Is there ANOTHER issue with being able to buy Lindens?

[Saturnine Dryke]

I had this issue a couple of days ago and it seems to be an issue for MANY users.

A couple of days ago, I tried to purchase Lindens in-world. I got the message saying it was successful but the $L never showed up. Tried refreshes my balance and nothing.

I went to my Account History and saw that the transaction failed and payment was declined. I went to my Paypal account to make sure everything was in order, everything was correct and no suspicious activity. Everything was in the clear.

I tried again later in the day and a transaction FINALLY went through.

Fast forward to today. Same thing is happening and seems I'm not the only user that's having this issue. Any official word as to what's going on or is it just having some minor hiccups?

And I PRAY the declined/failed transactions don't magically work and hit me all at once. I'll have one very livid and broke fiance. LOL.

[Rolig Loon]

As an old-time resident, you are probably aware that you have two choices with PayPal accounts for SL.  You may have your PayPal account backed up by a credit card or you may have your PayPal account backed up by a bank account.  If you choose the second option, you must keep a cash balance with PayPal that is at least a large as the L$ purchase you plan to make with it.  Linden Lab will not wait while PayPal processes a transfer from a bank account; they want their cash now. 

As I said, I suspect that you know this, because you have been around here as long as I have.  Now, I speculate but do not know for sure that a certain percentage of those "failed delivery" messages from LL are sent while PayPal is trying to transfer money from a bank account so that they have cash to send LL.  LL's accounting algorithm gets tired of waiting and cancels the transaction.  By the time you check with PayPal, however, the bank has transfered the funds and your account with them looks fine.  If you try the same purchase later in the day, PayPal has the money from your earlier request, so it transfers to LL with no trouble. 

That's pure speculation on my part, but I think it accounts for at least some residents' failed PayPal transactions.  BTW, I believe it is true that once a transaction has failed, LL does not resubmit the request and try again.  Your failed transactions should not pile up and suddenly become successful.

If you have a non-technical issue related to billing concerns, you can call the Linden Lab billing team at the following toll-free numbers:

US/Canada: 800-294-1067
France: 0805-101-490
Germany: 0800-664-5510
Japan: 0066-33-132-830
Portugal: 800-814-450
Spain: 800-300-560
UK: 0800-048-4646
Brazil: 0800-762-1132

Long distance ( not free, but you can use Skype to save some cost ) : 703-286-6277
**Note: Support is offered only in English

[Saturnine Dryke]

Ah, thank you very much for the response and yes, it was the second option that I have set up as a backup payment option.

[Rolig Loon]

BTW, the one part of your experience that I find frustrating myself is that the message you get when you make a L$ purchase through your viewer is misleading. The viewer's "successful" message appears to mean simply "OK, I'll tell the main accounting program." The viewer was successful at passing your request along, but it leads you to believe more than that. It's probably better for your peace of mind if you always buy L$ through your dashboard instead.

[Lindal Kidd]

Rolig nailed it.  But I am curious about your last comment, about a "livid and broke fiance".  You haven't used another person's PayPal account as your payment method, I hope!  This is a serious breach of financial and personal security, for both parties.  Even if they ARE your fiance.  That is not a legal relationship, like marriage, and it can be dissolved at any time by either party.

Keep your finances separate.

[valerie Inshan]

@Candil: reading your post and some other ones you published, I'm really wondering what's your purpose in these helping forums other than making bad jokes at the OPs depends. Just sayin'.... :smileyfrustrated: