This is probably the most stupid thing, and I am probably the only internet user who doesn't know, but how does paypal work? I know you send and receive money through email but thats about all I know about it.

1. How does the money get into the email! (is money taken from your credit card)

2. How do I take money out of the email, so I can spend it at the shop around the corner of my home (is the money put back into your credit card)

please help

You give them the info on the bottom of you check from your checking account. Once your profile is set and your accounts are verified the funds are electronicly transfered between your PayPal account and your Checking Account. It works very well.

So they link straight through your bank account!!!

Is that not a bit risky?

I think most savvy users start a new account and use that instead of their main account. IE: go to bank and when paypal account is low, transfer funds there. (Or however you do your personal banking.)

Yep, machinehead is right.

PayPal has had cases of fraud(and they don'thandle it very well).
Personally I don't use it, but from what I hear:

-Make a special account for PayPal,and don't put too much money on it.
-When you receive money thru PayPal don't let it sit there too long.


http://www.paypalsucks.com/

That is one extreme if you want to read all the horror stories of people who used PayPal.

Ofcourse there is also the other extreme

Thx salt28, I am a PayPal user and had a few probs with them, but did not realize that there was that many ppl having probs also.