What can I do if I sent a payment to the wrong person?

If you sent a payment to the wrong person and the payment status shows as unclaimed, you can cancel it. Go to your Activity, find the payment, and click Cancel. 

If the payment status is 'completed', ask the recipient to refund you. Go to your Activity and select the payment you want refunded. Use the contact details to get in touch with the recipient and request a refund. You can also use the Chat option within the transaction to contact the recipient. 

If you don’t hear back from the recipient and the payment was sent as Goods and Services, you can open a dispute within the correct dispute-filing timeframe.

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.

If you sent a payment to the wrong person and the payment status shows as unclaimed, you can cancel it. Go to your Activity, find the payment, and click Cancel.

If the payment status is 'completed', you can:

1. Try to recover the funds by asking the recipient to refund you. Go to your Activity and select the payment you want to be refunded. Use the contact details to get in touch with the recipient and request a refund. You can also use the Chat option within the transaction to contact the recipient.
2. You can also Contact Us. PayPal will make reasonable efforts to return the funds to you. If it is not possible to return the funds, PayPal will provide you, at your request and subject to applicable laws, transaction information it holds that can assist with the return of the funds.

If you don’t hear back from the recipient and the payment was sent as Goods and Services, you can open a dispute in the Resolution Centre within the applicable timeframe and follow our online dispute resolution process. Refer to How do I open a dispute with a seller? 

However, you can't report a problem for payments sent as "Family and Friends". We encourage you to continue working with the recipient for a refund.