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I want my money back. Can I cancel a payment?

Canceling a completed payment immediately is generally not an option because the other party already has the money.

When you authorize a payment to a merchant, you agree to make a purchase for a specified amount. Once an order is placed, it’s not possible to change the payment amount or number of items purchased.

Contacting the seller is usually the best way to resolve a problem. You can find their contact details by going to your Activity and selecting the payment. They may be able to issue a refund or help with a return.

Otherwise, you can open a dispute within 180 days of the payment date.

Here's how to open a dispute on the web:

  1. Go to the Resolution Center.
  2. Click Report a Problem.
  3. Select the payment and click Continue.
  4. Select the reason for your dispute, such as:
    • I didn’t receive the item purchased.
    • The product or service is not as described.
    • I have a billing issue
  5. Add any relevant information and click Submit.

To open a dispute on the app:

  1. Go to Recent activity and tap on the transaction you want to report.
  2. Scroll to the bottom and tap on Report a Problem.
  3. Select the type of issue you have, including any relevant details, and tap Submit.


In a dispute, you can message the seller through PayPal to try to resolve any issues. If you cannot resolve the dispute, you have 20 days to escalate the dispute to a claim. In a claim, we investigate the case and decide the outcome.

You can check the progress of a dispute or claim at any time in your Resolution Center.

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