe a business partner or trusted family member) and they trust you then it can be an option. Sure there are other ways to go about creating a new account, better ways, but this is the easiest for non-techie people or those want a fast easy solution.
The way I did it was I asked a family member if I could setup an account using their personal information. I was able to use their name, address and SSN with their permission. And guess what? The account is still alive and running to this day with no issues. I don’t sell VeRO items. I don’t scam others or defraud eBay, and I pay my taxes. It’s an option… just be responsible about it and it can work for you.
What you’ll need:
- Name: You’ll use this when creating your account. It’s also a good idea to obtain DoB and other details for verification purposes.
- Address (optional): You can safely obtain a new address yourself in the next section. However if permission was granted and said person does not already have an eBay or PayPal account, you can safely use the address given. This makes things easier for verification purposes.
Added Benefits:
- Verification: A HUGE benefit to going this route is that it’s easier to provide documents and other information to PayPal or eBay if requested for verification. This is what makes going this route so powerful..
- SSN (Optional): A SSN verified PayPal account is very powerful. It can take a lot of abuse and keep on trucking. Personally I would go the EIN route (discussed later) instead of providing a SSN but it’s still technically an option. We’ll get into more details about SSN verification later.
Things to Note:
- Credit Reporting: It is to be understood that you leave your PayPal account in a positive balance. As we all know negative balances are turned over to collection agencies and are a hit to your credit score.
- Taxes: If reported, taxes are 100% your responsibility and you should not pass that on to anyone else. I would suggest usage of EIN’s if possible. We’ll talk more about EIN’s and business accounts later in the guide.
Social Security Note: When PayPal requests your SSN it’s only to make sure that you are legit and a trusted person to sell using their platform. They want to make sure your credit is okay, things in your account match up like your name and date of birth. If everything checks out then they’ll lift your limitation and let you continue selling. Now once you become SSN verified, from what I’ve seen you’re pretty much in the clear with your account as long as you’re not screwing customers or selling VeRO items. A SSN verified PayPal account that is not linked to a suspended eBay account is VERY powerful.
Pay off your SSN Verified Accounts: The main reason Paypal is interested in having your SSN is for credit reporting purposes, for example if you somehow go into a negative account balance, PayPal wants to be able to put delinquent account marks on your credit report, as well as turn that information over to their third party debt collection agencies. So make sure that once you give a SSN to PayPal, you do not leave a negative balance on your account or else you could take a credit hit and be hassled by collections.
Once you have a name and DOB ready to go, move on to the next step. Or if this option isn’t an option for you, keep reading.
