Oh dear, PayPal - what a blunder...

[otherego]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-44783779

For those who don't like links - a spot of copy and paste:

Lindsay Durdle died on 31 May aged 37....

PayPal was informed of Mrs Durdle's death three weeks ago by her husband Howard Durdle.

He provided the online payments service with copies of her death certificate, her will and his ID, as requested.

He has now received a letter addressed in her name, sent to his home in Bucklebury, West Berkshire.

It was headlined: "Important: You should read this notice carefully."

It said that Mrs Durdle owed the company about £3,200 and went on to say: "You are in breach of condition 15.4(c) of your agreement with PayPal Credit as we have received notice that you are deceased... this breach is not capable of remedy."...

Mr Durdle said a member of PayPal's staff had told him there were three possible explanations:

    a bug
    a bad letter template
    human error

He added that he had been assured that whatever the cause, it would be addressed, although PayPal had told him it would not be able to share the information because it was an "internal matter".

Incredible how such a large and successful organization can come across as so heartless, inept and frankly silly. I'm hardly surprised they feel unable to "share the information" - the embarrassment would probably be considerable. All IMHO, of course.

[fallen-archie]

Omg that’s awful yet why am I not surprised?

[upthecreekyetagain]

I can’t imagine how I would receive such a letter- mind you the credit card companies and banks aren’t much better.

At least they have had the good grace to wipe out the debt.

[023mjc]

Something similar happened in my family back in the days of the poll tax.  My dad went into hospital in a different area.  He was there 14 days before he died.  A poll tax bill later arrived for 14 days woth of tax, addressed to my dad..  Mum paid it.

Then another bill arrived - mum phoned and explained.  Then the third, 4th, 5th and 6th - all addressed to my dad despite mums repeated explanations that a) he was dead, and b) she had paid it anyway.

In the end my brother went there and told them in no uncertain terms   "My father, Mr A****  H**** is DEAD.  Have you got that ??  Do you understand ??  DEAD - OK!!!!!.

The seventh bill arrived - addressed to Mr A **** H***** (deceased).

[dark_castle1]

My mother died and the insurance company paid out on her policy, eight months later a letter from her insurance company arrived addressed to her and asking if she wanted to increase her policy. I wrote across it in big black letters DECEASED ! and sent it back to them. Exactly a year after the first letter arrived another addressed once again to her from her insurance company again asking if she wanted to increase her policy, Once again in big black letters I wrote deceased across the front of it and below that P.T.O. and in big black letters I wrote just in case you do not know what deceased means it means DEAD ! and sent it back to them.