Paypal Doesn't Want Slain Soldiers' Families To Receive Aid

Paypal Doesn't Want Slain Soldiers' Families To Receive Aid

In recent weeks, we've been asked for an update concerning The Adam Knox Fund, the fund we founded to send money to the family and platoon of the late Adam Knox, brother of Deadspin reader Thomas Knox (and one of the men behind this famous photo). Well, here it is ... and it's not good. One of the first lessons we learned as a writer was not to write angry ... so we're gonna do what we can here to contain ourselves. But we'll say this: The people who work at Paypal are monstrous human beings who should have their entrails dragged through the street.

So here's what happened: When we set up the fund, we attached it to a Paypal account, because we thought that would make it easier to contribute. Turns out, though -- as we learned through two more hours on the phone with these jerks yesterday -- that they set up the initial Paypal account as a "charitable organization" account. (We do not know why they did this. We did not ask them to.) Because of this, they require "documentation of non-profit tax-exempt status." Because Deadspin is not, in fact, a non-profit organization (though we wouldn't exactly call us a "profit" organization either) , the compliance department has decided that the funds are to be frozen for "180 days," after which time they will be deposited in the "bank account on file." (Which is our personal bank account.) The idiot on the phone -- whom we hope goes home tonight and is beaten by Jason Kidd's wife -- said that he understood the situation and that it was "unfortunate" but that "we have our policies. If you contact us on April 13 [the 180 days date] we will be reminded to deposit the funds, because the suspension would be over." That's the word that idiot used: "Suspension."

(Whew: We wrote a little angry there.)

Anyway, so, unless Paypal can see reason, we won't be able to send the legitimately raised money for a legitimate cause to Adam's family and the goods to Adam's platoon until April 13. We find this unacceptable.

So: We call on you. If you're even close to as fired up about this as we are, we encourage you to contact them and let them know what you think or, in a pinch, just call 402-935-2050 and really let them know. If you have a Paypal account yourself, as unfortunate as that might be, you'll need to give them your account info to get somebody on the line; if you don't, we suggest you just keep punching "0" or whatever until you get somebody on the phone.

Paypal is wrong -- disgustingly wrong -- in this, and if our screaming yesterday didn't make a difference, perhaps your numbers can.

And we apologize again to the Knox family and the Columbus, Ohio platoon for all this. If we would have known Paypal was so awful, we wouldn't have used them. We won't make the mistake again.